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WALLER, Texas — Canadian auto racer Dalton Kellett will make his debut in the IndyCar Series this year.
AJ Foyt Racing has announced the 26-year-old native of Stouffville, Ont., will be one of three drivers in the Chevrolet-powered No. 14 car this season.
Kellett, four-time IndyCar Series champion Sebastien Bourdais of France and 2004 series champion Tony Kanaan of Brazil will split the driving duties.
Kellett is scheduled to run up to nine races, including the lone Canadian stop — the Honda Indy Toronto on July 12.
His first race is at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on April 26. Kellett is scheduled to run a third car for Foyt at the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, presuming he qualifies.
Bourdais will run four races and Kanaan will drive in the five oval races on the series, starting with the Indianapolis 500. This is Kanaan’s final season on a partial schedule.
Kellett has spent the past four years in the IndyLights Series, a top feeder circuit for IndyCar. He finished seventh in the standings the past two years.
“This opportunity is truly a dream come true for me, dating back to my days looking up to the drivers in IndyCar back as a young go-karter,” Kellett said in a statement. “The pedigree and achievements of AJ Foyt Racing are historic in our sport, and I can’t wait to contribute to their ongoing success.”
Barring an injury, the Foyt announcement guarantees there will be a Canadian driver at the Toronto race.
Longtime IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ont., lost his full-time ride in the off-season. He has since signed a two-race sponsorship deal for events in Indianapolis, though a team has not been announced.
Larry Foyt, president of the Foyt team, said Kellett should gain valuable insight from his two veteran teammates.
“Dalton Kellett is a young driver who is intelligent and motivated, and with the experience around him, we feel he has the potential to show great things,” Foyt said.
Kellett has a degree in engineering physics from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
The Foyt team has struggled in recent years. Its most recent win came in 2013.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2020.
The Canadian Press
