INDY NXT 2026: THE MOST COMPETITIVE SEASON IN YEARS
For several years, Indy NXT was largely defined by one dominant team or one standout driver. The 2026 season has been different. Through the opening rounds, six different drivers from five teams have won races, while three rookie drivers have emerged as the main championship contenders. This year’s field has produced one of the closest title fights in recent Indy NXT history and highlighted the series’ growing strength as the final step on the Road to Indy.
The season opened on the streets of St. Petersburg with 17-year-old Nikita Johnson giving Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR its first Indy NXT victory. Starting second, Johnson managed several caution periods and held off Andretti Global’s Max Taylor to become the first race winner of the year. The result immediately established Johnson as one of the leading championship contenders while confirming Cape Motorsports could compete with the established front-running organizations.
The following round in Arlington produced another first-time winner. Max Taylor gave Andretti Global victory after a consistent weekend in which qualifying position proved decisive on the tight temporary street circuit. AJ Foyt Racing also showed its progress, with rookie Alessandro de Tullio taking pole position and confirming the team had made a significant step forward over the winter.
Barber Motorsports Park hosted the first double-header of the season and further demonstrated the competitive balance of the championship. Johnson claimed his second victory of the year in Race 1, extending his early championship lead with another mistake-free performance. One day later, de Tullio converted pole position into his first Indy NXT victory, ending a wait of more than 20 years for AJ Foyt Enterprises to return to Victory Lane in the series.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course marked HMD Motorsports’ first breakthrough of the season. Enzo Fittipaldi produced one of the strongest drives of the year in Race 1, climbing from 10th on the grid to secure victory after changing weather conditions interrupted the race. It was the famous Fittipaldi family’s first Indy NXT win and came after a race featuring a red flag, wet conditions and a record number of on-track passes.
Race 2 belonged to Polish rookie Tymek Kucharczyk. After several strong weekends without a victory, the HMD Motorsports driver delivered a clean and controlled performance to score his maiden Indy NXT win. Kucharczyk had arrived in the United States after impressive results in European junior categories, where limited financial backing prevented him from progressing further despite consistently strong performances. His adaptation to unfamiliar circuits has been one of the stories of the season.
Detroit continued HMD Motorsports’ momentum. Fittipaldi overcame front-wing damage sustained early in the race and still managed to win, becoming the first driver to score multiple victories in 2026. The result moved the Brazilian into the championship lead while also ending a 35-year wait for another Fittipaldi victory on the streets of Detroit, where Emerson Fittipaldi had previously won Indy car races in 1989 and 1991.
The first oval race of the season at World Wide Technology Raceway produced another new winner. Myles Rowe started from 24th position and charged through the field to give Abel Motorsports its first victory of the year. The result also meant six different winners from five different teams in the opening eight races, underlining the competitive balance that has defined the championship.
Road America produced one of the most controversial weekends of the season. Alessandro de Tullio crossed the finish line first in Race 2, but post-race technical inspections led to the disqualification of both AJ Foyt Racing entries. Matteo Nannini inherited victory, while Kucharczyk was promoted to second and Johnson completed the podium. The penalties significantly affected the championship standings and demonstrated the importance of technical compliance as the title fight tightened.
Mid-Ohio was the strongest weekend of the season for HMD Motorsports. Fittipaldi claimed pole position and victory in Race 1, leading every lap as the team completed the first 1-2-3-4 finish in modern Indy NXT history with Kucharczyk, Jack Beeton and Salvador de Alba finishing behind him. Fittipaldi then completed the weekend sweep by winning Race 2, extending his championship advantage with four victories in five races.
Through the first half of the season, the championship has been led by a new generation of drivers. Johnson has impressed with his consistency and race management despite entering the series as a rookie. Fittipaldi has combined experience with speed and has become the benchmark since Indianapolis. Kucharczyk has quickly adapted to American racing and established himself as a title contender, while Taylor remains one of the fastest qualifiers in the field. De Tullio has exceeded expectations by putting AJ Foyt Racing back in contention for victories, and Rowe’s oval success has added another team to the list of race winners.
The numbers illustrate how competitive the championship has become. After eight races there had been six different winners from five teams, compared with only three winners representing two teams at the same stage of the 2025 season. Johnson, Fittipaldi and Kucharczyk, three rookies, were separated by only a handful of points entering the summer stretch, while every major organization had shown the ability to fight for victories.
The 2026 season has also shown the strength of the current Indy NXT field beyond the championship contenders. Cape Motorsports has immediately become a winning team after returning to the series, AJ Foyt Enterprises has re-established itself as a front-runner, Abel Motorsports has won on an oval, Andretti Global continues to fight at the front, and HMD Motorsports remains the benchmark with multiple drivers capable of winning. With several rounds still to be completed, the championship remains open, but the first half of the season has already established 2026 as one of the deepest and most competitive campaigns in recent Indy NXT history.
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