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Johnson Earns First INDY NXT Win at Home in St. Pete
17-year-old Nikita Johnson prevails in duel with fellow teen Max Taylor to take checkered flag in St. Petersburg.
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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Nikita Johnson, a 17-year-old driver from St. Petersburg, Florida, earned his first career INDY NXT by Firestone victory on Sunday by winning the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Johnson, driving for Cape Motorsports, prevailed in a close battle with pole sitter Max Taylor of Andretti Global to take the checkered flag in his hometown race.
Why it matters
Johnson's win marks the first INDY NXT victory for the Cape Motorsports team, and the young driver's success in his home city will likely boost his profile in the developmental racing series. The duel between Johnson and Taylor, both talented teenagers, also highlights the rising level of competition in INDY NXT as the next generation of IndyCar drivers makes their mark.
The details
Johnson started second on the grid but used a bold outside pass in Turn 1 on the opening lap to take the lead from pole sitter Taylor. Despite multiple caution periods that bunched up the field, Johnson was able to hold off repeated challenges from Taylor on the restarts to secure the victory by just under a second. Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk of HMD Motorsports rounded out the podium in third.
- The 45-lap race was halted on time after 55 minutes.
- Johnson turned his quickest lap of the race on Lap 38, but Taylor countered with the fastest overall lap on Lap 39.
The players
Nikita Johnson
A 17-year-old driver from St. Petersburg, Florida who earned his first career INDY NXT victory on Sunday.
Max Taylor
An 18-year-old rookie driver for Andretti Global who started on pole position but finished second to Johnson.
Cape Motorsports
The team that Johnson drives for, earning their first INDY NXT victory with Johnson's win.
Tymek Kucharczyk
A rookie driver for HMD Motorsports who finished third in his first INDY NXT start.
Andretti Global
The racing team that fields cars for Max Taylor and several other drivers, taking three of the top five finishing positions.
What they’re saying
“I can't thank the boys from Cape Motorsports enough and everyone from ECR who has been helping us. It's a pretty amazing feeling to get my first win in INDY NXT and Cape's first win in INDY NXT. I can't wait to see all my friends and family.”
— Nikita Johnson (Speedway Digest)
“Good race overall, good points. Showed a lot of pace but just messed up on the start. The restarts were very difficult to get right. Just kept trying to apply the pressure, trying different things. Probably could have had an opportunity to pass him there, but you live and you learn.”
— Max Taylor (Speedway Digest)
What’s next
The next INDY NXT by Firestone race is the Grand Prix of Arlington on Sunday, March 15 on the streets of Arlington, Texas.
The takeaway
Nikita Johnson's victory in his hometown Grand Prix of St. Petersburg not only marks his first career INDY NXT win, but also the first for his team Cape Motorsports. The duel between the 17-year-old Johnson and 18-year-old Max Taylor showcases the rising level of young talent in the INDY NXT development series, as the next generation of IndyCar drivers continues to make their mark.
