Dale Coyne Racing has announced that it has signed Nikita Johnson to drive full time for the 2027 IndyCar season.
Johnson recently earned the IndyNXT by Firestone championship while racing for Cape Motorsports, giving him scholarship money to take with him as he advances to the top level of American open wheel motorsports.
He won two races and finished eighth or better in every race of the 2026 season, proving he has consistency and skills on all types of tracks.
At just 18 years old, Johnson is the youngest driver to be signed on for the 2027 IndyCar grid. He is the second confirmed rookie, and will compete against Josh Pierson for the Rookie of the Year title.
“I want to thank Dale Coyne and everyone on the team for this amazing opportunity, together with OnlyBulls and my partners PV3 Enterprises/ENVE,” said Johnson.
“I would also like to thank my family for their unwavering support and my management team, for working with Dale Coyne to take the next step in my career. I am focused on working with the DCR team to maximize this opportunity at the top level of motorsports.”
Johnson will have the backing of ENVE Motorsports for his IndyCar campaign.
The composites company has been delving into motorsports in recent years, and has sponsored Mick Schumacher in his IndyCar endeavors in addition to fielding a USF 2000 team further down the IndyCar ladder.
Johnson is the first driver to be confirmed with Dale Coyne Racing, as the team still has one open seat available.
The only other two unconfirmed rides on the 2027 grid are from Juncos Hollinger Racing, with every other team already having announced their full time drivers for the season.
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