INDY NXT by Firestone continues to grow into one of North America’s premier development series.

The 2025 season marked the series’ first year on FOX Sports, and INDY NXT delivered an average audience more than five times larger than in 2024. Thirteen of 14 races aired live on FS1 for the first time.

This era has also produced the series’ deepest fields since 2009, with nine on-track passing records set across five tracks last season.

Momentum continues to build as the 2026 season is projected to feature 24 full-time entries, with additional growth and new records anticipated.

Here are five key storylines ahead of 2026.

Lochie Hughes, Myles Rowe Lead Championship Contenders

Three of last season’s top five finishers have departed the series – including champion Dennis Hauger and runner-up Caio Collet, who both climbed to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – but the 2026 field remains rich with returning talent.

Sophomore Lochie Hughes and third-year driver Myles Rowe return after combining for four victories last season, including wins on three of the four ovals. Hughes triumphed at World Wide Technology Raceway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, while Rowe won at Iowa Speedway and at the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway.

Hughes looks to deliver Andretti Global its eighth INDY NXT title and third consecutive. He previously won the 2024 USF Pro 2000 championship.

Andretti Global fields a balanced lineup alongside Hughes, pairing veterans with rookie Max Taylor. Sophomore Seb Murray is in the No. 27 entry after topping the Chris Griffis Memorial Test on Oct. 27 on the IMS road course. Josh Pierson replaces James Roe in the No. 29 entry and enters his fourth INDY NXT season after a career-best year with HMD Motorsports, highlighted by two podium results, 11 top-10 finishes and a sixth-place championship result. Pierson ranked inside the top three at both offseason Open Tests when factoring in the November test at Barber Motorsports Park.

Rowe aims to bring ABEL Motorsports its first championship after finishing a career-best fourth in points during his debut season with the team. Georgia native Rowe won the 2023 USF Pro 2000 title and is joined by rookie Max Garcia and veterans Jordan Missig and Colin Kaminsky.

Strong Rookie Class Led by Three American Teenagers

The 2026 rookie roster includes Jack Beeton and Enzo Fittipaldi (HMD Motorsports), Nicholas Stati (Cusick Morgan Motorsports), Nicholas Monteiro and Alessandro De Tullio (AJ Foyt Racing), Garcia (ABEL Motorsports), Taylor (Andretti Global), Carson Etter (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Nikita Johnson (Cape Motorsports powered by Ed Carpenter Racing).

Johnson, 17, of Florida, finished runner-up in both the 2023 USF2000 championship and the 2024 USF Pro 2000 title race.

Taylor, 18, of New Jersey, made six INDY NXT starts last season and completed his rookie USF Pro 2000 campaign with one win, four podiums and nine top-five finishes. He led the Barber Motorsports Park Open Test in November and was second fastest at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test.

Garcia, 16, of Miami, enters with back-to-back titles — USF2000 in 2024 and USF Pro 2000 in 2025. He chases a third consecutive championship and hopes to become the second straight rookie to win the INDY NXT crown, following Hauger’s run last season.

Return of NTT INDYCAR SERIES Teams

Ed Carpenter Racing and AJ Foyt Racing both rejoin the developmental ladder through new technical partnerships — ECR aligning with Cape Motorsports and Foyt partnering with HMD Motorsports.

The addition of an INDY NXT by Firestone program marks AJ Foyt Racing’s second stint in the series. In 2002, A.J. Foyt IV won the inaugural championship, and Ed Carpenter claimed the Freedom 100 for the team in 2003, the series’ first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Juncos Hollinger Racing also returns after pausing its program early in 2025, fielding a two-car effort. The team previously earned INDY NXT championships in 2015 and 2017 and recorded 18 wins, 18 pole positions and 51 podiums from 2015-21.

New entrant Cusick Morgan Motorsports will debut a two-car effort in collaboration with HMD Motorsports, building on Cusick’s recent Indianapolis 500 partnerships with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

This follows Chip Ganassi Racing’s re-entry last season. CGR expands from two to four cars in 2026 as it continues its pursuit of a first series victory.

