Indianapolis, IN
Ryan Hunter-Reay embraces 'one-off' role with Dreyer & Reinbold
SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WIBC) — The Indianapolis 500 means the possibility of drivers making the race that don’t compete on the full-time NTT IndyCar Series circuit. Every year among those drivers are those of the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing stable.
DRR is back once again and trying to make its 25th consecutive Indianapolis 500 while operating as a team that has mostly operated as a team with the sole purpose of racing in the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
However, DRR is in a unique position this year with its budding partnership with Cusick Motorsports and other opportunities for growth.
Then, you add former IndyCar Series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay into the mix as a driver, along with fan favorite Conor Daly.
“It’s great to have Ryan back,” said DRR co-owner Dennis Reinbold. “As soon as the race was over last year, I told him, ‘Hey, if it works out we want you back,’ and it worked out.”
After starting 18th in last year’s race, Hunter-Reay was able to bring his No. 23 machine home in 11th. After his first year as a “one-off” driver with DRR he believes he is in the right spot for his career given how long he has been racing. Hunter-Reay turned 43 this past December.
“I love it. I really do. You have all these guys that are just absolutely dialing in on this one race,” Hunter-Reay said. “You don’t have all these folks being pulled in a million different directions. Right now the rest of the — pretty much the rest of the field is mid-season grind mode right now. These guys (other teams) are tired.”
Hunter-Reay did compete in more than one race last year, filling in for the remainder of the season after the Indy 500 when Ed Carpenter Racing brought him in. Coincidentally, ECR parted ways with Conor Daly and Hunter-Reay ended up taking the seat he left behind. Now Daly and Hunter-Reay are teammates at Dreyer & Reinbold.
The two were once teammates in their days at Andretti Autosport, now Andretti Global.
So, at 43, some may question how long Hunter-Reay thinks he can keep racing.
“I still feel like I’m 28, so I have no idea. It doesn’t even enter my mind,” he said. “I think about this race all the time. That’s what I really love about working with this team and with Dennis, as well, is he’s got that same passion about it that I do, for it that I do. As long as it’s one of the most important things for me and what I focus on, then I don’t really have an answer for you on that because I haven’t thought about it.”
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
-
Georgia3 minutes agoPrices climb as Georgia gas tax break ends
-
Hawaii11 minutes agoBystander video shows damage after concrete falls at Ala Moana Center
-
Idaho13 minutes agoSecretary of State: Idaho’s rapid growth is reshaping state politics
-
Illinois19 minutes ago104th Illinois General Assembly passes bills for immigration, technology
-
Indiana26 minutes agoIndiana extends gas tax suspension: ‘Cheapest gas in the country’
-
Iowa28 minutes agoTrump's primary endorsement winning streak just ended in Iowa
-
Kansas33 minutes agoWhere to watch Kansas City Royals vs Cincinnati Reds: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 3
-
Kentucky41 minutes agoFayette County school board chair, KEA sue to block Kentucky law that would oust current members
