IndyCar’s charter “intends to create monetary value and security for its team owners” who populate the series with their entries for the entirety of the annual championshipGetty Images
Penske Entertainment is “getting closer” to presenting its team owners with what it “hopes will be the final version of its first charter program,” according to Marshall Pruett of RACER. Penske Entertainment is aiming to “share the initial framework of the charter” with its entrants leading into its marquee event at the May 26 Indianapolis 500. Meaningful progress has been made with the initiative, but an “equal number of questions and ramifications must be considered before it’s ready to execute.” Modeled in some ways after NASCAR’s charter system, IndyCar’s charter “intends to create monetary value and security for its team owners” who populate the series with their entries for the entirety of the annual championship. Pruett noted in contrast to F1 and NASCAR, whose teams are in a direct business relationship with their series, and whose entries have become “highly lucrative commodities for the owners to sell." The formation of a charter system was spoken of as an ambition by owner Roger Penske when he purchased the series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway late in 2019. The latest iteration of the charter system would make 25 charters available for the series’ entrants, with a limit of three charters per team. Determining the eligible entries for the 25 charters has been done by using the results from last season’s Entrants’ championship. In 2023 and again in 2024, IndyCar has featured 27 full-season entries.The 25 would have “guaranteed starting positions at every race,” with the Indy 500 being the only possible exception (
RACER, 4/3).
