Nikita Johnson To Drive for Cape Motorsports in 2026 Season

Updated Sep. 23, 2025 1:41 p.m. ET

INDYCAR

Cape Motorsports named Nikita Johnson as the driver one of its planned two entries in INDY NXT by Firestone in 2026, team officials announced Sept. 23.

This will be the first full season in the INDYCAR development series for Florida native Johnson, 17, who made three INDY NXT starts in 2025 with HMD Motorsports.

“They have demonstrated the ability to win and to develop young drivers, such as Kyle Kirkwood and Jak Crawford,” Johnson said of the Cape team. “INDYCAR and INDY NXT have grown massively and the competition level is high, so this is a good way to gain experience and prepare for the future. I am focused on working with the team to win and advance my career.”

Johnson competed in four different open-wheel series on three continents in 2025. Besides his INDY NXT experience, he also raced in Formula Regional Oceania, British GB3 and FIA Formula 3. He became the youngest-ever race winner in British GB3 in 2024, taking the checkered flag at Zandvoort at age 16, following with a win at Brands Hatch.

He arrives in INDY NXT with plenty of winning experience in North American junior formulas. Johnson (photo, above) finished second in the USF Pro 2000 championship in 2024 and won eight races, and he placed second in the USF2000 championship in 2023.

In advance of his full-season USF Pro 2000 effort in 2024, Johnson jumped to the series at the end of the 2023 season and triumphed at Circuit of the Americas to become the youngest race winner in USF Pro 2000 history, at age 15.

“Nikita has been gaining great experience in New Zealand and Europe, building on an already impressive USF Pro Championships-winning career,” team manager Dominic Cape said. “He has been on the podium a few times already in 2025. Having him compete for Cape Motorsports adds a solid, fast driver to our program. I expect to see Nikita at the front of the field.”

Johnson will make his competition debut with Cape at the 2026 season opener March 1 on the streets of St. Petersburg in his native Florida.