INDYCAR today confirmed the introduction of a charter system for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. In total, the owners of 10 teams have accepted charter contracts for 25 participants who will now take part in North America’s most important open-wheel racing series.

“This is an important development that demonstrates an aligned and optimistic vision for the future of our sport,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp. “I want to extend my sincere thanks to our team owners for their collaboration and brainstorming throughout this process. Ultimately, we are pleased to have implemented a system that provides greater value to our owners and the participants they field.”

This is the first charter system implemented in NTT INDYCAR SERIES history. A chartered competitor is guaranteed a starting spot in all NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, with the exception of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. A competitor must also be chartered to qualify for the annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES Leaders Circle program – an annual rewards program that rewards the top 22 drivers in the previous year’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. The terms of the initial, long-term charter agreements are valid through the end of 2031.

Chartered INDYCAR teams for 2025

Charters were granted to team owners based on full-time enrollments in the previous two seasons, with a maximum of three charters awarded per team.

WHAT INDYCAR TEAM OWNERS SAY

“I appreciate the efforts of the INDYCAR and Penske leadership groups and all the owners to bring this charter system into being. It is incredibly difficult to get a large group of owners to agree on something and certainly there was some give and take, but in the end I believe this is a path that is beneficial for all owners and for INDYCAR while maintaining availability for open competition.” – Larry Foyt, AJ Foyt Enterprises

“If you look back at the modern era of INDYCAR racing, you will recognize several important moments: The first was the unification of the sport, the next was Roger Penske’s purchase of the INDYCAR SERIES and IMS and I firmly believe the third will be the charter system.” – Chip Ganassi, Chip Ganassi Racing

“We are very excited to begin this new era. The process has been thorough but ultimately very exciting. This charter system will clearly strengthen our teams as we continue to grow the sport. I want to thank Roger (Penske) and his entire team at INDYCAR. ECR will be making announcements soon and I don’t know if they would be possible without the help of a program like this. With this groundbreaking development, the new TV deal with FOX and the momentum that has built, the future of INDYCAR looks very bright.” – Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing

“For me, the charter agreement is the most important building block for the future of the series. I am grateful that we all agreed to this and thank the Roger Penske Group for working with the team owners to make this possible.” – Michael Shank, Meyer Shank Racing

The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins Sunday, March 2, at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on the streets of St. Petersburg. The entire 17-race schedule will be available live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network.