Dale Coyne Racing announced Nov. 10 that reigning INDY NXT by Firestone champion Nikita Johnson will drive one of the team's Honda-powered entries for the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, with support from sponsor ENVE.

Johnson, 18, arrives in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES following a record-setting 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone campaign, becoming the youngest champion in series history at 18 years, 3 months and 12 days old. He was also the only driver to earn a top-10 finish in all 17 races in addition to completing every lap of the season (656).

“I want to thank Dale Coyne and everyone on the team for this amazing opportunity, together with OnlyBulls and my partners PV3 Enterprises/ENVE,” Johnson said. “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.”

The 17-race 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins March 7 in Johnson's hometown with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. He has enjoyed success at the event, winning the INDY NXT season opener in 2026, the first of two INDY NXT victories last season, in addition to winning the USF2000 race in 2023 and USF Pro 2000 race in 2024.

Nikita Johnson

Johnson's (photo, above) résumé also includes runner-up finishes in the 2023 USF2000 and 2024 USF Pro 2000 championships. In 2025, he expanded his international experience by competing in GB3, earning victories at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands and the historic Brands Hatch circuit in England at just 16 years old.

Dale Coyne, owner of DCR, sees Johnson's experience across multiple racing disciplines as a valuable foundation for his transition to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“This is a great opportunity for DCR to sign a young and talented driver with an impressive résumé,” Coyne said. “Nikita has raced many types of cars and has gained great experience in the USA with INDY NXT, the USF series, Formula Regional in New Zealand, and GB3 and F3 in England and Europe.”

Johnson will also have the support of AI-powered financial platform and digital wallet OnlyBulls, a major team-wide partner of Dale Coyne Racing entering its third consecutive season with the organization in 2027.

Johnson joins NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Mick Schumacher and INDY NXT competitor Matteo Nannini as the third ENVE-sponsored athlete competing across the INDYCAR landscape in 2027. ENVE Composites, a PV3 Enterprises company, recently expanded its presence in motorsports with the launch of ENVE Motorsports. It competes in both USF2000 and INDY NXT.