IndyCar Lands An Iconic Sponsor As Sunoco Joins Chip Ganassi Racing

The Sunoco Indy car that Kyffin Simpson will drive for Chip Ganassi Racing beginning in 2026.

Chip Ganassi Racing PhotoOne of the most storied sponsors in American auto racing returns to the NTT IndyCar Series beginning in 2026. Sunoco and Chip Ganassi Racing announced on December 12 the iconic fuel company is returning to IndyCar.From the great Mark Donohue driving the Sunoco car to Penske Racing’s first Indianapolis 500 win in 1972, to the more recent era when Sunoco was the official fuel supplier for IndyCar from 2010 to 2018, the famed blue and yellow Sunoco colors have come back home to IndyCar.The deal with Chip Ganassi Racing includes Sunoco, the largest independent fuel distributor in the Americas, as the primary full-season partner on the No. 8 Honda driven by Kyffin Simpson, with associate placement on the No. 9 Honda for Scott Dixon and the No. 10 Honda for four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou.“Sunoco has long been synonymous with performance and innovation, values that mirror the DNA of our team,” team owner Chip Ganassi said. “To join forces with such an iconic brand and one with a storied legacy in IndyCar is truly special. This partnership reflects our shared drive to keep pushing boundaries, and we look forward to what we’ll accomplish together on and off the track.”Sunoco’s First Full-Season IndyCar Primary Sponsorship In 53 YearsThe multi-year agreement marks Sunoco’s first full-season primary partnership in IndyCar since 1973.MORE FOR YOUThis deal is different, however, as Sunoco returns to the IndyCar Series with a full season team primary partnership for the first time in 53 years. Sunoco’s relationship with IndyCar goes back to 1968 in Riverside, California, when Donohue drove the No. 12 Sunoco Eagle. Donohue and Sunoco won their first Indianapolis 500 four years later. Mark Donohue with the Borg-Warner Trophy after winning the 1972 Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27, 1972. CREDIT: Heinz Kluetmeier (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)(Set Number: X16868 TK1 R20 F27 )Sports Illustrated via Getty ImagesSunoco’s IndyCar drivers have included some of the great names in racing including Gary Bettenhausen, Tony Kanaan, and NASCAR legend Bobby Allison. Also, current INDYCAR on FOX personality Townsend Bell has competed in the Sunoco car.Sunoco Hopes To Give IndyCar’s Kyffin Simpson A High-Octane BoostYoung Kyffin Simpson of the Cayman Islands will attempt to live up to those great names as the latest racer to drive the striking blue and yellow Sunoco livery on the race track.“Starting my third year in IndyCar with Sunoco joining the No. 8 Honda is an incredible boost,” Simpson said. “We’ve made big strides on the track, and this partnership will only help us get better, I’m confident we can take another step forward and have even more success in 2026 and beyond.”The 21-year-old Simpson is becoming one of the young talents in the IndyCar after completing two full seasons in the series before he turned 21. That is more starts than Chip Ganassi Racing champions Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Jimmy Vasser or Alex Zanardi had by their 21st birthdays. Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda during the NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 6, 2025 in Lexington, Ohio. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Lumen via Getty Images)Lumen via Getty ImagesThe 2025 season was significant Simpson with his first career podium, three top 5 finishes, six top 10s and his first trip to the Firestone Fast Six. Simpson hopes to take another leap forward, fighting for wins in 2026 and continue learning from his teammates that share a combined 10 IndyCar championships and two Indianapolis 500 victories.Sunoco Is A Trusted Fuel Brand That Gives IndyCar Another Major SponsorSunoco, the largest independent fuel distributor in the Americas, previously served as the primary fuel supplier of INDYCAR from 2010-2018 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2015-2018. The company’s new commitment to the Fastest Racing on Earth signals a powerful reentry into top-tier open-wheel racing and a notable partnership with one of motorsport’s winningest teams.The No. 8 Sunoco Honda at Chip Ganassi Racing.Chip Ganassi Racing PhotoThe largest manufacturer of race fuels, Dallas-based Sunoco will use the partnership to showcase Sunoco 94 Octane, the highest-octane fuel on the market. As a Top Tier™ fuel, it can help engines run cleaner, longer and more efficiently. Beyond IndyCar, Sunoco remains a dominant force in American motorsports, supplying high-performance fuel to more than 500 tracks and over 50 racing series nationwide.Sunoco will have a presence across all Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar entries for all 17 races.Sunoco operates across 32 countries and territories in North America, the Greater Caribbean, and Europe. Sunoco’s midstream operations include an extensive network of approximately 14,000 miles of pipeline and over 160 terminals. This critical infrastructure complements Sunoco's fuel distribution operations, which distribute over 15 billion gallons annually to approximately 11,000 Sunoco and partner-branded retail locations, as well as independent dealers and commercial customers. Sunoco's general partner is owned by Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET).Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for more than 35 years and is considered one of the most successful and innovative owners in motorsports. Today, his teams include three Honda cars in the NTT IndyCar Series and four entries in INDY NXT by Firestone.

Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) has won 24 championships and over 270 races, including six wins in the Indianapolis 500, eight Rolex 24 At Daytona victories, and wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. CGR boasts state-of-the-art facilities in Indianapolis, where the IndyCar and INDY NXT teams are located, and a corporate office in Pittsburgh. The No. 8 Sunoco Indy Car.Chip Ganassi Racing Photo