FOX Sports and INDYCAR Announce INDY NXT by Firestone Schedule on FS1, FS2 

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From IndyCar:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024) – FOX Sports and INDYCAR have revealed the television schedule for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season. As part of the new media rights deal between FOX Sports and INDYCAR announced in June, the entire INDY NXT season will be available live on television for the first time. Twelve INDY NXT races will appear live on FOX Sports’ FS1 with two airing on FS2.
Additionally, all practice and qualifying sessions for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ developmental series will air on a combination of FS1 and FS2. All INDYCAR programming also streams live on the FOX Sports app.
“As part of INDYCAR’s exceptional partnership with FOX Sports, INDY NXT by Firestone will receive unprecedented exposure,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “As we have seen, the competition in INDYCAR’s developmental series is fierce and intense. A full season of live races on network television via FS1 and FS2 will prove to be a significant showcase for INDY NXT and the drivers vying to advance to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”
In 2024, INDY NXT averaged the most starters (19.5) since 2009 and is on pace to see a record 24 full-time starters in 2025.The battle for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone championship begins on the palm tree-lined streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., Sunday, March 2 at 10 a.m. (All times Eastern).
The 2025 champion will once again be crowned at the season finale at the thrilling Nashville Superspeedway Sunday, Aug. 31 at 11:30 a.m.
The schedule also includes a return to several venues where on-track passing records were broken in 2024:
Barber Motorsports Park
Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course
World Wide Technology Raceway
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
INDY NXT drivers and teams also look to extend 2024 qualifying records at:
Streets of St. Petersburg
Streets of Detroit
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Iowa Speedway
World Wide Technology Raceway
Portland International Raceway
Milwaukee MileE
xcept for the United States, the INDYCAR LIVE streaming service will continue to provide live coverage of 14 INDY NXT races along with all practice and qualifying sessions.
 Click here for pricing and more information on INDYCAR LIVE.

2025 INDY NXT BY FIRESTONE TELEVISION SCHEDULE:

DateVenueTelevisionTime (ET)
Sunday, March 2Streets of St. PetersburgFS110 a.m.
Sunday, May 4Barber Motorsports ParkFS111:30 a.m.
Friday, May 9Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 1FS17 p.m.
Saturday, May 10Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 2FS11 p.m.
Sunday, June 1Streets of DetroitFS110:30 a.m.
Sunday, June 15World Wide Technology RacewayFS1Noon
Sunday, June 22Road AmericaFS11 p.m.
Sunday, July 6Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseFS211:30 a.m.
Saturday, July 12Iowa SpeedwayFS11:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 26WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 1FS24:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 27WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 2FS11 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 10Portland International RacewayFS11 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 24Milwaukee MileFS111:30 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 31Nashville SuperspeedwayFS111:30 a.m.

FOX Sports, INDYCAR Unveil 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Broadcast Start Times

