Tony Kanaan sat alongside Ryan Hunter-Reay when discussing the Nov. 13 announcement that Hunter-Reay will drive the No. 31 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Next May will mark Hunter-Reay’s 18th attempt at making “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” but his first with Arrow McLaren.

Kanaan and Hunter-Reay shared more than just a seating arrangement during the Zoom call – they share remarkably parallel careers.

Hunter-Reay ranks 27th on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES all-time wins list with 18 victories; Kanaan is one spot behind with 17. Each owns one series championship, Kanaan’s in 2004, Hunter-Reay’s in 2012. Both feats were earned with Andretti Global. Their careers intersected there in 2010, where they helped shape the team’s competitive resurgence.

Ryan Hunter-Reay

Kanaan captured his lone Indianapolis 500 win in 2013 with KV Racing Technology, while Hunter-Reay followed a year later with Andretti Global (photo, above), placing their faces side-by-side on the famed Borg-Warner Trophy.

Their similarities, though, extend beyond the racetrack. Their birthdays are just two weeks apart, with Hunter-Reay born Dec. 17 and Kanaan on Dec. 31, granted, Kanaan is 6 years older.

So how do two people have that much in common?

“That’s a good question,” Hunter-Reay said. “We also had the same driving styles, worked so closely on setups and kind of revamped the Andretti approach at the time. I wasn’t even aware until recently that we’ve got a similar number of wins, a ‘500’ and a championship. The teams we’ve been with, the moves we’ve made, it’s all part of who we’ve become as drivers and as people.”

Kanaan grinned in agreement.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” he said. “But now it’s up to Ryan (Hunter-Reay) to change that. He can have one more (Indianapolis) 500 win than me.”

“That’s really the reason I’m here,” Hunter-Reay said.

Hunter-Reay, 44, never lost the desire to compete for a second “500.” He nearly added another Borg-Warner likeness last May with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing w/ Cusick Motorsports. Starting 24th, he led 48 laps and appeared to be in position for a potential win before his car ran out of fuel entering pit lane while in the lead on Lap 169. The delay dropped him to a 21st-place finish.

He stayed overnight at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, parked in his motorhome, still processing the disappointment the next morning. As he packed up on Memorial Day to leave, Kanaan and three-time “500” winner Dario Franchitti stopped by to chat.

“The conversation with Dario and TK in the bus lot was just organic,” Hunter-Reay said. “I was completely drained mentally and physically. The first thing they asked was, ‘Do you really need to be doing this?’ I told them: ‘This place means so much to me. To have a shot at a win like that is everything.’”

That moment stuck with Kanaan, who retired following the 2023 Indy 500 but serves as team principal for Arrow McLaren.

With Kyle Larson filling Arrow McLaren’s one-off “500” seat the past two seasons but not returning in 2026, Kanaan knew the team’s plans would be different. That bus lot conversation with Hunter-Reay replayed in his mind and led to a phone call.

Hunter-Reay didn’t have anything lined up yet and leaped at the opportunity to reunite with Kanaan.

“We were only teammates for a year, but the chemistry we had was awesome,” Kanaan said. “Even after I left Andretti, that connection stayed. We worked really, really well together.”

Kanaan said Hunter-Reay’s deal extends beyond a single race but leaves the decision about how long to continue up to him.

“Let me put it this way, if he wins, he’s going to have to come back,” Kanaan said. “If he doesn’t, he’ll have to decide. I want him here as long as he wants to be here. He’s an incredible asset for this team. He helps me on the other side, too. It’s his house, and as long as he wants to stay around, we’ll have him.”

Arrow McLaren has fielded strong superspeedway cars in recent years. Pato O’Ward finished runner-up in the 2022 and 2024 Indianapolis 500s and third in 2025, while Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel finished seventh and 13th, respectively, this past May. Larson finished 24th.

O’Ward, Lundgaard and Siegel return full time in 2026, with Hunter-Reay adding his experience to the lineup for the Indy 500.

“It’s a huge honor to be with Arrow McLaren, to represent them on and off the racetrack,” Hunter-Reay said. “It’s one of the most iconic racing teams in history, a full-blown powerhouse brand. That’s not lost on me.

“I’m just focused on the job I know how to do. The fourth car has been a superstar entry, and that’s because of the talent that’s already here, the drivers, the engineers, the whole group. I just want to fit in and do my job the best way I can. When I put the visor down, it all comes naturally.

“I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to get started.”