The influx of teams and development programs strengthens INDY NXT’s position as the most competitive pathway to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

HMD Rebound?

HMD Motorsports, which has 32 series wins and two INDY NXT championships, endured an uncharacteristically uneven 2025 season. Despite Collet’s championship challenge, which included three wins, four runner-up finishes and nine podiums, Pierson was the team’s only other top-10 points finisher. Additional podiums came from Juan Manuel Correa (third at Detroit) and Evagoras Papasavvas (second at Barber).

To recapture the glory years of titles from Linus Lundqvist in 2022 and from Christian Rasmussen in 2023, HMD shifts to a new structure. The team shrinks from eight cars to four, while supporting two additional two-car teams through technical alliances.

HMD also appears to be mirroring the approach that helped produce Hauger’s 2025 title with Andretti Global: recruiting talent from the European development ladder.

The team enters Beeton and Fittipaldi, with two seats yet to be announced.

Fittipaldi, 24, grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, earned F2 victories in 2023 and 2024 and raced in the European Le Mans Series last season.

Beeton, 17, of Australia, won the 2023 Formula 4 South East Asia championship and spent 2025 in Formula Regional Europe.

Enhanced Schedule

For the 16th time and fifth straight year, the season opens on the sun-splashed Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida – this year on Sunday, March 1.

The race launches a 17-race schedule, the most since 2021, with all races contested during NTT INDYCAR SERIES event weekends.

The schedule is highlighted by participation in the inaugural INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington. The Sunday, March 15 race on the new 14-turn, 2.73-mile Streets of Arlington circuit is a tentpole event during the 2026 INDYCAR calendar.

Five doubleheader weekends are featured, culminating with the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The historic road course returns as the finale for the 15th time in series history. Other doubleheaders take place at Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The calendar also includes oval races at World Wide Technology Raceway, Nashville Superspeedway and the Milwaukee Mile — all of which set series records for on-track passes in 2025.

For the second consecutive season, all races will air live on FOX Sports, with broadcasts on FS1 or FS2. All practice and qualifying sessions will also be televised live on those networks.

SARASOTA, Fla., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ultimate Motorsport, a high-volume independent dealership, was facing a challenge familiar to many growing stores: rising lead volume, limited staff capacity, and no scalable way to maintain consistent follow-up. Despite receiving 1,000+ leads per month, their four-person sales team struggled to respond quickly or nurture leads over time.

After evaluating multiple AI tools, including Podium, Intel AI, and standalone chatbots, the dealership selected AutoRaptor’s AI Sales Assistant (AISA) because it integrates directly with their CRM, leverages years of customer data, and offers exceptional customization and backend control.

Today, Ultimate Motorsport sells 85–100 vehicles per month with just three salespeople, all while improving engagement, reactivating dormant leads, and generating more appointments with no additional overhead.

The Challenge: Heavy lead volume, small team, missed opportunities

Before using AutoRaptor’s AI, follow-up was the dealership’s biggest pain point.

“The biggest frustration was follow-up… we get close to 1,000 leads a month with four sales guys.”

Because leads were priced aggressively, demand was high, but the team could only follow up for a few days before falling behind.

“My guys were following up maybe five days out… it became almost impossible to keep up with the volume unless you added more salespeople.”

Adding more staff wasn’t an option; it hurt commissions, created internal competition, and didn’t fix the core problem: too many leads, not enough time.

The Solution: Choosing AutoRaptor’s AI Sales Assistant

Omar compared several AI platforms and found that most were expensive, rigid, or required replacing his existing systems.

Podium:

• Tried to take over the entire workflow (phone, CRM, AI).
• Offered low intro pricing that would later increase.
• Provided little backend control.

Intel AI:

• Good technology but required switching CRMs, which was double the cost.
• Migrating years of customer data would be painful and risky.

Standalone Chatbots:

• Poor adoption because most leads come from third-party marketplaces, not the website.