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 From IndyCar. These times are broadcast start times, NOT green flag times.
 A Record 19 Network Windows, All 17 Races on FOX, Expanded Indy 500 Pre-race Coverage
FOX Dedicates Six Hours of Live Coverage to the May 25 Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024) – FOX Sports and INDYCAR have announced the race broadcast start times for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule.
Announced in June as part of the new media rights deal between FOX Sports and INDYCAR, an NTT INDYCAR SERIES record 17 races will be available on broadcast television providing a massive increase in exposure for North America’s premier open-wheel racing series. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport series in North America with all races broadcasting live on network television. All INDYCAR programming streams live on the FOX Sports app.
The season launches on FOX with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding at noon (all times Eastern) Sunday, March 2. The year also is highlighted by the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25, with the broadcast beginning at 10 a.m. to allow for over two hours of pre-race coverage before the green flag.
The 2025 season will close in dramatic fashion on Labor Day weekend with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31.
“The unrivaled exposure FOX will bring to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including an additional hour of Indy 500 pre-race coverage, will prove to be a spectacular showcase for our drivers and teams,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “With FOX’s tremendous partnership and support, we’re going to bring the most competitive and compelling motorsport on the planet to a growing and massive audience. We cannot wait to raise the curtain on the 2025 season with FOX.”
Other notes of FOX’s 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES broadcast schedule include:
The first points-paying The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile Twin Palms circuit at the scenic The Thermal Club, Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m.
A return to network television for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 13 at 4:30 p.m.
Network coverage of the finishing hours of both days of qualifying for the Indy 500 on Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18 at 4 p.m. bringing the total number of network windows on FOX to a record 19.
Non-stop racing action in July with five races in four weekends including the popular Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend doubleheader Saturday, July 12 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 13 at 2 p.m. at Iowa Speedway.
The return to network television for the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto on the tight and unforgiving Streets of Toronto circuit Sunday, July 20 at 2 p.m.
The historic Milwaukee Mile, which produced the most on-track passes on record in 2024, will be the penultimate race of the 2025 championship Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m.
WHAT NTT INDYCAR SERIES DRIVERS ARE SAYING:
“I’m excited to get the 2025 season started and go for a third straight championship with the No. 10 DHL Honda team. FOX Sports has been a great partner so far and I cannot wait to get back on track at St. Pete.” – Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
“On behalf of everybody in INDYCAR, we’re so excited about the new partnership with FOX Sports. They’ve given us so much already and I can’t wait to see what we can do together in 2025. I think we’re really going to bring INDYCAR to the masses and retell our story in a significant way. I think people are going to be really pleased with what they see. The first round can’t get here soon enough. It’s going to be a big year.” – Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
Coverage of all 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice and qualifying sessions will be featured on either FS1 or FS2. FOX Deportes will carry exclusive Spanish-language television coverage of the Indianapolis 500, with a more complete 2025 season schedule to be announced at a later date.
Coverage schedule for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone championship, the developmental series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, also will be announced at a later date.

FOX SPORTS’ 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES COVERAGE SCHEDULE:

DateVenueTelevisionTime (ET)
Sunday, March 2Streets of St. PetersburgFOXNoon
Sunday, March 23The Thermal ClubFOX3 p.m.
Sunday, April 13Streets of Long BeachFOX4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 4Barber Motorsports ParkFOX1:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 10Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course)FOX4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 25Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval)FOX10 a.m.
Sunday, June 1Streets of DetroitFOX12:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 15World Wide Technology RacewayFOX3 p.m.
Sunday, June 22Road AmericaFOX3:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 6Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseFOX2 p.m.
Saturday, July 12Iowa Speedway Race 1FOX5 p.m.
Sunday, July 13Iowa Speedway Race 2FOX2 p.m.
Sunday, July 20Streets of TorontoFOX2 p.m.
Sunday, July 27WeatherTech Raceway Laguna SecaFOX3 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 10Portland International RacewayFOX3 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 24Milwaukee MileFOX2 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 31Nashville SuperspeedwayFOX2:30 p.m.

Conor Daly Returns to Juncos Hollinger Racing to Complete 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Lineup 

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Exciting news from Juncos Hollinger Racing:

Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) is thrilled to announce the return of Conor Daly, completing the team’s 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES lineup. Daly, a proven talent with deep ties to the team, made an indelible mark during the second half of JHR’s 2024 campaign, securing the team’s first-ever podium finish with an impressive 3rd place at the Milwaukee Mile. His addition completes the team’s two-car roster as they prepare for an exciting and competitive season ahead. 
“I’m thrilled to be joining the JHR team for the full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in 2025,” shared Conor Daly, the most recent addition to the Juncos Hollinger Racing driver lineup. “After the excitement and success we shared in 2024, including Milwaukee, it feels like the perfect next step. I’m grateful for Ricardo and Brad’s belief in me as I embark on the revitalization of my career. I look forward to pursuing podiums and wins with this incredible group. Thank you to everyone involved in making this happen – it’s been a team effort, and we’ll continue to build on this momentum together.”
“When Conor rejoined us last year, it felt like we seamlessly picked up right where we left off in 2010,” said Ricardo Juncos, Co-Owner and Founder of JHR. “I’m thrilled to have him back in the car full-time for 2025. With both seats now filled, the team is laser-focused on building momentum and delivering standout performances throughout the year, aiming for an exceptional season ahead for Juncos Hollinger Racing.” 
Brad Hollinger, Co-Owner of JHR, shared, “Conor is an outstanding addition to our team. He is a fantastic ambassador for the sport and has proven his speed not only in our car, but also through his tested tenure in the series. Providing him with more opportunities to collaborate closely with our engineers and crew will undoubtedly enhance the team’s performance, and empower his own unrelenting drive for success.”
“Our main priority this year is to build upon the success we’ve seen in the team’s short three-year campaign,” explained Dave O’Neill, Team Principal of Juncos Hollinger Racing. “With Conor joining the team and Sting Ray already confirmed, we’re well-positioned to achieve that. This is just the beginning of a long-term process to build a stronger and more competitive foundation for the future.” 
Juncos Hollinger Racing will kick off the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season at the highly anticipated season opener in St. Petersburg on March 2.  

