- 2025 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, Louis Foster, expresses interest in NASCAR.
- The 22-year-old says he can’t get enough of stock car racing.
- Foster stands P21 in the driver standings in the NTT IndyCar Series.
In his second bid at the “Double,” the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, Kyle Larson saw both runs go up in smoke.
He crashed out of the Indy 500 on lap 92 and later met the same fate in the Coca-Cola 600 on lap 245, marking the first “Double DNF” in one day. The setback threw a wrench into his regular-season run before he found a way back during the playoffs.
The year before was not a promising one for him either. In 2024, rain held court at Indianapolis, with a four-hour delay. Larson chose to stay put and finished 18th at the Brickyard but missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600, where Justin Allgaier took the green flag in his place.
The Double has long been a high-wire act, and many have taken a swing at it. Names such as Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, John Andretti, and Robby Gordon have tried to straddle both worlds.
But the traffic has not flowed in one direction. Open wheel names like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Danica Patrick have also crossed over and taken their shot at NASCAR.
And now another name has stepped into the frame. Louis Foster, the 2025 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, has openly admitted that he would jump at the chance if NASCAR comes calling.
Louis Foster admits his extensive pull toward NASCAR
Foster, who currently races in the NTT IndyCar Series for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, let the cat out of the bag during his recent March 2026 interview with FOX Sports’ Speed on Fox. Speaking to Kevin Harvick, Foster stated that when it comes to simulator work, he keeps going back to one well. NASCAR stock cars.
“I love NASCAR. When I race in the SIM, all I drive is NASCAR, honestly. I just drive NASCAR, to be honest with you. I don’t do anything else because I find NASCAR so much fun. Like Talladega in a NASCAR,” Foster said, making no bones about where his interest lies.
When Harvick pressed on whether he would take a crack at it, Foster did not hedge. “100%, yeah,” he said straightaway, indicating he would be ready to switch lanes if the door opens.
Still, he knows where the shoe might pinch. Having built his racing career and forte on road courses, Foster admitted the pecking order could shift on ovals. “I mean, on an oval, these boys would probably beat me. On a road course, I’d like to think I could hold my own at least a bit more,” he said.
However, former NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick eased Foster’s skepticism, pointing to the current car as a bridge between styles and noting that it has opened the door for drivers from other backgrounds, like Shane van Gisbergen (another road-course racing ace), to step in and compete.
For now, Foster remains under contract with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on a multi-year deal, keeping his focus on IndyCar.
Foster’s climb through the ranks and current run
Foster’s path began at karting circuits in Camberley and Forest Edge, where he won titles in 2013 and 2015.
He then climbed through the open wheel ladder, racing in series such as the F4 British Championship, BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, Euroformula Open Championship, Indy Pro 2000, and Indy NXT, never finishing below P3 in any of them.
He won the Indy Pro 2000 title in 2022 and followed it up with the Indy NXT crown in 2024.
Last season, Foster made his debut in the IndyCar Series in the No. 45 Dallara DW12 powered by Honda, and placed P23 in the standings with 213 points by the end of the season.
Four races into the current campaign, he is at P21 in the points standings table, sharing the garage with Graham Rahal and Mick Schumacher, as he continues to find his footing in the series.
So far this year, in the four starts, Foster has finished two races in the top 15, with his best (P13) at Arlington, Texas.
