Jack Harvey has cancer, and the statement he posted Tuesday morning names two dates for his comeback, St. Petersburg in March and a race car in May, and not one detail about the illness.
The IndyCar driver and Fox broadcaster put the two-page statement on X and Instagram at 8:30 a.m. Eastern on Oct. 13, captioned "Let's fight." The Instagram version went up as a joint post with the accounts of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and IndyCar on Fox. The news sits at the bottom of the first page, after three paragraphs about his career: "I have recently been diagnosed with cancer."
The statement does not name the type of cancer, its stage, when it was found or what treatment he is having. It does not say whether he will miss any Fox work. What it lists instead is who is backing him: his care team, family and friends, DRR, Fox and INDYCAR.
Two dates
The second page is where Harvey gets specific. His goals for 2027 "have not changed," he wrote: he plans to be on the grid at St. Petersburg, then strap back into a race car in May to prepare for the Indianapolis 500.
The wording separates the two. He will be on the grid in St. Pete, and in a car in May. That matches the job he has now. His X profile lists him as a Fox Sports driver analyst, DRR's own release described him as a Fox pit reporter for the 2025 season, and his last two IndyCar starts have both come at Indianapolis. The 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is set for March 5-7, a little under five months after the post went up.
Harvey at Indy with DRR
Harvey, from Bassingham in England, came into IndyCar at the 2017 Indy 500 after an Indy Lights career with six wins. His best IndyCar finish is third, at the 2019 Indianapolis Grand Prix on the IMS road course.
His first Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold, in 2025, is the reason the team brought him back. According to DRR's race-day recap, he started the No. 24 INVST Chevrolet 26th, was fifth by lap 31, led on lap 45 and was still sixth on lap 122. On lap 161 he came into the pits too fast to stop in his box, had to drive through and pit again the next time around. "That's on me," he said afterward. The recap has him finishing 22nd, a lap down. The team's announcement re-signing him that September says 19th.
He returned to the No. 24 for the 110th running in May 2026 and started from the last spot on the grid, 33rd, according to INDYCAR's official starting lineup, which notes that cars 4 and 24 would start at the rear.
Whose No. 24
The car Harvey drove the last two Mays now has a new full-time driver. On Sept. 5, at the season finale at Laguna Seca, DRR announced a multi-year deal putting Conor Daly in the No. 24 for the full 2027 season, with the team switching to Honda power. DRR ran Chevrolets for both of Harvey's 500s.
That announcement does not mention Harvey or a second car for Indianapolis. It says more team and sponsor news will follow. Harvey's statement thanks DRR by name but does not say which team, car or engine he plans to drive in May.
The paddock answered under the Instagram post. INDYCAR's account wrote that its "hearts and full support" were with him. Alex Palou went with "Easy win! LFG." James Hinchcliffe, Harvey's Fox colleague, suggested someone will make a movie about Harvey winning the 500 after this.
The next documents to watch are DRR's promised 2027 announcements and the Fox crew list for St. Petersburg in March. Harvey led the 500 in 2025. Which team gives him the car for 2027?
Sources: Jack Harvey's statement on X and Instagram (Oct. 13, 2026); Dreyer & Reinbold Racing releases (May 25, 2025; September 2025; Sept. 5, 2026); INDYCAR starting lineup, 2026 Indianapolis 500; INDYCAR/Green Savoree Racing Promotions announcement of the 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Featured photo: MIDWST.BLUR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
⚡ Read the full article on Backfire News
Sign up for the Backfire Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.