Louis Foster ended his maiden Indy NXT season with a podium finish at Laguna Seca in California and fourth place in the championship standings.
Andretti Autosport driver Foster, 20, has won two races - at Mid-Ohio and Portland - took four pole positions and two fastest laps in a really strong first year that has provided plenty of adversity but has shown Foster’s elite pace overall.
In the Laguna Finale he was edged off track in the first race by another competitor, but made the most of a really strong start in race two to take third place finishing the season with 410 points.
“First of all, I have to say thank you to Andretti Autosport and the whole #26 Copart/USF Pro Championships crew for the car and the opportunity they gave to me this season," said Foster, who is backed by Copart, a global leader in online auto auctions.
“It’s been a big step up from winning the USF Pro 2000 championship in my first season in America, to fighting against some of the most experienced drivers on the ladder here and on some new circuits that I’d not driven on before.
“But I think we’ve given a really good account of ourselves and shown what we can do when we’re given the opportunity, with wins, poles and fastest laps.
“This Laguna Seca race weekend was disappointing because we could have been the highest-placed rookie of the year without the incident in race one, or many other incidents throughout the year.
“I’ve made a few mistakes but have learnt from those as the year has gone and I certainly approach whatever series I compete in next year as a more complete driver than before.”
It’s hard for Foster to pick a moment of the year with plenty of highlights. Obviously, the Mid-Ohio win and dominant Portland victory rank highly. Sweeping the poles at Detroit was another big achievement. Indeed, qualifying was very strong all season with Foster finishing the championship with the best qualifying average of all the drivers on the grid.
Foster will take a short break now the season is over, but will be training hard ahead of some upcoming testing opportunities before the end of the calendar year.
“It’s been a very strong first season with Andretti and I’d like to thank all of the sponsors we’ve had backing us through the 2023 season, as it wouldn’t have been possible without their continued support," he added.
“We’re not quite ready to announce my 2024 plans yet, but hopefully we can bring you that news soon.”
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