Devlin DeFrancesco: A Racing Under-Doge Story

On May 25th, Dogecoin’s iconic Shiba Inu logo will blaze lap after lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 109th Indy 500, showcasing the cryptocurrency to tens of millions of fans worldwide. Behind the wheel, Devlin DeFrancesco, whose journey from a 15-week premature birth to racing’s greatest spectacle, echoes Dogecoin’s extraordinary rise.

Discover how this race car driver defied all odds to become IndyCar’s ultimate under-Doge and Dogecoin’s fastest ambassador!

Premature Birth: Born Fast in the Race for Life

Born fast! That’s the motto of Italian Canadian race car driver, Devlin DeFrancesco, whose first race began long before he gripped a steering wheel. On January 17, 2000, in a Toronto hospital, Devlin arrived 15 weeks premature, weighing a mere one pound at just 25 weeks gestation. For parents Andy and Cathy DeFrancesco, the joy of their son’s birth was tempered by fear. Classified as an extremely preterm infant, Devlin faced daunting odds: underdeveloped organs, brain bleeds, heart complications, and lung disease threatened his fragile existence. Doctors delivered a sobering prognosis to Andy, warning that survival was uncertain, and a healthy life carried less than a 5% chance.

Yet, like a car clawing its way through a hairpin turn, Devlin refused to stall. For four months, he battled in the neonatal intensive care unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, cocooned in an incubator and shuttled between life-saving surgeries. “Every single day, he somehow pulled through,” Andy recalls, his voice tinged with awe. “It’s a miracle we still don’t fully comprehend.” Devlin himself, reflecting on the stories his parents share, marvels at the fragility of those early days. “When I was born, I drew a single breath before my lungs stopped,” he says. “It’s a miracle I’m even here.”

In the incubator, as monitors beeped and machines hummed, Devlin’s tenacity revved to life. It was the first lap of a lifelong race, setting the tone for a career defined by defying expectations.

Devlin DeFrancesco as a premature newborn in neonatal intensive care at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre

Early Life: Igniting His Passion for Racing

The early years were a proving ground, where the finish line was a clean bill of health. After four grueling months in the neonatal intensive care unit, he was discharged but far from in the clear. For the first two years of his life, frequent hospital check-ups in Toronto monitored his development—a routine precaution for a child born premature. Classified as immunocompromised, Devlin faced risks that could have slowed him down. But even as a toddler, he was a spark plug, restless and raring to go. “He couldn’t sit still,” his mother, Cathy, recalls with a laugh. Before he could walk, he was crawling at full throttle.

By age six, Devlin’s need for speed found its spark. One fateful day, a television commercial featuring racing legend Mario Andretti flickered across the screen, and young Devlin was hooked. “That was it,” he says, eyes gleaming. Seeing Mario, the cars, the speed—he knew that’s what he wanted. While his friends tuned into cartoons, Devlin spent weekends glued to Formula 1 and IndyCar races, memorizing every gear shift and overtake. His parents, Andy and Cathy, recognized a passion too fierce to tame. “We saw that fire in him,” Andy says. There was no braking it.

Early Kart Racing: Compassion Beats Competition

At just six years old in 2006, Devlin DeFrancesco climbed into his first kart, a pint-sized rocket that ignited his lifelong chase for speed. Under the mentorship of former pro racer Dave Tennyson at Formula Kartways in Brampton, Ontario, Devlin sharpened his skills, learning to hug corners and thread through competitors with a finesse that belied his age. He blazed through local and regional circuits across North America, chasing checkered flags with a ferocity that outran his small frame and earned him a reputation as a prodigy on the rise.

Yet, it wasn’t just Devlin’s speed that set him apart—it was his heart. In one early karting race, a chaotic 10-kart pile-up left his rivals stranded in a tangle of twisted metal. While others might have floored it for glory, Devlin slammed on the brakes, abandoning the race to rush to the wreckage. With no thought for the finish line, he helped free his fellow racers, his small hands working as fiercely to aid them as they did to grip the wheel. “That moment showed who Devlin is,” Coach Tennyson recalls. “His immediate reaction was, ‘How can I help these guys?’” That compassion, as much a part of him as his throttle foot, echoes the Dogecoin mantra of “Do Only Good Everyday”—a principle Devlin embodied long before the crypto’s logo graced his car. Today, those who know him off the track say that selflessness still defines him, a quiet strength that fuels the person he’s become.

