Louis Foster clinched the INDY NXT by Firestone championship in the penultimate race of the season Aug. 25 at Portland International Raceway. Foster delayed the celebration until after the season finale Sept. 15 at Nashville Superspeedway.
“Jobs not finished,” he said at the time.
Foster had one more INDY NXT by Firestone start and wanted to end on top.
He completed a perfect weekend, leading both practice sessions and all 65 laps from the pole en route to his eighth victory of the season in the No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies car fielded by Andretti Global.
“We're done now,” he said. “It's been a great two years, especially this year, last year. It was nice to finish off with a win. That was the aim. Super happy with everything that's gone on.”
Foster ended 2024 with eight wins in the last 11 races. He placed runner-up in the remaining three. The England native was also 4-for-4 on ovals with victories July 13 at Iowa Speedway, Aug. 17 at World Wide Technology Raceway, Aug. 31 at Milwaukee Mile and Sept. 15 at Nashville.
“When I first came to INDY NXT, I had only done two oval races in my life,” he said. “Now that I've come out running superspeedway, a few different ovals like Milwaukee, Iowa, stuff like that, it really prepares drivers.
“I like ovals. I've got used to them in America. When I first came here, I was a little bit timid. I love them now. We've won every oval this year, so it's gone well.”
The dominance Foster showed this season wasn’t a surprise to him despite a rookie season plagued by inconsistency. Foster had two wins, four poles, six top-three finishes, six top-five results and nine top 10’s in 14 starts in 2023. The problem areas were four races he failed to finish and not capitalizing on the speed of the car.
Foster recognized the weaknesses during the offseason to prepare himself for a championship run in 2024.
“I worked a lot this year outside of the car, just mentally being in the right place for races,” he said. “I always talked with my dad about that. He helps a lot because obviously he knows me best.
“I think understanding where we are, staying cool in races. I think races last year, some of the mistakes was being a rookie. This year we've calmed it down a lot more, seen the bigger picture.
“Obviously, we've just continued a pace every weekend and always showed up with the same mindset and goals, and we haven't changed.”
That approach was put to the test early in the season. He finished third in the March 10 season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, but the second race at Barber Motorsports Park was a dismal race weekend. Battling mechanical problems in practice led him to start 21st without being able to make a qualifying lap. In the race, he charged to fifth.
Then a seventh-place finish May 10 in the opening race of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway doubleheader race weekend left Foster 58 points behind championship leader Jacob Abel.
For the second 35-lap event of the weekend a day later, Abel was on pole and Foster rolled off fourth.
That was the turning point of the season.
Foster gained three spots to beat Abel for his first win of the season. He then rattled off 10 consecutive top-two finishes to earn his first INDY NXT by Firestone championship.
Foster leaves INDY NXT by Firestone with 10 victories, tying him with Tommy Byrne, Alex Lloyd, Paul Tracy and Kyle Kirkwood for second-most all time. Greg Moore is the career wins leader with 13.
Foster’s 11 poles are also tied for second in series history with Robbie Buhl and Ed Jones. Byrne’s 12 are tops.
“I've thoroughly enjoyed it,” Foster said of his two seasons. “It's been obviously different moving to a different country working with an American race team. Big organization, as well. But they've become a family to me. They've been behind me since day one.
“We've just put our heart and soul into this program. It's really paid off this year. So, yeah, we'll look back at it very fondly.”