James Roe Jr. Bio
James Roe Jr. (born 11 October 1998) is an Irish racing driver who competes on both sides of the Atlantic. He is best known for his work in American open-wheel racing, where he has built a steady career through the Road to Indy ladder. In 2025, Roe raced in the Indy NXT series and also in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Born and raised in Ireland, Roe relocated to the United States in his late teens to chase a professional career in motorsport. He is a nephew of former racing driver Michael Roe, a family link that helped shape his early path into the sport.
Early Life and Background
James Roe Jr. was born on 11 October 1998 in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland. He grew up in a family with a strong connection to racing, as his uncle Michael Roe was a known racing driver. That lineage gave the younger Roe an early awareness of the sport and the work that goes into a career behind the wheel.
Unlike many future professionals, Roe did not start karting at a young age. He began racing at fifteen, which is later than most of his peers. To get him on track, Roe and his family pooled their savings and bought a Ginetta G20, a small British sports car used in club-level competition.
With that car, Roe entered the 2014 Ginetta Junior Ireland series, gaining his first real race experience. He returned for the 2015 season and showed quick progress, taking ten podium finishes and five race wins on his way to second place in the overall standings. Those results confirmed that a more serious future in racing was possible.
Path to NASCAR
Roe’s career has not followed the traditional NASCAR ladder in the United States. Instead, he focused on sports car and open-wheel racing, the same style of racing that uses open cockpits and single-seat chassis. His progression moved from club series in Ireland to the Road to Indy in North America, which is a development path for IndyCar.
He raced in several support categories between 2016 and 2021, including the F4 UAE Championship, the F2000 Championship Series, the U.S. F2000 National Championship, F3 Americas Championship, FR Americas Championship, and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship. That run of seasons built his craft and gave him a clear route toward Indy NXT.
James Roe Jr. Career
Early Career (2014-2018)
Roe’s earliest races came in the 2014 Ginetta Junior Ireland series with his family-owned Ginetta G20. The following year, he stepped up and became a regular podium finisher, scoring five wins and ten podiums to finish second in the championship. Those results marked him as one of the most promising young Irish drivers of his age group.
In 2018, Roe made the life-changing decision to move from Ireland to the United States. The move was aimed at giving him access to a deeper racing calendar and stronger junior series. He has lived in the U.S. ever since, basing his career around American circuits and teams.
Indy Pro 2000 Championship (2021)
On February 22, 2021, Roe was confirmed at Turn 3 Motorsport for the 2021 Indy Pro 2000 Championship. The season was a learning year in a competitive field, but he saved his best for the final race at Mid-Ohio. Roe took his first win of the season in that finale, beating Enaam Ahmed and series champion Christian Rasmussen to the checkered flag.
Indy NXT (2022-Present)
Roe moved up to the Indy Lights series, now branded Indy NXT, in 2022 with TJ Speed Motorsports. He posted three top-ten finishes in nine races with the team and also contested two rounds with HMD Motorsports. After missing the final three rounds, he ended the year twelfth in the standings.
In January 2023, it was announced that Roe would join Andretti Autosport for a full 2023 Indy NXT campaign, an opportunity he earned through a strong test at Barber Motorsports Park. At the Indianapolis Road Course, he scored his first Indy NXT podium by finishing second. Roe closed the year seventh in points, ahead of Jamie Chadwick and behind teammates Hunter McElrea and Louis Foster.
Roe stayed with Andretti for the 2024 season, again alongside Chadwick and Foster. The opening half of the year was rough, with three retirements mixed into his results, but he grabbed a podium at Barber with a third-place finish. At Iowa, he scored his first career Indy NXT pole position and set the series’ lap record at the track. He led most of the race before being passed late by teammate Foster, settling for second. Roe finished the year sixth in the final standings.
He returned to Andretti for the 2025 Indy NXT season. That year was quieter, with a best finish of seventh at Iowa and a twelfth-place result in the final championship standings.
Andretti Era (2023-2025)
Roe’s move to Andretti Autosport in 2023 gave him access to a top-tier team on the Road to Indy. Working alongside experienced teammates, he grew as a racer and added two podiums in his two full seasons, including his first pole at Iowa. The partnership helped him build the consistency and race craft expected at the upper levels of American open-wheel racing.
Driving Style and Strengths
Roe is known for a calm, methodical approach at the wheel. He is strong on road and street circuits, where his smooth inputs and tire management have produced his best Indy NXT results, including his first podium on the Indianapolis Road Course. His qualifying pace improved during 2024, highlighted by a record-setting pole at Iowa.
Notable Races and Milestones
His first Indy Pro 2000 win at Mid-Ohio in 2021 marked him as a race winner in North America. His first Indy NXT podium at Indianapolis in 2023 and his record-breaking pole at Iowa in 2024 stand as signature moments. He also handled a dual program in 2025, splitting time between Indy NXT and endurance sports car racing.
James Roe Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Roe comes from a family with a direct connection to motorsport. His uncle, Michael Roe, is a former racing driver whose career helped guide James toward the sport. That family link, combined with support from his parents, made it possible for him to start racing later than most and still find a path forward.
Personal Life
James Roe Jr. is Irish by nationality and has made his home in the United States since 2018, the same year he moved to chase a professional racing career. He keeps a public presence on social media, where he shares updates from his racing seasons and travels.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Roe balance a pair of demanding programs. In Indy NXT, he continued with Andretti Autosport, but results were modest, with a best finish of seventh at Iowa and a twelfth-place result in the final championship standings. The year was about building consistency rather than chasing wins, and it set the stage for a team change.
Outside of open-wheel racing, Roe joined Pratt Miller Motorsports for the four Michelin Endurance Cup rounds of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. Partnering Pietro Fittipaldi and gentleman driver Chris Cumming, he posted a season-best result of seventh at Petit Le Mans. At the end of the year, he also signed on with TF Sport to race a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the 2025-26 Asian Le Mans Series alongside Matt Bell and Blake McDonald.
Looking ahead, Roe has been confirmed at Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2026 Indy NXT season, a major move that puts him with one of the most established teams in the IndyCar ladder. The combination of a top team, growing endurance experience, and lessons from 2025 gives him a clear path to push for race wins and a championship fight in 2026.
