Rising Star Kakunoshin Ohta Eager for More After Impressive First Test

Kakunoshin “Kaku” Ohta is a rising star in IndyCar and he is very excited. The 26-year-old recently wrapped up his first IndyCar test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with Meyer Shank Racing, and if you believe the hype (which, let’s be honest, we should take with a grain of salt), the Japanese driver knocked 104 laps out of the park. Sure, testing is one thing, but racing wheel-to-wheel with guys like Alex Palou and Will Power? That’s a whole different animal.

What Makes Ohta Stand Out in a Crowded Field

Here’s where it gets interesting. While most drivers are content to stick to one series and perfect their craft, Ohta has been bouncing between Japan’s Super Formula Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship like he’s collecting racing stamps. And somehow, he’s excelling at both.

Currently sitting third in Super Formula – just eight points from the championship lead with four races remaining – Ohta has already bagged three wins this season. More than any other driver in the series, mind you. Not too shabby for someone supposedly splitting his attention between two continents.

His IMSA debut with Acura Meyer Shank Racing hasn’t been a disaster either. Teaming up with Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, and four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou, Ohta managed a fifth-place finish in the GTP class. At the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, he was the fastest among all five Acura ARX-06 drivers. Again, not exactly chopped liver.

The Reality Check: It’s Just a Test

Now, before we crown Ohta the second coming of Takuma Sato, let’s pump the brakes a little. Testing at Mid-Ohio is one thing – actually racing there is entirely different. The track was completely new to him, unlike the other four drivers who participated in the test session. Dennis Hauger just won the INDY NXT championship there, Caio Collet and Niels Koolen have recent experience, and Felipe Nasr has raced sports cars on the circuit.

Ohta was essentially walking into a poker game where everyone else had seen the cards. The fact that he completed 104 laps without binning it into the barriers speaks more to his professionalism than his raw speed. Though, to be fair, his feedback afterward suggested he wasn’t just along for the ride.

“My first IndyCar test was not only about learning the car, but also about understanding the track, the tires, and the setups,” Ohta said. Translation: there’s a lot more to this than just mashing the throttle and hoping for the best.

Honda’s Golden Boy Gets His Shot

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – Honda’s involvement. David Salters, president of Honda Racing Corporation USA, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about Ohta’s potential. The praise was laid on pretty thick, calling him “disciplined,” possessing “great race craft,” and “incredibly fast.”

The problem? Meyer Shank Racing already has Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong locked up for 2026. So unless someone’s willing to write a very large check or Honda decides to shuffle their driver lineup elsewhere, Ohta might have to wait until 2027 for his shot.

The Path Forward: More Than Just Talent

Here’s where things get tricky for Ohta. Sure, he’s got the speed and the backing, but IndyCar isn’t exactly desperate for more drivers right now. It also helps that Ohta He’s already proven he can adapt to American racing culture and can easily handle the pressure of endurance racing. That’s not nothing in a series where mental toughness often matters more than raw pace. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice pronouncing “Kakunoshin” correctly before he becomes the next big thing and I look like an idiot on television.