Has Arrow McLaren signed Ryan Hunter-Reay for the 2026 Indy 500? Cryptic social media post drops clues

Arrow McLaren sent IndyCar fans on a wild goose chase with a cryptic social media post about an incoming announcement for the 2026 Indianapolis 500. The post teased an announcement seemingly about the team's fourth entry at the Greatest Spectacle of Racing, which NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson had been occupying for the last two years.

Arrow McLaren already has three full-time entries locked in for 2026 - Pato O'Ward continuing in the No. 5 Chevrolet, Nolan Siegel in the No. 6 Chevrolet, and Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 Chevrolet. In 2024 and 2025, the fourth part-time entry facilitated Kyle Larson's attempt at The Double. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver shared he won't return to run the Indy 500 in the near future after two failed attempts.

In this IndyCar offseason, a couple of insiders, including FOX pit lane reporter Kevin Lee and RACER's Marshall Pruett, shared that Ryan Hunter-Reay was rumored to be in talks to pilot the entry in 2026. That's also what many fans seemed to zero down to after Arrow McLaren's social media post on Wednesday, the caption to which read:

"A new assignment. 🔜"

The picture had a CIA-like confidential file on a table alongside a radio. The photo seemingly had several clues about the announcement, like the radio being tuned to 98 FM, which fans interpreted to be a reference to the 98th Indy 500 in 2014, which was won by Ryan Hunter-Reay.

More clues hinted at RHR's signing, including the 17 stars on the top left of the file, in the colors blue, white, orange, and one of them was golden. That could coincide with the 2012 IndyCar champion's Indy 500 record, having made 17 starts and won once.

The blue and white colors also played into piquing fan curiosity. Some theorized that it could refer to Hunter-Reay's nickname, Captain America. The file was named Project 31, the number he carried in 2003 and 2005, during his Champ Car career.

Ryan Hunter-Reay supposedly wasn't Arrow McLaren's first choice for the 2026 Indy 500

109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

In July this year, over a month after the 109th Indy 500, where Arrow McLaren had one driver, Pato O'Ward, finish on the podium, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown teased 'mega' plans for the 110th running of the race next year

Brown shared with Indy Star that he and the team were planning to get a rookie, whom he chose not to name, to pilot the team's fourth entry.

"We've got a trick up our sleeves, and it would be so cool if it happens. This one would be unreal," Brown said. "It would be mega."

Ryan Hunter-Reay is obviously not a rookie, with a career spanning over two decades. The 44-year-old retired from full-time racing in IndyCar in 2021 and has since done part-time stints. In 2024 and 2025, he raced at the Indy 500 for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, DNFing each time.

Arrow McLaren's fourth entry this year failed again, with Kyle Larson retiring on a lap 91 restart after making contact with the car ahead.

Edited by Yash Kotak