{"id":400507,"date":"2026-09-15T14:42:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/400507\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T14:42:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:42:42","slug":"city-celebrates-indy-nxt-champion-nikita-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/400507\/","title":{"rendered":"City celebrates INDY NXT champion Nikita Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Petersburg native Nikita Johnson is only 18 years old. Earlier this month, he won the championship for INDY NXT by Firestone, which is INDYCAR\u2019s developmental series, and made history as the youngest driver to claim the title. Johnson was also named the 2026 Dallara Rookie of the Year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the race car driver, it all began with karting. Pursuing his passion professionally was a dream. The City of St. Petersburg hosted a celebratory event Monday at City Council chambers in recognition of his 2026 season.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to win in my rookie year,\u201d Johnson told the Catalyst. \u201cThis is Cape Motorsports\u2019 first INDY NXT championship. They\u2019ve been very successful in the junior series, but they\u2019ve never won an INDY NXT. It\u2019s just great to do it with an amazing family and team. So, I couldn\u2019t be more proud of the whole team for all of the hard work that they\u2019ve done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2024, Johnson became the youngest-ever British GB3 winner and stood on the podium in Zandvoort in the Netherlands. He finished second in the 2024 USF Pro 2000 championship. At only 15 years old, Johnson became the youngest USF Pro 2000 race winner at Circuit of the Americas in 2023.<\/p>\n

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Nikita Johnson\u2019s INDY NXT by Firestone championship and 2026 Dallara Rookie of the Year Award trophies. Photo by Michael Connor.<\/p>\n

This March, Johnson won the season-opening INDY NXT race at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. It was only fitting for the Gulfport resident.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Community support has been key in the journey, he explained. Home is also a place for the driver to decompress and relax. His hobbies include golfing and fishing.\u00a0Johnson said that it\u2019s \u201calways a pleasure coming back from wherever I\u2019m traveling from.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for Johnson\u2019s future aspirations, he hopes to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES next year and receive a multi-year contract. Long-term, Johnson\u2019s dream is to dethrone Alex Palou, who won the 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 championships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody has done it yet,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cSo, that would be cool to break his streak. That might take a few years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to racing, he tried a variety of sports. These included soccer and football. Initially, Johnson\u2019s family tried to encourage him to be a hockey player. However, he had yet to find his passion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI got into go-karting kind of by accident,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce I hopped in it, I realized that this is what I\u2019m going to be doing for years and years to come. I truly loved it and never looked back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

While racing in INDY NXT may be daunting, Johnson embraces the experience. Every competition is an opportunity he does not take for granted. More so, each race is a chance to improve and grow in the sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some people, they\u2019re all jacked up,\u201d he explained. \u201cFor me, I just like being calm and collected. I think the best way to drive is without emotion. This allows you to make clear decisions in the split seconds where it can decide your whole race. I always just try to be very very calm and enjoy it. That\u2019s the biggest thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nikita Johnson races for Cape Motorsports. Photo: Facebook.<\/p>\n

Johnson also doesn\u2019t take being a role model lightly. Students from Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School and Pinellas Technical College attended the Monday event.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping the kids will follow their dreams and obviously do well in school,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just cool to have the support of all the little fans. They\u2019re always so cool to go meet and hang out with. Hopefully, I see them in INDYCAR some day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mayor Ken Welch explained at the gathering that he first met Johnson in 2018 when he was still karting. Former St. Petersburg City Council member Charlie Gerdes, the father of current Council member Copley Gerdes, made the introduction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn just a few short years, you\u2019ve gone from a young driver with big ambitions to a champion competing at one of the highest levels of the sport,\u201d Welch said. \u201cNikita\u2019s story is an excellent example of what can happen when opportunity is pursued with talent, hard work, discipline and the courage to pursue an ambitious goal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the mayor, there is something special about watching a hometown talent represent St. Pete on a national and international stage,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe\u2019re proud of the trophies and the championships, but we\u2019re also proud of the way that you represent our city. It means a lot. You continue to give back to the next generations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Copley Gerdes also spoke at the Monday event.<\/p>\n

\u201cSt. Petersburg\u2019s got a racing tradition,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a history. Nikita, you are carrying that torch.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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