Sunoco Returns to IndyCar Glory with Chip Ganassi Racing and Kyffin Simpson
Specific paint schemes stop you in your tracks. They don’t just represent a sponsor. They represent an era. In American open-wheel racing, few liveries carry the weight, nostalgia, and sheer cool factor of the Sunoco Blue and Yellow. For the first time since 1973, that iconic diamond logo is coming back to the grid as a full-time primary partner.
In a move that marries historic legacy with modern dominance, Sunoco has announced a multi-year agreement with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). Starting in the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the No. 8 Honda, piloted by rising star Kyffin Simpson, will carry the torch for a brand that has been fueling racing dreams for over half a century.
A Historic Reunion for the Paddock
For race fans who have been around the block, this news hits different. We aren’t just talking about a sticker on a sidepod. This is Sunoco reclaiming its territory. While the brand served as the series’ official fuel supplier from 2010 to 2018, seeing the company return as a primary team sponsor brings a different kind of energy to the paddock.
It is fitting that a brand with this much gravity is aligning with Chip Ganassi Racing. We are talking about an organization that has secured 17 championships and over 145 wins since 1990. When Chip Ganassi speaks, the garage listens, and his take on this partnership highlights the shared DNA between the two organizations.
“Sunoco has long been synonymous with performance and innovation,” Ganassi said regarding the announcement. “To join forces with such an iconic brand and one with a storied legacy in INDYCAR is truly special.”
The Legacy of the Sunoco Eagle
To understand why this matters, you have to look in the rearview mirror. The relationship between this fuel giant and IndyCar racing was forged in fire back in the late 60s and early 70s. The history books will tell you about Mark Donohue and the No. 12 Sunoco Eagle.
That car wasn’t just fast. It was a revolution. Donohue and the Sunoco team captured the Indianapolis 500 in 1972, cementing the brand’s place in motorsport folklore. Over the decades, the roster of drivers who have represented the brand reads like a Hall of Fame ballot: Gary Bettenhausen, Tony Kanaan, NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, and Townsend Bell.
Now, history is being dusted off and polished for a new generation. The visuals of the new No. 8 car evoke memories of Riverside and the Brickyard in the 70s, but the technology underneath is strictly cutting-edge 2026.
Kyffin Simpson: The New Face of Performance
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this deal is the driver chosen to carry the colors. Kyffin Simpson isn’t a grizzled veteran. He is one of the sport’s most promising young guns. At an age where most drivers are still hoping for a call-up, Simpson has already completed two full seasons. The kid is quick. Before his 21st birthday, Simpson had already logged more starts than legends like Scott Dixon, Jimmy Vasser, or Alex Zanardi had at the same age.
His 2025 campaign was a breakout year, silencing critics and putting the field on notice. He secured his first career podium, notched three top-five finishes, and made his presence felt in the Firestone Fast Six qualifying sessions. Putting a surging talent like Simpson in the Sunoco car is a statement. It bridges the gap between the “glory days” of open-wheel racing and its future.
Fueling the Future with Sunoco 94 Octane
Of course, in the high-stakes business of motorsports, there is always a commercial angle. Dallas-based Sunoco isn’t just here for nostalgia. It’s here to showcase product supremacy. As the largest independent fuel distributor in the Americas and the largest manufacturer of race fuels globally, the track is their ultimate laboratory.
The partnership focuses heavily on highlighting Sunoco 94 Octane. For the gearheads watching from home, the connection is clear: the high-performance Top Tier fuel that powers engines to run cleaner and more efficiently on the street shares a lineage with the liquid powering Simpson’s Honda down the straightaways.
Looking Ahead to 2026
When the haulers unload for the first race of the 2026 season, the grid is going to look a little brighter. Sunoco will have a presence across all Chip Ganassi Racing entries, but all eyes will be on that No. 8.It is rare in modern sports marketing to see a partnership that feels this authentic. It feels right. It feels like history is coming full circle.
For Chip Ganassi Racing, it is another power move in a dynasty that shows no signs of slowing down. For Kyffin Simpson, it is the opportunity of a lifetime. And for the fans? We just get to enjoy seeing that beautiful blue and yellow blur screaming past the start-finish line once again. Welcome back, Sunoco. You were missed.
