Dalton Kellett confirmed Oct. 11 that he is leaving AJ Foyt Racing after three seasons, with no plans announced yet for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
Kellett, from Toronto, has spent his entire NTT INDYCAR SERIES career with the Foyt team since climbing from Indy Lights after the 2019 season. He made 41 starts since 2020, with a best finish of 12th at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2021 in the No. 4 K-LINE/AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet.
“This is not a conclusion I came to lightly, as the team and I have dedicated time and effort to putting together a program for 2023,” Kellett posted on social media. “However, at this point, it isn’t the right opportunity for me to move forward.
“My genuine and heartfelt thanks go out to AJ, Larry and the entire Foyt team. I will always be grateful for my start in INDYCAR and will leave their organization with amazing memories. In my time with the team, I grew as a person and as a competitor and am proud of my contributions to their program. Being the underdog team is never easy, but we had some moments to be very proud of.”
Since the 2022 season ended last month, the Foyt team has announced the signing of NTT INDYCAR SERIES veteran Santino Ferrucci and Indy Lights graduate Benjamin Pedersen as drivers for 2023. The team, which fielded full-time cars in 2022 for Kyle Kirkwood and Kellett, has not announced if it is expanding to more cars next season. Kirkwood is moving to Andretti Autosport starting with the 2023 season.
“I want to thank Dalton for all of his efforts at AJ Foyt Racing," AJ Foyt Racing President Larry Foyt said. "He was a great member of our team, and he is leaving many positive contributions to the program. I hope to see him remain in the series, but wherever this turn should take him, I know he will have a great deal of success.“
Kellett, 29, attracted a growing fan base during the first three seasons of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career due to his STEM-related work online and at the racetrack with students and his social media profile, in which he was willing to tackle topics outside of the INDYCAR racing paddock.
“I also want to extend a big thank you to the AJ Foyt Racing fans: You all made my team with the team so special,” Kellett said. “I can’t think of another team with such a dedicated following. It was an honor to be a part of something that you all hold dear.”