2024 Reflections-The Dream Come True 

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Editor’s note: This is the first of a series looking back at my racing season of 2024. Of course I’m starting with Le Mans.

Reality exceeded the dream. Emotional highs and goosebumps marked my 10 days in Le Mans. I was 10 years old when I first learned of the Le Mans 24-hour race. I read everything I could find about it. Two years later I announced to my family that I wanted to go to Le Mans.  I would accept the trip as any gift for any occasion- graduation, birthday, Christmas- the occasion didn’t matter.  

I never received an envelope with plane tickets to Paris. I still followed the race and learned more of its history. During my freshman year in high school, I spent my study hall time writing a novel about Le Mans. I’m pretty sure it was not a classic. I grew older, and life got in the way.  

In 2023, after a health scare, I made up my mind. I am going to Le Mans next year. I can wait no longer. I called a travel agency in London that specializes in motorsport travel and booked lodging at the track and bought a race ticket. Friends who had been there inundated me with advice. I don’t think I could have navigated the Paris Metro without their help. 

While I spent the entire time on an emotional high, there were three times when my excitement boiled over and spilled out of my eyes. I entered the track for the first time on the Sunday before the race. The first step through the gate onto that hallowed ground ended a 65 year wait. The track was still a mile away, but I had made it.  

The next day at the museum two of my favorite cars of all time- the 1959 Shelby Cobra and the 1970 Gulf Porsche sat silently and proudly, anxious  to Have their engines roar to life again and roll onto the circuit just a few hundred feet away.  

I had eagerly awaited and dreaded race day. I knew containing my feelings would be a challenge. I told myself I had control, and I enjoyed the opening ceremonies until the first notes of La Marseilles. Control failure.  

The start of the race calmed me down. I took in as much of the track as I could, defying the intermittent rain and the long tram lines. Twenty-four hours goes by quickly when you want it to last forever.  

Everything was just as I had pictured, and in many ways the event was even better than I had imagined.  

All dreams must end, and it seemed that just a minute later I was in Charles de Gaulle airport boarding my flight home. 

Dirt Track at IMS To Host Indiana Sprint Week Opener in July 2025 

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A very exciting announcement from IMS.

 INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Dec. 13, 2024) – USAC Sprint Cars will compete in a points race for the first time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2025 when the opening night of USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing takes place at The Dirt Track at IMS.
The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship will be featured during the 38th annual Indiana Sprint Week opener Thursday evening, July 24, the night before Brickyard Weekend opens on the 2.5-mile IMS oval for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
The event promises a unique spectacle, as the 900-horsepower USAC Sprint Cars take to a quarter-mile dirt track inside Turn 3 of the famous IMS oval. USAC Sprint Cars made their debut at The Dirt Track at IMS last September in a special invitational event won by C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Indiana.
“We expected wheel-to-wheel action from Sprint Cars on The Dirt Track, and they delivered,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Kicking off Brickyard Weekend with some of the biggest stars of the USAC during Sprint Week is sure to be another incredible show.”
USAC’s Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades with its thrilling action and rich legacy.
The 2025 Indiana Sprint Week schedule consists of eight events at eight different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 24-Aug. 2.
“Sprint car racing and Indianapolis Motor Speedway share a deeply intertwined history, and this event symbolizes the unification of two racing traditions,” USAC President Kevin Miller said. “USAC Sprint Cars at IMS will be an unforgettable experience for fans and competitors alike.”
Fans can sign up here to receive ticket and camping information to attend the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car event at IMS that starts Indiana Sprint Week.
Dates for the 2025 Driven2SaveLives BC39 for the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series will be announced later.

