Tremendous System championship chief Kakunoshin Ohta nonetheless has “massive dream” of racing in IndyCar

With the 2026 IndyCar Sequence foolish season in full swing, Kakunoshin ‘Kaku’ Ohta is making a push to remind everybody he needs within the dialog.

The 27-year-old Japanese driver is a Honda manufacturing unit standout and present championship chief in Tremendous System, the identical collection that aided the event of reigning and four-time IndyCar titlist Alex Palou, together with newly-crowned Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist. He’s additionally contesting the Tremendous GT championship, alongside choose appearances in IMSA.

#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, Kaku Ohta

Picture by: Jake Galstad / Lumen through Getty Pictures

Ohta is already a well-known title for a lot of, along with his Honda affiliation bringing him to North America for the primary time final season the place he ran the endurance rounds with Acura Meyer Shank Racing. Finally, it led to an IndyCar take a look at with Meyer Shank Racing at Mid-Ohio final October, the place he accomplished 104 laps.

Though Acura is ready to pause its Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) program within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on the finish of the yr, Ohta has nonetheless been referred to as upon to share the #93 Acura ARX-06 with Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. It marks simply his second IMSA begin of the yr following a fifth-place outing within the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Kakunoshin Ohta, Dandelion Racing

Picture by: Tremendous System

Total, Ohta finds himself in an fascinating place given the looming standing of Acura’s IMSA program.

“It is a massive disgrace for me, however it’s what it’s,” Ohta advised Motorsport.com. “I respect their choices. I am a Honda manufacturing unit driver. Now, I am doing Tremendous System and Tremendous GT in Japan and representing Honda. I am unsure whether or not the choice of Acura leaving the IMSA paddock, that is going to have an effect on my future massively or not. However one factor I can say is I’ll miss Daytona and like some massive races in IMSA, which I actually needed to win.

“Yeah, but additionally I’ve an enormous dream for IndyCar as effectively. And Honda additionally is aware of that. So, yeah, like, we’re nonetheless engaged on it.”

And contemplating it was lately confirmed that Meyer Shank Racing now has a emptiness to fill as Rosenqvist will depart at season’s finish, Ohta is keen for an opportunity to fill it and believes his Tremendous System success will translate effectively.

“Yeah, I imagine my pace is already on the stage of the IndyCar,” Ohta stated. “I am main the championship in Tremendous System. Then Alex Palou and Felix Rosenquist each got here from the Tremendous System. And so they have been each P3 within the championship (Palou, 2019; Rosenqvist, 2017). So, yeah, if I grow to be a Tremendous System champion, that proves my efficiency for the IndyCar, truly.

“I actually wish to go to IndyCar within the close to future.”

#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Kaku Ohta

Picture by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen through Getty Pictures

One space that Ohta confesses the steepest studying curve could be getting used to the totally different race tracks in North America’s premier open-wheel championship.

“Lots of the tracks in IndyCar I’ve by no means pushed but, so I simply wish to study extra concerning the tracks and study extra concerning the automobile,” he stated. “So, combined emotions; my pace, I am already in management and main the championship in Tremendous System. So, I really feel like I am okay for that collection.

“On the similar time, I’ve to be a bit calm. I’m nonetheless within the studying part for the U.S. tracks and IndyCar, the precise automobile. So, yeah, simply not go too radical. But in addition chasing the dream. It is a stability.”

Whereas there’s little to supply when it comes to a chosen timeline, Ohta was blunt in his want to make a change to IndyCar occur sooner or later.

“Each likelihood I’ve to chase, I’ve to chase,” Ohta stated. “The one factor I can say for the time being remains to be within the getting ready part. Then, as quickly as doable, if I really feel prepared, after which the groups and Honda really feel that I am prepared, yeah, I’ll positively take an opportunity.”