Devlin DeFrancesco (right) with his brother Lachlan (left) in (2012)

Karting Championships: Climbing the Podium

In 2007, when the DeFrancesco family uprooted from Canada to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, they weren’t just chasing warmer weather—they were jump-starting seven-year-old Devlin’s racing dreams. Settling into the former home of Canadian racing legend Paul Tracy, mere miles from karting tracks, they parked themselves in the heart of motorsport country. In Florida’s sun-soaked circuits, Devlin’s racing record roared to life, his kart a blur of ambition as he laid the foundation for a podium-bound future.

Devlin’s talent burned bright from the start, racking up wins across Canada and the United States with a tenacity that turned heads. Over the next six years, he poured himself into the sport, treating every race like a lap in his personal Indy 500. His dedication paid off in 2013 when he clinched the Canadian National Junior Karting Title, stepping onto a major podium for the first time. The victory was a springboard, launching him to Europe’s cutthroat karting scene, a proving ground for future stars like Max Verstappen.

Devlin DeFrancesco at the Canadian Karting Championship (2012)

At 12, Devlin left Florida for Italy, the land of Ferrari and fast dreams, where he didn’t just race—he learned the soul of the sport. Working hands-on with billeting, the meticulous process of machining race car parts, he built cars from the frame up, gaining a mechanic’s respect for the machines he drove. Later, he moved to England for boarding school, balancing studies with high-stakes races. “Racing in Europe was a step above what I experienced in America,” Devlin states. “Competing against the best accelerated my development as a racer.”

In 2014, he claimed second overall in the prestigious Italian Karting Championship, a series known for forging champions. Undeterred by stiffer competition, he pushed further, finishing third in the CIK FIA European Championship against the world’s top junior drivers. Each podium was a checkpoint in his underdog journey, proof that Devlin wasn’t just chasing a passion—he was carving out a path to professional racing, with the same relentless spirit that would later align him with the greater Dogecoin community.

Karting Career Injury: A Bump in the Road

Just as Devlin DeFrancesco was hitting his stride in the karting world, life threw a switchback turn his way, echoing the challenges of his premature birth. A karting crash left Devlin with a severe wrist injury. Initially reset with an improper surgery, he raced through the pain during the entire 2014 season. Unable to ignore the worsening wrist pain, Devlin underwent a second surgery, waving a yellow flag over the remainder of the season and slamming the brakes on his meteoric rise. For a teenager whose life revolved around speed, the pause felt like a pit stop that might never end.

But Devlin, true to his dog-fighting spirit, refused to let the setback define him. He channeled his energy into recovery, enrolling at the Carlin Academy in England, where he honed his skills through cutting-edge simulators and limited on-track testing, preparing for the leap to FIA Formula 4-style racing. “I wasn’t going to let a broken wrist keep me from the track,” he says, his voice resolute. “I always push 100%, sometimes too far, but that’s how you grow.”

Devlin at the Carlin Academy (2014)

His mantra—etched now as a tattoo on his body, “Through Adversity Comes Strength”—became his race day motivation, a reminder that every crash could be a comeback. This resilience, akin to Dogecoin’s defiant rise from meme to movement, kept Devlin’s dreams in gear. Determined to shift from karts to cars, he emerged from rehabilitation not just healed, but hungrier, ready to chase the big leagues.

Early Professional Career: A Formula for Success

Devlin DeFrancesco’s relentless drive, honed at the Carlin Academy, propelled him from karting prodigy to formula racing contender with breathtaking speed. In 2015, at just 15, he earned a coveted spot in the Generation Ganassi Driver Identification Program, a Chip Ganassi Racing initiative to scout North America’s top young talents. The selection thrust him into the spotlight, and Germany’s Mücke Motorsport snapped him up for his Formula 4 debut, marking his leap from karts to the high-stakes world of open-wheel racing—a critical step toward Formula 1. “I was ready to floor it,” Devlin says, grinning. “Karts were fun, but cars? That’s where the real race begins.”

His return to competition in the 2015 Ginetta Junior Championship with HHC Motorsport reignited his fire, but it was his 2016 season with Carlin’s MSA Formula Series that showcased his potential. Claiming three checkered flags and a fifth-place overall finish, Devlin proved he could dice with the best. That same year, he tackled the Italian F4 Championship and New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series, barely pausing to catch his breath. In 2017, he shifted gears to Formula 3, where the cars’ near-doubled horsepower demanded precision and fearlessness. He delivered, securing seven podiums and a third-place finish in the EuroFormula Open Championship, then clinching the F3 Spanish Championship title—a defining moment that cemented his status as a rising star.