AutoRaptor offered the opposite:

• Seamless integration with their existing CRM
• Access to years of CRM data (20,000+ customers)
• Ability to train and customize AI behavior
• No need to overhaul existing systems

“AutoRaptor was our preferred CRM… and AutoRaptor’s AI is better than Intel and Podium.”

The Implementation: AI trained to match the dealership’s tone, rules, and sales process

Ultimate Motorsports connected AISA to:

• New leads
• Old leads going back 4–12 months
• Missed calls
• Upsheets and existing CRM notes

Their team trained the AI gradually:

“It’s not plug-and-play. You have to shape how AI works and thinks.”

They adjusted wording, rules, hold policies, and fallback responses to match real dealership operations. The result? AI that feels like part of the team.

“It’s not cookie cutter… it answers, suggests, compliments, and stays in our tone.”

The Results

1. Huge efficiency gains — no extra headcount needed

Before AI:

• Needed more staff to manage leads
• Risked oversaturating the sales floor

After AI:
 → Running the store with 3 salespeople selling up to 100 cars/month

“We sell 85–100 cars a month with three sales guys.”

2. Re-engaged dormant leads = new revenue

AISA revived leads that were 3–12 months old, customers who may be ready to buy now.

“If a customer wasn’t ready to buy 4 months ago, he may be ready now.”

This created a new “hidden” pipeline without buying new lead sources.

3. Faster responses = more appointments

AISA replies instantly, even while reps are typing.

“AISA will answer the customer within a minute… it’s setting appointments for in-person or FaceTime video.”

4. Better lead filtering

AI automatically filters out unqualified shoppers, reducing noise and improving focus.

“If someone doesn’t respond to one or two messages, that’s not a customer… that’s a window shopper.”

5. Strong ROI

Just five extra deals per month pays for the system several times over.

“If you can close five more deals… that’s $10,000 gross. ROI is off the charts.”

Compared to buying new lead sources: “CarGurus or Autotrader want at least $2,500/mo… AISA is cheaper and uses the data we already have.”

Why AutoRaptor?

1. Unmatched customization: Make rule changes instantly, no ticketing system.

“If I can go in there and make changes myself… that’s what I love.”

2. Deep CRM integration: AI leverages old upsheets, call logs, notes, customer history.

3. Real dealership language: AISA adapts to the dealership’s tone, not cookie-cutter templates.

4. Competitive necessity: Large groups have massive AI budgets. Independent dealerships need tools that level the field.

“If you’re not playing at the same level… they will crowd you out.”

The Conclusion

AutoRaptor’s AI Sales Assistant helped Ultimate Motorsport:

• Handle 1,000+ monthly leads
• Sell 85–100 cars each month
• Operate with just three salespeople
• Reactivate older leads
• Improve response time
• Reduce overhead
• And achieve off-the-charts ROI

For independent dealerships facing rising lead volume and competitive pressure, AutoRaptor’s AI Sales Assistant represents a modern, scalable solution that delivers measurable outcomes, immediately and long term.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/how-ultimate-motorsport-uses-autoraptor-ai-to-sell-85100-cars-a-month-with-just-three-salespeople-302654273.html

SOURCE AutoRaptor

Kaulig Racing has secured its first major partner, as it prepares for its inaugural year in the Truck Series with Ram. The team confirmed that Cummins will back the No. 12 Ram 1500 for the entire 2026 season, driven by Brenden “Butterbean” Queen.

Cummins’ involvement marks a return to the national racing spotlight. The company, long associated with diesel and alternative power, will now be the season-long primary sponsor for Brenden Queen. The No. 12 Ram entry will carry a red-and-black scheme that was revealed alongside the announcement.  Queen reshared the announcement on X with the caption:

“Nothing can stop this @Cummins Ram! @RamTrucks | @Kaulig_Trucks”

For Kaulig Racing, it represents another foundational partnership as the organization shifts its competitive footprint. The five-truck lineup continues to build toward Daytona. Kaulig has already committed to fielding the Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16, and 25, all under the Ram banner. Three full-time drivers are already locked in, with Brenden Queen joining Daniel Dye and Justin Haley as confirmed pieces of the program.

