Rookie Louis Foster Takes No. 45 RLL Droplight Honda To 17th Sunday in NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race at Laguna Seca
Foster records another Top Ten qualifying run but 95-lap event doesn’t provide the same pace
By: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Photo Courtesy RLLR)
MONTEREY, Calif. (July 28, 2025) – Rookie driver Louis Foster celebrated his 22nd birthday Sunday driving the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Droplight Honda at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the 14th NTT INDYCAR SERIES event of the 2025 North America open-wheel tour. A big birthday cake even preceded Foster’s run in the 95-lap Java House Grand Prix of Monterey.
After another strong qualifying effort (Foster’s fifth top ten showing), the former INDY NXT Champion started ninth and looked for a run towards the front of the highly competitive 27-car lineup at the historic 2.238-mile, 11-turn road circuit. The track had been very successful for Foster in the past, including winning two INDY NXT events last year as well as two pole positions.
Foster’s enthusiasm for Sunday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca was high with the drop of the green flag. Unfortunately, Foster’s machine didn’t have the pace early in the contest, losing numerous positions at the tricky circuit.
The RLL Droplight crew worked hard to improve Foster’s car during the pit stops, but, at the finish, Foster’s finish was 17th.
“It was an average race for us,” Foster explained after the race. “We struggled to be on pace, and I lost eight or nine places in the race. We will review the data to try to find out why and come back stronger. I thought we’d have a good race so it’s frustrating. We will focus forward and work to improve for the Portland race (Aug. 10).”
Despite the disappointing placing, Foster is the point leader in the series’ “Rookie of the Year” standings with three races remaining at Portland, Milwaukee (Aug. 24) and Nashville (Aug. 31).
Foster holds a four-point margin over Robert Shwartzman in the “Rookie of the Year” honors with 172 markers.
The 15th event of the 17-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES will take place on August 8-10 with the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland. Practice rounds begin on Friday, Aug. 8, at the Portland International Raceway 12-turn, 1.964-mile natural road course with an 80-minute session at 2:30 p.m. PDT. Saturday’s activities will include a practice round at 9 a.m. PDT followed by qualifying and Firestone Fast Six at 11:35 a.m. PDT and a final practice session at 5:30 p.m. PDT.
The 110-lap, 216.04-mile BiTNile.com Grand Prix of Portland will have live coverage of the race at 12 PM ET Sunday, August 10, on the FOX Network.
