Photo: Travis Hinkle
Josh Pierson, a junior driver of IndyCar’s Ed Carpenter Racing team, will run a full season in Indy Nxt when he embarks on his sophomore campaign in the championship.
Just over a year ago he signed a multi-year deal with HMD Motorsports to race in Indy Nxt, and when he was announced a month later as ECR’s first junior driver it was revealed that his rookie campaign in IndyCar’s primary feeder series would be a part-time one.
Pierson ended up contesting nine of the 2023 season’s 14 races, fitting it around his existing commitments racing LMP2 prototype sportscars for United Autosports. He had a best finish of sixth, and his highest starting position was also sixth.
“It was a learning year for me,” said Pierson. “I wanted to gain as much experience as possible and feel like we did just that. With the lack of testing before the 2023 season, we will be in a much better place entering our 2024 campaign.”
The 17-year-old American is the youngest ever driver to race in the Le Mans 24 Hours, and finished 10th on his debut last year.
He won his first two races in the Asian Le Mans Series, sharing his United Autosports-run car with ex-Formula 1 racer Paul di Resta, was sixth in class in IMSA and third in the FIA’s Endurance Trophy for LMP2 cars after taking class victory in the 1000 Miles of Sebring.
This year he currently lies fourth in WEC’s LMP2 standings, with a class win in the Portimao 6 Hours, and came 14th in IMSA’s secondary class in a part-time campaign.
“Josh is young and has a bright future ahead of him in 2024,” said HMD’s general manager Mike Maurini.
“As a team and with his focus on the Indy Nxt campaign in 2024, we have made some changes in his program that I think will be beneficial both on and off the track. We are looking forward to helping not only his progress but success as well.”