This comes in the wake of Kaulig Racing stepping away from the Xfinity Series after 2025. The focus now sits entirely on its two Cup entries and the new Truck operation. For Ram, the partnership forms the core of its return to NASCAR’s national ladder.

Brenden Queen arrives with momentum. His 2025 ARCA Menards Series title run saw him produce eight wins and 17 top-five finishes across 20 races. The consistency built his case as one of the most prepared rising stars entering NASCAR. Queen has already gained experience in the lower tiers last year. Queen made five Xfinity starts with Kaulig’s No. 11 Chevrolet in 2025, highlighted by a top-10 finish at Kansas. He also logged in Truck races with Spire Motorsports, scoring a tenth at Martinsville and a sixteenth at Indianapolis.

Speaking on the announcment he said (via Cummins press release):

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

Now, it remains to be seen how Queen does in his rookie NASCAR campaign with his sponsor confirmed and the stability of a defined full-time role in the No. 12 Ram.

Kaulig Racing continues building out the remaining trucks

While Brenden Queen’s situation is now clear, two other seats remain unsettled. Daniel Dye and Justin Haley have been confirmed as part of the program, but their truck numbers are still pending. The expectation inside the paddock is that those details will be finalized soon as Kaulig Racing organizes personnel, sponsorship, and scheduling in the upcoming month.

Beyond the core lineup, Kaulig Racing will use its two special-purpose trucks to keep flexibility. One will operate as an “All-Star” entry, creating space for short-term appearances and one-off weekends. The other aligns with Stellantis’ upcoming reality TV project, allowing emerging drivers to cycle through the team without the pressure of a full-season points chase.

That structure has already fueled speculation. Names such as Landon Huffman, Timmy Tyrrell, Carson Ferguson, and Conner Jones continue to circulate, while the possibility of cameo appearances from high-profile veterans like Tony Stewart remains part of Stellantis’ broader marketing plan.

Registration is officially open and session times have been announced for the 53rd Annual RPM @ Daytona Workshops, scheduled for February 8–10, 2026, in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida.

The 2026 speaking lineup will be headlined by Levi Jones, promoter and general manager of Eldora Speedway. Jones’ diverse background and attention to detail have established him as one of the sport’s leading voices, offering insight into both operational excellence and forward-thinking promotion.

Joining the program on Tuesday, February 10, will be Loretta Thiering, owner and promoter of Edmonton International Raceway (Alberta, Canada). Thiering will present a dynamic session focused on the evolving business of race track promotion.

Additional sessions include

• “The Jody Session,” honoring the legacy of Jody Deery, one of the founders and strongest supporters of the RPM Workshops. This session will be led by women in the motorsports industry, with all attendees encouraged to participate.
• Legal Update & Pro Bono Hour, expanded and delivered through breakout sessions.
• Additional sessions designed to support, educate and strengthen the short track motorsports industry.

More information and registration for the 53rd Annual RPM @ Daytona Workshops is now available here.

Additionally, voting is now open for the annual Auto-Racing Promoter of the Year (ARPY) Award.

Click here to vote.

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — With hats, photos and even car bumpers, NASCAR fans came from around the area to Zeigler Motorsports in Kalamazoo Monday night to meet one guy — Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar.

The 22-year-old NASCAR driver and Portage native was back to greet fans and sign a sponsorship deal with Zeigler Auto Group. The line formed in the showroom more than an hour before the event.

“It’s almost 4 o’clock on a workday on Monday, right after the New Year that everybody’s busy or just took all their days off of work. So, it means a lot for me,” said Hocevar.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year is stepping into year three on the track. With those accolades behind him, the excited crowd was still a surprise to him. 

“It just sort of shocks me a little bit at times. I’m like, I just drive in circles, and I play with my dogs. I don’t do anything special at home,” he said.

In the background was a black and metallic gold racecar similar to the one Hocevar drove in June 2025 at Michigan International Speedway. He has sported the Zeigler name before. But Monday’s stop marked a primary sponsorship with Zeigler Auto Group for the next three years. It’s a full circle moment for him.

