MSR poaches key sponsor from Dale Coyne Racing

In the cutthroat world of IndyCar, where every sponsorship dollar can mean the difference between running at the front or scraping by at the back, loyalty is as fragile as carbon fiber under pressure. For years, Dale Coyne Racing had built a reputation as the scrappy underdog—the team that gave chances to rookies and veterans alike, punching above its weight on a shoestring budget.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Founded in 1984 by driver-turned-owner Dale Coyne, the squad had nurtured talents like Sébastien Bourdais, Alex Palou, and Romain Grosjean, often relying on grit, smart engineering, and last-minute deals to keep two cars on the grid.

In the summer of 2025, that grit paid off in a big way. During the Borchetta Bourbon Big Machine Music City Grand Prix weekend in Nashville, Dale Coyne proudly unveiled a major partnership with Todd Ault’s Ault Blockchain and its AI-focused brand askROI. Ault, a passionate racing enthusiast with deep pockets from his ventures in blockchain and crypto, had already tasted success sponsoring other programs.

He declared his love for Dale’s no-nonsense approach: “I love working with Dale. I love racing, especially INDYCAR. It was a no-brainer to come back for a long-term commitment with the team. This team has a lot of grit, which I truly admire.”

The deal positioned askROI as the primary sponsor for both the No. 18 and No. 51 entries, extending through 2026. Dale Coyne himself beamed, saying the partnership could carry their momentum forward.

The 2025 season delivered thrills. Rinus VeeKay, stepping in as a stabilizing force, delivered a stunning second-place finish in Toronto and consistent top-10 runs, proving the small team’s potential when given the right backing. Optimism ran high heading into the offseason—Dale Coyne Racing seemed poised for a stronger 2026, with plans to finalize drivers by Halloween.

Rinus VeeKay – No. 18 askROI, Dale Coyne Racing Honda. Starting the race on the primary tires, VeeKay pursued the competition, gaining several spots in the opening handful of laps getting to P 17 from his original P24 qualifying position. Image courtesy of Penske Entertainment

But as the calendar flipped to January 2026, the paddock whispers turned into headlines. Amid uncertainty over the second seat—only 2025 Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger had been locked in—the driver market churned with rumors of Linus Lundqvist, Conor Daly, Romain Grosjean, and Jacob Abel circling the open cockpit. Stability was key, yet the lineup remained incomplete.

Then came the quiet coup. Todd Ault, the man who had once championed Dale’s “grit,” expanded his existing IMSA relationship with Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) into the IndyCar realm. Announced around the final race of 2025 in Nashville and confirmed in early January 2026, Ault’s companies—askROI, along with new ventures BitcoinMAX and Only Bulls—would now adorn MSR’s two-car effort: the No. 60 Honda of Felix Rosenqvist and the No. 66 of Marcus Armstrong.

MSR co-owner Michael Shank couldn’t hide his excitement: “We are excited to continue our partnership with Todd Ault and hope to celebrate his companies in victory lane multiple times this year.” Ault himself explained the shift, praising MSR’s winning mentality: “Jim Meyer is a legend and Mike Shank is a racer who really wants to win. Everybody says they want to win, but Mike really wants to win, which is why I wanted to do more with him… As we launch both OnlyBulls and BitcoinMAX globally, this partnership is one of many we plan to announce.”

For Dale Coyne Racing, the move felt like a gut punch. What had started as a promising long-term alliance in Nashville now looked like it would not fully continue—or at least not at the same level. While some reports suggested Ault’s support for DCR might persist in a reduced capacity (subject to final confirmation), the bulk of the branding and financial muscle had swung to the more established, victory-hungry MSR squad. The team that had once celebrated Ault’s faith now faced the harsh reality of the sport: sponsors chase performance, stability, and the scent of champagne.

Dale Coyne and Rinus VeeKay – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto – (Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo)

In the garages of Dale Coyne Racing, the mood was somber. Dale, ever the fighter, focused on finalizing that second driver and leveraging the Andretti Global technical partnership to keep pushing. But the loss stung—a key backer, lured by the promise of more podiums and global exposure, had quietly slipped away to a rival down the pit lane.

Meyer Shank Racing, meanwhile, geared up for a brighter 2026, their cars gleaming with fresh crypto-blue liveries. In IndyCar, as in business, alliances shift like the wind at Indianapolis. One team’s lifeline becomes another’s launchpad. And for Dale Coyne, the search for the next big break had just gotten a little harder.