Alex Palou (right) won the 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in dominating fashion. Christian Lundgaard (center) finished third. Photos by Mark Parker.
Nikita Johnson climbed another rung up IndyCar’s developmental ladder in thrilling fashion on Sunday by claiming a victory at his hometown Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The St. Petersburg native, 17, took the checkered flag by .69 of a second to secure his first win in the INDY NXT circuit. Max Taylor, 18, finished second.
Johnson, racing for Cape Motorsports, overtook Taylor on the first turn of the first lap and never relinquished his lead. Sunday morning’s victory was Johson’s third on the streets of St. Petersburg – the Gulfport resident previously won USF2000 (2023) and USF Pro 2000 (2024) at the Grand Prix, and is now another step closer to joining the NTT IndyCar Series.
“I can’t thank the boys from Cape Motorsports enough and everyone from ECR who has been helping us,” Johnson said. “It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get my first win in Indy NXT and Cape’s first win in Indy NXT. I can’t wait to see all my friends and family.”
Nikita Johnson at a Grand Prix preview event in February.
Kim Green, CEO of Grand Prix organizer Green-Savoree Racing Promotions, noted in February that the four-day festival is “more than a race these days.” In 2025, an estimated 165,000 people attended the Sunday finale.
“It’s amazing to see all the race fans on the weekend and all the tourists come into town, and just watch one of the greatest races on the calendar,” Johnson said at the event in February.
While Green-Savoree doesn’t release official attendance numbers, the 2026 Grand Prix may have set a new record. For the first time in its history, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series battled on a street course between the IndyCar action on Saturday.
Mayor Ken Welch has called the Grand Prix a postcard for St. Petersburg. Fox, now in its second year of covering the IndyCar Series, broadcast the event to over 200 countries.
NASCAR trucks took to the streets of St. Petersburg for the first time on Saturday.
Those who attended the event were treated to sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. They also watched as Alex Palou continued dominating IndyCar.
Palou picked up his second consecutive win in St. Petersburg on Sunday and his 20th overall in just 99 starts. The Spaniard’s 12.49-second victory for Chip Ganassi Racing set a new Grand Prix record.
Scott McLaughlin, who secured pole position on Saturday for Team Penske, finished second in the IndyCar series opener. Palou, who started fourth, noted that he “had an amazing car today.”
“This team keeps on improving, keeps on making new changes, and they just keep on raising the bar,” Palou said. “It’s pretty impressive. It’s a long season in front of us, but what a great way to start the season.”
A temporary yacht club between the Mahaffey Theater and Dali Museum.
The city and local organizations were also winners. A previous Visit St. Pete-Clearwater study found that the Grand Prix generates an economic impact of over $60 million and more than 15,000 overnight stays.
Coming into race week, an annual 5k run on the track, held on Thursday evening, has raised $423,265 for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg since 2017. Fox’s inaugural broadcast of the 2025 Grand Prix delivered 1.42 million viewers, a 45% spike over the previous year.
Those who tuned into the 2026 race caught views of the downtown waterfront, a temporary yacht club, and local institutions, including the Dali Museum. Welch, at the track-build event in early February, called the exposure “invaluable, in terms of marketing.”
More Photos
Fox broadcasted the race to over 200 countries.
Pit crews push an IndyCar into the Mahaffey Theater’s parking garage.
Fox also broadcasted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday.
Packed viewing areas at the 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
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