Sting Ray Robb Gets NTT IndyCar Series Seat with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing

Sting Ray Robb was not able to beat Linus Lundqvist for the 2022 Indy NXT (formerly Indy Lights) championship, but he managed to beat Lundqvist to a more important prize.

Robb was named driver of the No. 51 Honda for the Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. Robb drove for Andretti Autosport in the Indy NXT championship, while Lundqvist drove for HMD Motorsport with Dale Coyne Racing.

Robb, 21, will pair with fellow 21-year-old driver David Malukas to give Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing the youngest driver lineup in IndyCar.

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Meanwhile, Lundqvist is still looking for a 2023 ride.

"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."

Robb's 2022 season in Indy NXT capped a four-year run in the Road to Indy Ladder system and included a win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, 11 top-five finishes, eight podiums and two poles. He apparently sealed the deal with Coyne after a solid one-day test earlier this month at Sebring. Robb's best season in the ladder system was 2020 when he won the Indy Pro Championship on the back of seven wins and completing all 485 laps for the season.

“We’re very excited to have Sting Ray join our team,” said 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.”

Malukas finished 16th in the 2022 IndyCar championship as a rookie in 2022. He finished a season-best second behind race-winner Josef Newgarden at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Ill., in August.