Senna- The Netflix Series

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The legend of Ayrton Senna, which developed a cult like following while he raced and grew larger after his death at Imola in 1994.

Senna, a limited series showing on Netflix, depicts the life of the three time world champion in an uneven, somewhat thin retelling of the story. Senna, the documentary produced by ESPN in 2010, presents a richer portrait of one of the best F1 drivers in history.

The six episodes on Netflix follow common ground for a story which depicts a driver who was fatally injured. It begins the day of the accident, then cuts to six-year-old Ayrton running into his father’s shop to see his first go cart. Film is not the only guilty party here. Books suffer the same flaw.

Produced in Brazil by a Brazilian production company, the film appears to be performed in Portugese and dubbed in English.

If you are looking for an in depth look at the private Senna, this isn’t the place. There is nothing new here, and I didn’t get a sense of his off track personality. Away from the track, he spends time with his family, who he was very close to, and he has an eye for the ladies. His passion for racing is all consuming. Going back to see the 2010 documentary will compliment the viewing of Senna on Netflix.

The racing scenes are decent, and they are interspersed with video clips of the actual events. The cars appear representative of the design of that era, late 80s-early 90s.

I did like some aspects of the film. The addition of a fictional journalist, Laura Harrison, acted as a Greek chorus, reflecting Senna’s drive and ambitions. She met Senna when he raced Formula Ford i England, and like him, wanted to be covering Formula 1. They pretty much advanced together, Her half Brazilian heritage allowed her to gain Senna’s trust. Kaya Scodelario, who played Harrison, gives the best performance in the film.

Senna’s rivalry with Alain Prost were portrayed well. Senna is considered the father of dirty driving, but Prost taught him much of what he did. The Brazilian’s quest to become world champion also encountered a barrier in Jean Marie Balestre, who seemed to favor Prost. As Senna took over second place in the rain at Monaco and was charging toward Prost in the lead, Balestre stopped the race and declared it official, denying Senna the win.

After the pair collide in Japan, senna continues and wins. Prost went to Balestre and convinces him to disqualify Senna for cutting a chicane, giving Prost the world championship.

I didn’t Gabriel Leone, the actor who portrayed the protagonist, looked anything like Senna, he is too good looking, and his hair was too short and neat. Other driver portrayals were quite accurate, however. I got chills when Niki Lauda first appeared. It was a spot on likeness. The actors playing Prost, Nelson Piquet, and James Hunt also were very accurate in appearance.

I thought the last episode was the best of the series. It was tight and focused solely on the bloody Imola weekend. On Friday night Senna goes to the hospital to see Rubens Barichello, who was severely injured in a crash that afternoon. Saturday afternoon Roland Ratzenberger is killed ina crash, and Senna begins to wonder why he still races. Dr. Sid Watkins questions why he needs to do this. Senna has accomplished everything he can in the sport. We see the doubt on his face as he gets in his car and slowly dons his helmet. We see very little of the actual incident.

While I was hoping for more from the series, it was nice getting a bit of a racing fix in December. If you know the Senna story, there is nothing new to learn here. For those new to racing, you will learn about a legend, and it is a worthwhile use of your time.

Some IndyCar Notes

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Tough news in Indy NXT today as Yuven Sundaramoothy will not be able to compete in 2025 due to budget issues. The Wisconsin native posted the following statement on X today:

I hope he gets back in 2026. He was coming on strong toward the end of the year.

Chili Bowl News– Katherine Legge will participate in the Chili Bowl in Tulsa next month. She will drive for Abacus Racing. Santino Ferrucci also drives for Abacus.

