"Not something I pushed on him”: When Colton Herta’s father opened up on his son's decision to pursue racing

The 2024 IndyCar runner-up, Colton Herta, is one of the fastest-rising young talents in the world of motorsports. He recently competed in the 2025 season opener in St. Petersburg. A few weeks before the event, his father, Bryan Herta, opened up about Colton's decision to make a career in racing.

Colton Herta made his debut in "the fastest racing on earth" (IndyCar) at the 2018 Grand Prix of Sonoma. Since then, he has amassed 100 race starts and is seen by many as a future world champion.

He is currently only 24 years old, and Bryan Herta, via the Cars and Culture with Jason Stein, shed light on why his son took up racing as a profession. In line with this, he said:

"He was the one who wanted to do it, and it was never really a question. I think people assume I pushed him into a go-kart or something.... If you ask most drivers, they would tell you that they would be very happy and almost probably prefer if their kids didn't want to race, because you know the hardship of it, you know the emotional up and downs, and you know the danger of it. So, it was not something that I pushed on him," Bryan said during the show [1:07 onwards]

Colton Herta's dad is also a former racer who competed in the IndyCar series between 2003 and 2006. He managed 58 race starts alongside two victories and three pole positions.

Colton Herta has already accomplished more than I did in my entire career: Bryan Herta

While Bryan Herta admitted that he did not deliberately push Colton to take up racing as a career, he also asserted that he was proud of him. Moreover, during the Cars and Culture show with Jason Stein, the 54-year-old acknowledged that his son has already achieved way more than he did in his entire career.

In line with this, Bryan Herta added:

"You know, I'm so proud of him, proud of what he has done in the race car and on the racetrack, you know, he's accomplished, he's still only 20, he's a young man. He's still only 24 years old. He's accomplished more already at 24 than I did in my entire career," Bryan mentioned during the show. [5:14 onwards]

Colton Herta has so far managed to secure nine wins, 18 podium finishes, and 14 pole positions in the IndyCar series. Moreover, during his last year's run to the runner-up spot, he amassed 513 points alongside two wins, three poles, 10 top-five, and 13 top-ten finishes. Keeping his sublime form in view in the 2024 campaign, this year could prove to be the one when he finally secures his maiden IndyCar championship.