Despite not being old enough to drink in the United States legally, Nikita Johnson, Max Taylor, and Tymek Kucharczyk were able to spray one another with champagne following their podium placement in the Firestone Grand Prix.
Photo by Makenna Wozniak | The Crow’s Nest
By Dominic Feo and Julia Birdsall
Heading into the 2026 Indy NXT Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 17-year-old Gulfport-native Nikita Johnson was optimistic.
“I’m super thrilled, it’s such a tough category, so to be in [Indy NXT] again and for my first full year is amazing. Hopefully we can pull off a few wins,” Johnson told The Crow’s Nest at the Grand Prix Kickoff Street Party on Feb. 25.
Johnson got his first win as a full-time Indy NXT driver earlier than expected. Starting from P2 after exceeding expectations in qualifying, Johnson overtook grid leader Max Taylor on the race’s initial turn and led the rest of the way.
“I saw there was an opportunity coming into turn one, so I went for it and stuck it,” Johnson said during the post-race press conference. “After that — I don’t want to say smooth sailing — but I had it pretty controlled. It was still a little bit tough. Max was right there all the time behind me.”
Taylor was the likely victor heading into March 1 — ending both practices and qualifying in P1 — but was unable to replicate those results on race day.
“Just made the one mistake in the race off the start and that was my race,” Taylor said. “I was trying to keep the pressure on Nikita, but he did a really good job.”
Rounding out the top three was rookie Tymek Kucharczyk, who slipped his way from fifth to third after the race’s first caution on Lap 4.
Photo by Makenna Wozniak | The Crow’s Nest
There were four cautions throughout the race, taking up 12 laps in total.
Jack Beeton was responsible for the first yellow, skidding into the wall on Turn 4. While his car was damaged, Beeton re-entered the race and was able to finish in 11th.
The next occurred when Carson Etter glanced his front wing off the wall.
The wing, damaged from the hit, detached on turn eight and slid underneath Etter’s car, causing him to skid into the wall’s padding — ending his race.
Lap 17 again warranted a yellow, as Nicholas Monteiro clipped the inside wall, which launched him into the outside wall. The damage to his car prevented him from finishing the race; he placed 23rd.
The final occurred in Lap 21, when teammates James Roe and Niels Koolen collided with one another. Neither was able to complete the race and finished 21st and 22nd, respectively.
Photo by Makenna Wozniak | The Crow’s Nest
The excessive cautions forced the race to diverge from its original 45-lap schedule to a timed event at the halfway point.
When the clock hit zero, Johnson’s lead reached over a second.
This was his third win in St. Petersburg — most recently in the 2024 USF Pro 2000 — and his first win driving for Cape Motorsports.
Johnson will have a chance to secure another win in the Grand Prix of Arlington in Arlington, Texas from March 13-15.