New Chassis? According to Racer magazine, Indycar owners got a look at renderings for a new chassis scheduled to begin racing in 2027. according to the story the reviews were mixed. The new car does not look much different from the current one. Disappointing if true. I want to see something sleeker and bolder.

Grid check– One spot at Juncos and two at Dale Coyne are all that remain to complete the 2025 IndyCar grid. I think Conor Daly will get the Juncos opening, and Rinus VeeKay will have one of the seats at Coyne. The final seat at Coyne is anyone’s guess.

I’ll be back to finish out the week with a review of the Netflix series Senna and some thoughts on the charter system and the implications that are surfacing.

Accomplished Motorsports Executive Buck Named Director of INDY NXT by Firestone 

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From IndyCar

 
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024) – Veteran racing industry executive Richard Buck has been named as director of INDY NXT by Firestone, INDYCAR officials announced Dec. 10.
Buck takes over all operations and competition for INDY NXT by Firestone, the developmental series of INDYCAR that prepares drivers, engineers and other team personnel for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Phoenix native Buck assumes his new role after 35 years of motorsports experience, including operations and project management, competition officiating, engineering and race strategy in NASCAR and INDYCAR.
“I am thrilled to return to my racing roots in INDYCAR,” Buck said. “I have always kept my eye on the sport, and the opportunity to be the director of INDY NXT was something I could not pass up. The developmental series is on the rise as it continues to advance talent to the premier open-wheel series in North America.”
Buck most recently served as the president and CEO of motorsports consultant 3194 Motorsports LLC and as the managing director of the NASCAR Cup Series from 2014-2019. Before that, he was the vice president of racing operations in IMSA from 2013-2014 before stints as the managing director for GRAND-AM, NASCAR’s Touring Series and NASCAR’s Racing Development in Canada and Mexico from 2005-2013.
“The competition is fierce, and the future is bright for INDY NXT by Firestone,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “With his vast motorsports experience, Richard is a tremendous fit for the series’ leadership role, and we are excited to welcome him back into the INDYCAR family.”
Introduction to INDYCARBuck was originally introduced to INDYCAR in 1979 when he began working with a long list of accomplished drivers while accumulating Indianapolis 500 by Gainbridge wins and INDYCAR SERIES championships:
YearsTeamPositionDrivers
1996-2000Precision Preparation Inc. (PPI)Team Manager and Race StrategistCristiano da Matta Robby Gordon Hiro Matsushita Max Papis Scott Pruett Oriol Servia
1985-1996Penske RacingCrew ChiefEmerson Fittipaldi Rick Mears Danny Sullivan Paul Tracy Al Unser Al Unser Jr.
1985Alex Foods RacingCrew ChiefJohnny Rutherford
1982-1984Provimi RacingCrew ChiefTony Bettenhausen Derek Daly Arie Luyendyk
Other Experience in Motorsports
While at PPI, Buck also helped the team field teams in developmental Toyota Atlantic series, NASCAR and various off-road racing series.
His transition to NASCAR came in 2000-2004, when he served in a variety of team managerial and race strategist roles at Team Gordon, Andy Petree Racing, Petty Enterprises, Robert Yates Racing and Curb Agajanian Performance Group.
Buck’s motorsports career began in the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, working for Gary Stanton Racing and popular drivers Steve Kinser, Ronnie Shuman, and Sammy and Jeff Swindell.
The 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season begins Sunday, March 2 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Coverage throughout the 14-race season can be seen via FOX Sports on either FS1 and FS2, with audio coverage available from the INDYCAR Radio Network. 
 

RLL Signs DeFrancesco; Three Spots Left on 2025 Grid

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From Rahal Letterman lanigan Racing

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (December 9, 2024) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Devlin DeFrancesco will compete full time for the team in the No. 30 Honda-powered entry beginning with the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in a multi-year deal. Details on the sponsorship for the entry will be announced at a later date.

“I’m very excited to be back in the INDYCAR SERIES,” said Canadian DeFrancesco. “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has an amazing history and is also on an impressive trajectory. Seeing all the work that is going on from the men and women behind the scenes, it is easy to see that this team and myself are very hungry for results. I look forward to getting started with all the great people here.”