Devlin driving the Dallara F3 in 2019 Spielberg Formula 3. Photo Credit: © Lukas Raich, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Even as he pushed the limits, Devlin’s hunger drew notice. Speeding around the track, drew the attention of top talent managers to hone in on his innate drive to excel at the sport. That drive shone in 2018 when Devlin, one of only two teenagers in the field, tackled the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona, a 24-hour endurance race. His team completed 803 laps to finish sixth, a remarkable feat for newly turned 18-year-old. He continued in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, battling the sport’s elite youngsters across 10 global stops. But in 2019, another curveball loomed.

As COVID-19 swept the globe, Devlin’s immunocompromised condition—stemming from his premature birth—forced him to withdraw from the season, another pit stop that tested his resolve. Like Dogecoin’s improbable rise through skepticism, Devlin’s journey was never about easy laps; it was about outlasting the odds, a trait that would carry him to the IndyCar grid.

Devlin’s Path to IndyCar: Accelerating to the Big Leagues

Devlin brushed off the temporary pause caused by the global health scare like it was soot on his visor, a temporary distraction. In 2020, he roared back, joining forces with Andretti Autosport and Steinbrenner Racing to compete in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, the third rung on the Road to Indy ladder—a proving ground for talents like Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal, critical pro racers who would play a hand in Devlin’s race career. Devlin hit the gas, clinching two wins and finishing runner-up to Sting Ray Robb, his performance a bold statement of his IndyCar ambitions.

In 2021, Devlin climbed to Indy Lights (now Indy NXT), the final step before the IndyCar Series. Racing again with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport, he notched two podiums and nine top-five finishes, his consistency paving the way for the ultimate prize. In 2022, he secured the keys to the No. 29 IndyCar for Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport, debuting in the series that hosts the iconic Indy 500.

Devlin at Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2022. Photo Credit: © Zach Catanzareti, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the next two years, Devlin tackled 34 races, gaining crucial experience against the sport’s elite. Off the oval, he shone in endurance racing, co-driving to victory in the LMP2 class at the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona alongside teammates Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta, and Eric Lux. He later claimed second place at the infamous 2023 Petit Le Mans in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Endurance Cup, piloting Forte Racing’s Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo.

Later in 2024, Devlin made a strategic pit stop, stepping back from IndyCar to hone his craft. He immersed himself in rigorous conditioning, analyzing past races during cardio sessions to sharpen his instincts. “I watched every lap, every mistake,” he says. “It wasn’t about stepping away—it was about coming back stronger.” This rebuild mirrored Dogecoin’s quiet grind during market lulls, a testament to resilience that fueled Devlin’s return to the IndyCar grid in 2025.

RLL Racing: Joining a Winning Team

By late 2024, Devlin DeFrancesco found the perfect team to fuel his IndyCar comeback: Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) Racing. Signed to a multi-year deal to pilot the No. 30 Honda starting in the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series, Devlin replaced Pietro Fittipaldi, bringing his 34 IndyCar starts and relentless drive to a team with championship pedigree.

Devlin DeFrancesco joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) in No. 30 Honda IndyCar

Co-owned by IndyCar legend Bobby Rahal—1986 Indy 500 winner and three-time series champion—TV icon David Letterman, and industrialist Mike Lanigan, RLL boasts 30 IndyCar wins, including Indy 500 victories in 2004 and 2020. “We had the chance to witness his ability while he was at Andretti,” Rahal said, noting his competitive edge. “I’m confident that we can have a lot of good races together.”

Teamed with veteran Graham Rahal (No. 15) and rookie Louis Foster (No. 45), and supported by engineer Ashley Higham, Devlin is primed to steer RLL toward the Brickyard’s podium. For the 25-year-old underdog, joining a team with 112 podiums and 37 poles feels like strapping into a rocket—ready to launch his next chapter with the same grit that powers Dogecoin’s rise.

Indy Series 2025 & the Indy 500: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Now Devlin is actively racing in the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series, RLL’s battleground, which kicked off its 109th season on March 2nd at the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, Florida, and will wrap August 31st at Nashville Superspeedway, spanning 17 high-octane races. At its heart lies the Indianapolis 500, the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” set for May 25th on the 2.5-mile oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With 330,000 fans expected in the stands and 5.6 million viewers tuning in on FOX, SiriusXM Channel 218, or the IndyCar Radio Network, the Indy 500—part of motorsport’s Triple Crown alongside the Grand Prix at Monaco and 24 Hours of Le Mans—tests 33 drivers across 200 laps and 500 miles at speeds topping 230 mph.

