AJ Foyt Racing has locked in its future, announcing on Tuesday that INDY NXT race winner Josh Pierson has signed a multiyear agreement to make his NTT IndyCar SERIES debut in 2027. Pierson will pilot the No. 4 Chevrolet backed by a new sponsor to be revealed later, stepping straight into a two-car lineup that already features the 2026 NTT IndyCar SERIES Rookie of the Year, Dennis Hauger. Hauger, confirmed back on September 16, takes over the No. 14 Chevrolet carrying sponsorship from Homes For Our Troops.
Now, let me tell you, the kid's résumé is wild. At just 16 years old, the Portland, Oregon native became the youngest driver ever to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Before pivoting back to open-wheel racing in INDY NXT by Firestone, Pierson collected race wins and podium finishes across karting, junior formulae, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Asian Le Mans Series, and IMSA.
Being a part of AJ Foyt Racing, a team with incredible history, means the world to me,
His path through the development series required grit. After making his INDY NXT debut in 2023, his standout campaign came in 2025 with HMD Motorsports, where two podiums and 11 top-10 finishes carried him to sixth in the championship standings. Last year brought a move to Andretti Global resulting in an 11th-place finish in the standings, but it also unlocked his true potential. Pierson dominated at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca by taking the pole and leading every single lap to secure his maiden INDY NXT victory. Earlier, in late August at the Milwaukee Mile, he grabbed another pole and shattered the two-lap average qualifying record. He closed out that season with serious momentum, starting on the front row and leading the most laps in each of the final three races.
That late-season charge didn't happen in a vacuum. It followed a rigorous evaluation process that saw AJ Foyt Racing test Pierson multiple times over the past year, putting him behind the wheel of their Chevrolet-powered machine on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
"I've been watching Josh closely for the past several seasons," said AJ Foyt Racing President Larry Foyt, pointing to the driver's remarkable maturity, work ethic, and depth of experience at such a young age.
Timing makes this move even more poetic. The 2027 campaign marks the 50th anniversary of A.J. Foyt's historic fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in 1977—making him the original trailblazer of the legendary four-win club later joined by Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Helio Castroneves.
"Being a part of AJ Foyt Racing, a team with incredible history, means the world to me," Pierson said, adding that he is eager to take his very first NTT IndyCar SERIES green flag when the 2027 season officially kicks off on Sunday, March 7 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