DeFrancesco, 24, has made 34 starts in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport with his best start being fifth at the August 2023 road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He earned career-best finishes of 12th place at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2022 and the Detroit street race in 2023.

“I’m very pleased that we are able to welcome Devlin to the team,” added Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “We had the chance to witness his ability while he was at Andretti and there were clearly times when he was quite competitive so I’m confident that we can have a lot of good races together. We’re looking forward to his contribution to the team.”

The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 2 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 21st Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, August 31. All on-track action can be seen live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.

About Devlin DeFrancesco

Devlin DeFrancesco, 24, was born in Toronto, Canada on January 17, 2000. He started his racing career in karting at the age of six and has won races in North America and European karting.

In 2014, DeFrancesco placed 2nd overall in the Italian Championship and 3rd overall in the CIK FIA European Championship. In 2014, he sustained an injury to his wrist that required two surgeries and that kept him out of a full racing series for approximately a year. As part of his rehabilitation, Devlin attended the Carlin Academy, where he used a combination of simulators and on-track testing to prepare for FIA Formula 4-style racing.

In 2015, DeFrancesco was selected to be a part of the Generation Ganassi Driver Identification Program, a mentoring and talent development program that aimed to identify and assist up to 10 North American drivers between the ages of 13 and 18. When he graduated from karts in 2015, he competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship with HHC Motorsports that year. In early 2016, he competed in New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series with Giles Motorsport and finished the season 10th overall.

He joined Carlin Motorsports for the 2016 MSA Formula season and won three races and finished fifth in the point standings. He continued to compete for Carlin in 2017 and moved to the Euroformula Open and Spanish Formula 3 Championships. He won three races and five podiums en route to the Spanish Formula 3 title and won one Euroformula Open race as well as a total of seven podium finishes to finish third in the championship overall. He also competed in the final two rounds of the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Carlin.

He teamed up with Carlin again in 2018 for the F3 European Championship, competing in the two opening rounds but was forced to withdraw from the following round due to dental surgery and subsequently made the switch to join the GP3 Series for the reminder of the 2018 season while teaming up with MP Motorsport. In 2018, he made his IMSA debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the DPI class with JDC-Miller MotorSports and finished sixth with co-drivers Cindric, Alon and Trummer. He returned to IMSA competition later that year with the team in the Petit Le Mans event and finished ninth.

In 2019, he competed in the inaugural FIA F3 Championship with Trident Racing and gained valuable knowledge. He also returned to IMSA for the Rolex 24 at Daytona with JDC-Miller MotorSports and teammates Barrichello, Vautier and Goikhberg. The race ended before the 22nd hour due to heavy rainfall and the team was scored in fifth place.

His return to the F3 Championship with Trident Racing was announced in February 2020, but he was forced to withdraw from the season due to COVID-19 and being immuno-compromised.

Also in 2019/20, he competed in a partial season of the F3 Asian Championship with Absolute Racing and finished seventh in the championship with three podiums despite missing the final three rounds due to the pandemic.

In 2020, DeFrancesco joined Steinbrenner Racing and Andretti Autosport to compete in the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship. He scored two wins and was runner-up to the champion, Sting Ray Robb. He moved to Indy Lights in 2021 in a car co-entered by Steinbrenner Racing and Andretti Autosport. With two podiums and nine top-five finishes, he finished sixth in the points standings.

In January of 2022, DeFrancesco and his co-drivers, Colton Herta, Patricio O’Ward and Eric Lux, won the LMP2 class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona before he made his INDYCAR SERIES debut in March with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport where his best finish was 12th at WorldWide Technology Raceway in his rookie season. In 2023, he earned his best career INDYCAR start to date of fifth place at the August road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and matched his best finish of 12th place at the Detroit street race.

In 2024, he competed in the Endurance Cup in the GTD class in IMSA with Forte Racing’s Lamborghini team.

About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2025, the team will compete in its 34th year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 112 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 24 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 103 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2025 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.