Two-time GB3 race winner Nikita Johnson has been crowned champion of the Indy NXT series, the premier feeder category to IndyCar.
The 18-year-old is the youngest ever champion in the series' history, and took the crown with a strong run to second place in the Laguna Seca finale on Sunday, driving for Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR.
Johnson finished the season with 585 points, 29 clear of Enzo Fittipaldi, while another GB3 alumni, Tymek Kucharczyk, was third in the final classification.
Johnson was the driver to beat right from the off, winning the season opener at his hometown St Petersburg, and followed that up with his second win of the year two races later at Barber Motorsports Park.
Seven further podium finishes followed, more than any other driver in the field.
“It’s amazing,” Johnson said. “It’s good to finally show my emotions. I think a lot of people thought I was passionless, but I’m just emotionless when I drive, right? I just go out there and do the work. I’m happy that the work is done now, and I can finally go celebrate.
“I’m happy that we got it done, and I can’t thank the Cape boys enough,” Johnson said. “They’ve always been in my corner the whole time. My whole family, everybody that supports us back home.”
Johnson's prize for winning the Indy NXT title is an IndyCar series career enhancement package, designed to help him make the step up to the USA's premier open wheel category.