Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the five biggest moments of 2024 in INDY NXT by Firestone in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 27-31.

Second-year driver Louis Foster beat third-year INDY NXT by Firestone participant Jacob Abel for the 2024 championship. However, the 2024 season produced many breakout stars along the way.

Caio Collet of HMD Motorsports made a strong debut, earning Rookie of the Year honors. The Brazilian earned his first career victory July 7 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and scored six top-three finishes, nine top fives and 11 top-10 results in 14 starts. He was one of three first-time winners in 2024. Abel earned his first career win April 28 at Barber Motorsports Park.

Sophomore driver Jamie Chadwick became the first woman to win an INDY NXT by Firestone race since 2010 – and only the third female driver to win in the INDYCAR development series – with her victory for Andretti Global on June 9 at Road America.

Another strong performer was HMD Motorsports rookie Callum Hedge, who finished fourth in points after six top six finishes.

Andretti Cape rookie driver Salvador de Alba had a 6.8 average finish in the final seven races of the season compared to 11.1 in the first seven. He charged from 12th in points at midseason to fifth at season’s end on the heels of five top-five finishes, with a best result of third at Iowa Speedway and Milwaukee Mile.

Yuven Sundaramoorthy had a similar ascension. The Abel Motorsports driver had a 17.6 average finish after five races to 6.7 in the final nine. Sundaramoorthy finished third at World Wide Technology Raceway and runner-up in the Sept. 15 season finale at Nashville Superspeedway.

Andretti Global rookie Bryce Aron ended 2024 with six top-eight finishes in the final seven races after scoring two in the first seven.

All but Foster, Abel, Chadwick and Sundaramoorthy return in 2025.