Bobby Travis · NASCAR/IndyCar Correspondent
At 18, he is the youngest driver confirmed for 2027. Dale Coyne Racing’s second car is still open.
Two weeks after his first test, it is official. Dale Coyne Racing signed Nikita Johnson on November 10 for the full 2027 IndyCar season. The 18-year-old American from Florida is the reigning Indy NXT champion and the youngest driver so far to have a spot locked in for 2027. He is also the first confirmed driver at Coyne. Who drives the second car remains open.
A title without a slip
Johnson won the 2026 Indy NXT title for Cape Motorsports ahead of Enzo Fittipaldi and Tymek Kucharczyk. He took both of his wins in the first three races, and from there consistency decided it: in 17 races he never finished worse than eighth. The title comes with a series advancement package for the step up to IndyCar, which made him even more attractive to teams.
His road there ran through the American ladder from USF Juniors to USF Pro 2000, with a detour to Europe. In 2024 he raced in British GB3, and in 2025 he contested eight Formula 3 weekends without scoring a point. Back in the U.S., the breakthrough followed.
The Barber test and a plan that fell apart
On October 26 at Barber, Johnson drove an IndyCar for the first time. In the afternoon he took over Coyne’s No. 19, in which Alex Dunne had tested in the morning, and reeled off 62 laps. His best time was 1:08.020.
The road to the seat was not a straight one, though. Coyne had originally planned to put Dennis Hauger in the lead car with Johnson alongside him. Because neither contract had been signed, Hauger went to AJ Foyt Racing. Foyt and Juncos Hollinger Racing had also pursued Johnson.
Rookie battle with Pierson
“I want to thank Dale Coyne and everyone on the team for this amazing opportunity,” Johnson said. Team owner Dale Coyne added: “This is a great opportunity for DCR to sign a young and talented driver with an impressive résumé.” Johnson is backed by ENVE Motorsports, OnlyBulls and PV3 Enterprises.
After Josh Pierson, who is moving to AJ Foyt Racing, Johnson is the second confirmed rookie for 2027, which makes the two of them rivals for Rookie of the Year. Johnson faces a schedule that demands everything from street circuits to superspeedways, and with the season opener on March 7 in St. Petersburg it starts right away on a street course.
