Andretti plans to continue with four Indy NXT entries

Andretti Autosport expects its Indy NXT by Firestone program to stay at its current size when the next championship kicks off in 2024.

“Could we add a couple of cars? We probably could, but that's not on the on the cards for next year,” Andretti COO Rob Edwards told RACER. “We will continue with four cars, and what the lineup will look like will depend on which of the current drivers want to come back or are able to come back, because we're going to give the first listen to the current crop. And then we've got some interesting conversations going with two or three others based upon what happens with the current drivers.”

Edwards says the interest received for its NXT program has been remarkable.

“Last year, all the conversations about NXT really started at Mid-Ohio and picked up steam over the following six weeks to the point that we probably had everyone locked in by the time we went to Portland and Laguna,” he explained. “This year, they started about four weeks earlier and we probably could have four drivers signed up probably right now, if that was what we wanted to do. But we want to maintain the quality of what we're doing so there’s no rush to do so.”

Based on the volume and quality of inquiries the team has fielded, it could easily expand to five or six NXT entries, but growth in another area of Michael Andretti’s empire has influenced the decision to remain at four.

“We’re also working on building out the sports car team,” Edwards said of the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport factory Acura IMSA GTP effort, which will double in size and run two cars in 2024.

“The biggest challenge for any team right now is recruitment. And when you when you look at the need to hire 16 people for sports cars, you don't want to dilute the IndyCar or NXT programs. So we’re sticking with four. But I love it for the NXT series that there's so much interest.”