By: Spencer Neff
September 18, 2023

After securing first and second in the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Drivers’ Championship, as well as Rookie of the Year honors, Chip Ganassi Racing will expand to a fifth full-time entry.

Kyffin Simpson, who has been a development driver with CGR since May 2022, will run. a fifth full-time entry at Chip Ganassi Racing beginning in 2024.

“It’s been incredible working with Chip Ganassi Racing as their development driver over the last couple years and I’ve been able to learn so much. I am very excited to be making the next step to INDYCAR with this team,” said Simpson in Monday Morning’s announcement.

“I had a great time at the test and I can’t wait to get back in the car. It’s been my dream to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and it’s an honor to make it happen now with one of the best teams in the series. I’m really looking forward to working more closely with the entire team and the drivers. I want to give all the glory to God, and I also want to thank Chip and Mike for giving me this opportunity, Ridgeline Lubricants and The American Legion for their support, and of course my family.”

A native of the Cayman Islands, Simpson has spent the last two seasons with HMD Motorsports running the Indy NXT by Firestone (Indy Lights prior to 2023). In July, he finished runner-up at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, his best effort in 27 starts and one of two podium finishes during the season.

“We welcome Kyffin as a teammate to our INDYCAR program. He has been integrated into a Chip Ganassi Racing multi-year defined development program which now provides the opportunity at open-wheel’s highest level,” said Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull in today’s announcement.

“He has already tested an INDYCAR with more to follow as an INDY NXT graduate. In addition, he is already a proven winner in IMSA at the 12 Hours of Sebring in LMP2 and on an LMP2 global stage in the ASLM and ELMS series.

Simpson joins Alex Palou and Scott Dixon, this year’s top two championship finishers, as well as 2023 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year Marcus Armstrong and 2022 INDY NXT Champion Linus Lundqvist as full-time drivers at CGR. It is the first time the team will have five cars running full-time and just the third time in the organization’s history (2015 and 2022 Indianapolis 500).

Header Image By Travis Hinkle/INDYCAR