Nikita Johnson, full-time driver of the No. 59 Team RLL McLaren in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and driver of the No. 21 for Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR in Indy NXT, has claimed the 2026 Indy NXT championship following a strong and consistent campaign with the program.
Johnson, a St. Petersburg, Fla., native, won on his home turf to begin his eventual championship campaign during the season-opening weekend of the Firestone Grand Prix. Ultimately, Johnson finished the year with two wins, both coming within the first three races, including a Round 3 victory at Barber Motorsports Park.
Johnson also collected seven podium finishes, including two this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, to seal his first championship title in the series.
For sports car fans, the championship is an exciting moment, as Johnson has contested a dual program throughout the 2026 season, combining his full-time effort in IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s McLaren program.
This season, Johnson, alongside co-driver and fellow open-wheel driver Max Esterson, has shown strong pace in the No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, consistently contending for podium finishes.
With the Indy NXT title, Johnson will receive $850,000 to be applied toward a rookie oval test, entry into the Indy 500 Open Test and Rookie Orientation Program, an entry into the 2027 Indianapolis 500 and an entry into an additional NTT INDYCAR SERIES event.
While an IndyCar opportunity for 2027 appears all but locked in at some point for Johnson, the dual-program driver has continued to express interest in competing in IMSA’s top series while making his climb through the ranks of the open-wheel scene.
Johnson’s next racing stop following the culmination of his 2026 Indy NXT championship season fittingly brings him to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, September 18–20, where he will look to close out his 2026 IMSA campaign on a positive note — this time arriving as an Indy NXT champion.
