Dale Coyne Racing Drivers Struggle at Barber Motorsports Park

Grosjean finishes 15th, Hauger places 23rd in NTT INDYCAR SERIES race

Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:06am

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A fractured, geometric painting in vibrant colors depicting an IndyCar race, with overlapping planes and shapes representing the dynamic movement and competition of the event.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and competition of an IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park.Leeds Today

Dale Coyne Racing's Romain Grosjean and Dennis Hauger had a challenging day at the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park. Grosjean started 6th but fell back due to strategy issues, ultimately finishing 15th. Rookie Hauger, making his first permanent road course start, finished 23rd as he continues to learn the INDYCAR series.

Why it matters

This race highlighted the difficulties Dale Coyne Racing has faced in the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season so far, as both their drivers struggled to find pace and capitalize on their starting positions. The team will need to regroup and make adjustments ahead of the next race in Long Beach.

The details

Grosjean started 6th but lost positions early on. He ran long stints on different tire compounds but was unable to make up ground, finishing 15th. Rookie Hauger, starting 24th, took a cautious approach early on but was ultimately lapped and finished 23rd as he continues to learn the series.

  • The race took place on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama.
  • Grosjean pitted for the first time on lap 23, then again on lap 40 and lap 66.
  • Hauger pitted on laps 11, 38, and 64.

The players

Romain Grosjean

A veteran driver for Dale Coyne Racing, competing in the No. 18 Bmax Honda.

Dennis Hauger

A rookie driver for Dale Coyne Racing, competing in the No. 19 Ault Blockchain Honda and making his first permanent road course start in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Dale Coyne Racing

An IndyCar team that fields cars for Grosjean and Hauger.

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What they’re saying

“That was super frustrating. We had the starting position and the pace, but the strategy did not go our way today. We could not find clean air, and that killed our lap times at the most important portions of the race. As the race went on, we just seemed to fall farther back. This car had so much pace in it, and it's a shame we were not able to show it in the final results. Everyone worked hard this weekend to get a fast car, and it's a shame we weren't able to get the result I feel we deserved.”

— Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing Driver

“This weekend was a big learning experience for me. That's what's important with weekends like these, you need to learn all you can. I know there are things we could do better that will help us moving forward. This is my first time being lapped in my entire career, and I won't lie, that doesn't feel good. A lot of people put a lot of effort into this, and this isn't the result any of us want. We have two weeks to turn the page, and then we'll be going to Long Beach to try this all over again.”

— Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing Rookie Driver

What’s next

The Dale Coyne Racing team will have two weeks to analyze their performance and make adjustments before the next race at the Long Beach Grand Prix on April 13, 2026.

The takeaway

This race highlighted the challenges facing Dale Coyne Racing as they work to improve the performance of their cars and help their drivers, both veteran and rookie, adapt to the demands of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The team will need to regroup and find solutions ahead of the next event.