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Dalton Kellett has ruled himself out of an IndyCar seat at AJ Foyt Racing next season, after three years with the team.
Kellett was said by President Larry Foyt to still be in the running for a drive when it announced a contract with Benjamin Pedersen and even when it then also signed Santino Ferrucci.
However, the Canadian has now taken to social media to announce that will not come to pass.
“I have made the decision not to continue with AJ Foyt Racing in the #4 Chevrolet,” he wrote on Twitter.
“This is not a conclusion I came to lightly, as both the team and I have dedicated time and effort to putting together a program for 2023.
“However, it isn’t the right opportunity for me to move forward.”
Kellett had a best race result of 12th through two full seasons and one partial campaign with Foyt, and ended the 2022 season in 25th spot, one position but 50 points behind team-mate Kyle Kirkwood.
“My genuine and heartfelt thanks go out to AJ, Larry, and the entire Foyt team,” added the 29-year-old.
“I will always be grateful for my start in IndyCar and I will leave their organization with amazing memories.
“In my time with the team, I grew as a person and a competitor and am proud of my contributions to their program.
“Being the underdog team is never easy, but we had some moments to be very proud of.”
AJ Foyt Racing responded with a tweet of its own, which read, “We’ve sincerely enjoyed working with Dalton and K-Line Insulators, and we’re grateful for all of his hard work and dedication to our team, [IndyCar] and our fans.
“All of us at Foyt wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors!”
The team ran as many as three cars during the 2022 season but shed that which was driven by Tatiana Calderon on road courses/street circuits and JR Hildebrand on ovals when it his sponsorship trouble.
What Kellett’s announcement means for hopes of fielding a third car again in 2023 is not entirely clear, although it is worth noting that Larry Foyt said, “The only person we’re talking to is Dalton,” upon the announcement of Ferrucci as their second signing.