“We’re doing all the press conference and everything after … not many years (since) I was coming here picking up some of my buddies or meeting them and going to work out. And I barely had any NASCAR starts in any of the three series,” he said.

The deal means the Zeigler name will be sported for 11 races this season, including the June 7 run at Michigan International Speedway.

Despite some other drivers sharing issues with his aggressive nature on the course, he said he’s not letting up. It’s just instinct. 

“I’m just racing and making moves and I feel like I make more mistakes when I’m thinking about it than not,” he told News 8.

It’s part of the playbook, he explains. 

“Ultimately, we race for the best of us, best of the team, best of our sponsors, and people we represent. And just being aggressive is part of the game nowadays,” said Hocevar. 

He said that he doesn’t want to tear anybody up, but make competing drivers uncomfortable enough to create an opening to gain a spot. 

For Zeigler Auto Group President and CEO Aaron Zeigler, watching Hocevar’s rise is something he considers to be once-in-a-generation talent.

“For 22 years old, he’s wise beyond his years, and it’s great to see the heart that he has and to see him give back. A lot of people don’t see that on the track, but he really does, and he does a great job with it,” he said.

Looking back, Hocevar said the previous years have created challenges and successes that he has built upon to prepare for this next season.

“What shows up on the racetrack speed-wise is everything you can’t see. It’s the shocks, it’s the people, it’s everything underneath the car, you know, all those little details that take time. It’s not easy to, even in a top team, plug a driver in anymore and have that set-up work for that driver, especially with how this new next-gen car is,” he said.

It goes back to that constant growth despite the outcome. 

“We were really, really fast because that two years of development has been good. And then some tracks we were out to lunch because that two years of development we thought we were going to hit on it and went the wrong direction. But going the wrong direction, I feel better for year three that we can replicate the good stuff and fix the iffy miss of setups,” said Hocevar.

During year three, he hopes to improve on road courses and see improvements on short tracks. With the new season starting next month, Hocevar has enjoyed the time at home. One of his favorite parts has been spending time with his grandfather.

“My grandma passed away unfortunately last year. So, it’s been great to go to his favorite spot and you know, just kind of fill in, and nobody will ever replace grandma and it’s taught me a lot of just how loving they were,” Hocevar said. “It just truly teaches you stuff about life that racecars can’t.”

At the end of the announcement event, Hocevar got the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to his grandfather ahead of his 90th this week.

Full-season sponsorship is very rare across the NASCAR garage

Cummins Inc. has joined NASCAR ahead of the 2026 season. Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will drive the No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500 for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing.

Queen is entering his first full-time season of NASCAR competition. Cummins branding will be on the No. 12 truck as a primary sponsor for every race of the 2026 season.

Kaulig Racing is making the switch to Ram for the 2026 season. Cummins and Ram have a long history as they launched the first Cummins-powered Dodge Ram back in 1989. 3.5M Ram trucks have been built with Cummins power.

View the photo of the 2026 Cummins NASCAR Truck below.

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen comments

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible,” Queen said via the team release.

“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible,” Queen added. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

Chris Rice comments

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Cummins to the Kaulig Racing family,” said Chris Rice, Chief Executive Officer of Kaulig Racing.

“Their engineering excellence and commitment to innovation are a perfect match for our vision. Brenden is an exceptional talent, and we’re building a program around him that we believe can compete for wins and make a playoff run right away.”

Cummins comments

“Cummins has racing in its DNA,” said Brett Merritt, Vice President and President, Engine Business, Cummins.

“From Clessie Cummins’ winning the first Indianapolis 500 as a crew member to our leadership in commercial power, we’ve always pushed the limits of what’s possible. Brenden Queen represents that same spirit – talented, hardworking, and full of momentum. Partnering with both Kaulig Racing and Ram provides the opportunity for us to continue to write our motorsport legacy.”

The Cummins truck will make it’s debut at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 13.

Cummins NASCAR Truck Photo