Ireland’s James Roe says that he is excited to return to Andretti Global for the 2024 INDY NXT presented by Firestone championship after signing a contract extension with the Indianapolis-based outfit.
Speaking to Paddock Eye during a Zoom call on Wednesday, the Kildare native said that he was happy to have been able to make the announcement early in the off-season and that he hopes to continue his strong form from 2023 into the 2024 season. Roe said that with the way the INDY NXT presented by FIrestone Tires championship is structured, it is important to get wins under your belt early given that there is a big gap between first and second place.
Andretti Global’s INNDY NXT team announced on Wednesday that they have signed Bryce Aron to drive for them in 2024 and Roe told us that he hasn’t met him yet but is looking forward to competing with him next season and passing on some of what he has learned from his time in INDY NXT to the young American, Roe also said that is great to see a young American driver competing for an American team.
Roe had a breakout season in INDY NXT in 2023, scoring his maiden podium in INDY NXT on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and he said that although he was disappointed not to win the race he was happy that his first podium came at IMS for an Indianapolis-based team.
Roe said that he is also excited to be continuing with Andretti in 2024 who he feels is like his family and he hopes to be able to challenge for the INDY NXT championship in 2024.
As for what the future holds for the Kildare native, Roe said that his aim is to be on the grid for the 2025 Indianapolis 500 and he said that this is something that he is working hard towards and that there are some exciting things in the pipeline.
The 2024 INDY NXT presented by Firestone schedule was announced last weekend and Roe says that he is particularly looking forward to the opening race of the season in St Petersburg, the oval at Milwaukee where he has never raced before, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the season-ending race in Nashville.
Roe says that Irish motorsport is in a very healthy spot.
You have me here in the U.S., Charlie Eastwood performing well in sportscars, guys like Alex Dunne and Adam Fitzgerald, and guys like this throughout Europe that are a bit younger but also coming up at an aggressive rate and so I think it is in a very very good spot. There are a lot of guys at different high levels throughout the globe.