PLAINFIELD, Ill. — Sting Ray Robb is making the jump to NTT IndyCar Series action this season.
On Wednesday, Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing announced Robb as the full-time driver of the No. 51 Honda powered entry.
Robb finished second in the INDY NXT championship last year on the strength of 11 top five finishes, eight podiums, two poles and 99% of laps completed in 14 races, which included a win at Weathertech Raceway (Calif.) Laguna Seca.
He made his first unofficial outing with Dale Coyne Racing earlier this month during a one-day test at Sebring (Fla.) international Raceway.
“This is an opportunity – a dream – that has been long in the making,” said Robb. “I’m honored to join forces with Dale Coyne, Rick Ware and the whole organization. I am excited and grateful to be on the NTT IndyCar Series grid for 2023. We had a great first test together in early January and I was very impressed with the efficiency of the DCR with RWR team and how well we worked together on our first day.
“Dale Coyne Racing has a historically distinguished program that has seen success with many drivers and most recently, with young, talented drivers. I’m looking forward to continuing in that trend and expecting some strong results as we enter my rookie season. My heroes are all those who have come alongside to make it possible for me to follow God’s calling in my life; and to them I say, ‘Thank You’. All the glory goes to God.”
With the addition of Robb as a teammate to David Malukas in the No. 18 HMD entry, the DCR team will have the youngest driver lineup in the series, with both drivers born in September of 2001.
“We’re very excited to have Sting Ray join our team,” shared Dale Coyne, team co-owner. “He is coming off a very strong INDY NXT season and he impressed us and performed very well earlier this month at our test. I think he and David will make a great pairing. With David continuing where he left off last year, and Sting Ray wanting to do well in his rookie season, we have two young and eager drivers who, I think, are a force to be reckoned with.”
Rick Ware Racing also shares Coyne’s views regarding the team’s new driver, and potential for the 2023 season.
“Dale and I have spent a lot of the off-season testing and discussing driver options,” said Rick Ware, team co-owner. “Getting Sting Ray Robb on board to compete for the IndyCar Rookie of the Year championship, as well as the Indy 500 Rookie of the Race honors, is pretty incredible. He’s young and already has multiple years in the IndyCar ladder system.
“I am really looking forward to another fresh driver and personality to the No. 51 team and partnership platforms. With Sting Ray’s road course experience, and Dale’s oval-track program, we are very optimistic.”