Last year’s Indy 500 defeat “hurt more than anything” for Ryan Hunter-Reay

Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing during 2025 Indy 500

And I knew when I came through Turn 4 to that last stop, I felt it cough and fall on its face. I knew we were done at that point. The engine continued to run at low pressure on the stop, but once I touched the throttle pedal, it was day over.”

Overall, the way everything fell apart was something Hunter-Reay was haunted with, too.

"I didn't sleep"

“Yeah, I didn't sleep,” he said. “I probably slept two hours a night for the next four after that. Just honestly thinking of what that would have been, that story that would have been, and seeing my family in Victory Lane, and man, just the emotions behind it, because everybody was just absolutely wrecked before we went into the race.”

Now, Hunter-Reay will try to put that behind him in this latest one-off behind the wheel of the #31 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren, teaming alongside full-time regulars Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard, and Nolan Siegel.

“It's a great opportunity,” Hunter-Reay said. “No matter what, no matter how much preparation goes into it for a one-off, there's always going to be challenges. It's just tough to put a group of people together one time a year in the biggest race in the world (and) to put the car on track for the first time and have everything go completely smoothly.”

Which is evident after electrical issues through the opening two days of practice hindered on-track running.

“Right now we're a day behind,” he said. “We had some electrical issues on day one and we ran 20-something laps. So yeah, we've got our work cut out for us. But I'm kind of used to that as a one-off. We're having to go through those teething issues on the first little bit.

“I'm extremely confident and optimistic. One thing for certain, I think the strongest point of being here at Arrow McLaren is the resources, the people here. They'll give me the best possible opportunity to win the race.”

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