Photo: IndyCar / Joe Skibinski
Ed Carpenter Racing has become the latest IndyCar team to join the trend of expanding into junior single-seaters.
Andretti Global and Juncos Hollinger Racing has been long-time Indy Nxt entrants, and in 2022 Dale Coyne Racing joined the grid in association with HMD Motorsports. Chip Ganassi Racing arrived this year, and for 2026 there will be the return of AJ Foyt Racing and arrival of Cusick Morgan Motorsports with HMD’s support, and now ECR.
Its venture into Indy Nxt, which began with yesterday’s post-season test, is in partnership with Indiana-based Cape Motorsports which has already signed Nikita Johnson for 2026.
Cape first appeared in Indy Lights by managing RLR Andersen Racing, an alliance between Dan Andersen and IndyCar team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, through 2007 and ’08. In 2010 it returned in partnership with Wayne Taylor Racing, and across those three campaigns it contributed to one win and three other podiums.
A permanent Indy Nxt return was made in 2023, which has resulted in two more collaborations with IndyCar teams. A technical partnership meant Cape’s two cars were entered as ‘Andretti Cape’ for the last two seasons, and now it takes on its new partner’s IndyCar colours as it uses the ‘Cape Motorsports powered by ECR’ name.
Over the last three years, Cape has claimed three podiums, and put a car in the top five on the grid three times. With ECR it will “collaborate to provide technical support, testing opportunities for emerging drivers and career development for engineers and mechanics”.
As a driver, ECR owner Ed Carpenter came third in Indy Nxt in 2002 and ’03. Now he will get a taste of the series below it on IndyCar’s support bill — USF Pro 2000, USF2000 and the entry-level USF Juniors — as ECR also partners with Jay Howard Driver Development.
“I’m very excited to bring these highly successful programmes together to create a complete development path through the entire open-wheel ladder system,” said Carpenter.
“As ECR continues to grow and work toward becoming a championship-calibre team, this is an important step forward. This partnership should not only strengthen ECR but also Cape Motorsports and JHDD.”
JHDD ran Christian Rasmussen — now an IndyCar race-winner with ECR — to the 2020 USF2000 title and 2021 USFP2000 crown.
Liam McNeilly narrowly missed out on becoming 2024 USF Juniors champion with JHDD, and they were dominating in USF2000 this year before unexpected visa problems ruled McNeilly out of action.
“Partnering with ECR and JHDD is an incredibly exciting step for Cape Motorsports,” said team co-owners Dominic and Nicholas Cape.
“This collaboration brings together three organizations that share the same passion for discovering and shaping young talent. From karting to IndyCar, we’re building a pathway that gives drivers every opportunity to grow, learn and ultimately succeed at the highest level. For us, it’s about more than just racing, it’s about building the next generation of champions.”
ECR has a driver development programme which Indy Nxt racer Josh Pierson is a member of.