Inside Line: Your Three-Driver Fantasy Team for 2026?

Today’s question: Let’s try the NTT INDYCAR SERIES version of a fantasy league after all the Silly Season activity that took place last week. You're an INDYCAR SERIES team owner with three charters for the 2026 season, and every full-time driver in 2025 is a free agent. Which three drivers are you picking for your team?

Curt Cavin: This is an interesting question and one that isn’t as straightforward as I expected. Everyone’s first choice surely is Alex Palou, who has proved he can win anywhere at any time and is the closest the series has to a weekly sure thing. My second selection is Pato O’Ward because above all else, he gives me the best chance to contend at Indy, a race I desperately want to win. The third seat is difficult. I considered a pair of rising stars (Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Lundgaard) along with two improving drivers who can contribute to our budget (Marcus Armstrong and Kyffin Simpson). But ultimately, my team is under sponsorship pressure, so winning now is key. For that reason, I’ll take a driver I think will win two or three races next year. That’s Will Power (photo, above).

Eric Smith: The master of the obvious is taking Alex Palou. The four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, winner of three titles in a row, is a generational talent that simply can't be passed up. My second pick is Kyle Kirkwood. The young, talented American has proven himself as a race winner across all disciplines, highlighted by an oval victory at World Wide Technology Raceway this season and four street course wins – including two at the prestigious Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Kirkwood has improved his final points standing each season and for a driver who’s won a championship at every level on his way up the ladder, it’s only a matter of time before he becomes an NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion. Finally, there’s Pato O’Ward (photo, above). In five of his six full-time seasons, he’s finished inside the top five in the championship standings, with a career-best second place in 2025. O’Ward shines across all tracks, but notably is at his best on ovals, where he’s collected four wins, nine runner-up finishes, and 23 top-five results in just 32 career circle track starts. Add that to Palou, who has claimed 15 of his 19 career wins on natural road courses, I’ve got every discipline covered with a driver lineup all under the age of 30.

Arni Sribhen: I think it would be easy to build a superteam with the three of the top six drivers in the championship, but I’d want a team that can function as a team because I think Chip Ganassi Racing has shown that chemistry is just as important to success on the track. All you have to do is look at 2022, when Alex Palou got frozen out of debriefs after signing for another team. So, for the team leader, I’m picking Scott Dixon. The Iceman has been paired with other top drivers, such as Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti and Alex Palou, and performs. For Dixon’s wingman, I’ll go with a veteran with potential to win on any track and who could be a team leader, Scott McLaughlin, and the third seat I’ll go with a younger driver with potential and pace who could learn from Dixon and McLaughlin’s experience – Callum Ilott (photo, above). (Footnote: I’d have considered Dennis Hauger or Linus Lundqvist for the third seat, but neither is eligible for this exercise.)

Paul Kelly: My first pick in the draft is Alex Palou. Duh. If I need to explain why, you’re clearly not an NTT INDYCAR SERIES fan. Let’s just say Palou isn’t on the sport’s Mount Rushmore yet, but he’s already in the foothills at age 28. An all-time great. Choice No. 2 will be Will Power, for a few reasons. One, he’s still fast as hell at age 44, as he earned his series record-extending 71st career pole and a race victory in 2025. He’ll also be arguably the most motivated driver in the paddock next season, ready to show Team Penske and the rest of the INDYCAR world that he still has it at age 45. Like Curt, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Power atop the podium multiple times next season. Finally, Power’s technical acumen and dedication to engineering debriefs will be vital for team development. My third pick would be Rinus VeeKay (photo, above). I think he’s one of the most underrated drivers in the series, evidenced by how he lifted Dale Coyne Racing from the doldrums of 2024 into competitiveness this season. It’s hard to believe VeeKay is just 24 and could have at least a decade or more left in the series, as it feels like he’s been around forever. I like his combination of youth, speed and congeniality. He also probably wouldn’t command as high of a salary as fellow young stars like Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood or Christian Lundgaard, something to consider as I’m managing a team budget. VeeKay also is a race winner, something you can’t teach that breeds confidence.