For Devlin, it’s a chance to etch his name on the Brickyard, a track originally paved with 3.2 million bricks in 1909 but now smoothed for maximum velocity. “IndyCar is the toughest series in the world,” Devlin shares with conviction. “There is no tougher competition.” Bolstered by RLL’s storied history and his own underdog drive, Devlin’s 2025 campaign is more than just a retry at the world’s greatest race—this time it’s behind the wheel of a very special car thanks to an organization and community we are all very familiar with.

House of Doge Sponsorship: Blazing Laps in Dogecoin Style

In IndyCar, where a single season can cost upwards of $8 million (Ð44 million at current Dogecoin prices), sponsorships are the gas that keep the wheels turning. For the 2025 Indy 500, Devlin’s No. 30 Honda sports a livery that’s pure fire, thanks to Miami-based House of Doge sponsorship, a corporate partner of the Dogecoin Foundation. This sponsorship, unveiled to rapturous cheers online from the Dogecoin community, plasters the iconic Shiba Inu across Devlin’s car and suit, exposing Dogecoin to millions of viewers on race day.

House of Doge, dedicated to accelerating Dogecoin adoption through innovations like payment rails, mining operations, and corporate adoption, embodies the crypto’s “Do Only Good Everyday” ethos—a perfect match for Devlin’s compassionate heart. “Dogecoin’s about community and defying expectations,” he says. “That’s my race, too, where the finish line is the moon!”

Dogecoin IndyCar Liveries

The Dogecoin community shaped the car’s look, voting on devlin.dogecoin.com for one of three liveries: the retro TurboWave, the slippery BananaBoost, or the scorching Blaze. With 44% of the vote, Blaze—a fiery design said to burn hotter than Kīlauea’s volcanoes—won, debuting at the Indy Open Test where Devlin’s car blazed through practice laps. “This is the most competitive car I’ve been in to date,” Devlin shared, when asked about his experience behind the wheel of the Dogecoin car. “The car’s as fast as a Dogecoin transaction.” As he guns for the checkered flag, Devlin carries more than a sponsor—he carries a movement, proving that underdogs, like Dogecoin, can light up the world’s biggest stage.

Dogecoin IndyCar at the IndyCar Open Test

Devlin & Dogecoin: A Shibe Making History

Devlin DeFrancesco’s bond with Dogecoin runs deeper than the fiery Blaze livery on his Indy 500 car—it’s a connection rooted in heart beyond hustle. A lifelong dog lover, Devlin shares his South Florida home with Tony, his loyal golden retriever, whose tail never seems to stop wagging. When he first encountered Dogecoin, with its playful logo and “Do Only Good Everyday” ethos, it was love at first lap. “Dogs bring joy, and so does Dogecoin,” Devlin says, his grin. “It’s more than a currency—it’s a community that lifts everyone up.”

Devlin with his best friend Tony

Originally diving into Dogecoin in 2020, when his brother enthusiasm for the cryptocurrency sparked his interests while it was still under a cent, Devlin is now a committed Shibe. “I feel like a part of the community just like anybody else,” he shared with heartfelt sincerity. For Devlin, Dogecoin’s practical utility signals its transformative potential. He views it not only as a legitimate currency but as the future of global finance. The ease and speed of sending $DOGE to friends, he notes, starkly contrasts with the sluggish pace of traditional dollar-based transactions, offering a glimpse into a faster, more inclusive financial world.

Today, Devlin’s commitment to Dogecoin is unshakable, revving beyond sponsorship to a bold stand for its future. Upon joining Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2024, he made motorsport history by requesting that a portion of his salary be paid in Dogecoin—making history as the first professional racer to do so. “I believe in Dogecoin’s power to change how we think about money,” he says. “It’s decentralized, it’s for the people, and it’s going to outpace the skeptics.” This wasn’t a publicity stunt but a testament to his faith in a currency that, like him, thrives on defying expectations. Off the track, Devlin’s compassion—seen in him since his childhood—drives his philanthropy. This year, he’s putting his Dogecoin where his heart is, teaming up with Riley Hospital for Children—a cause close to his heart as a premature birth survivor.

Racing for Riley’s: Devlin’s Dogecoin Donation

Devlin and Dogecoin’s race together isn’t just about checkered flags—it’s about giving back. Riley Children’s Foundation, rooted in a 1921 mission to honor poet James Whitcomb Riley, powers Riley Children’s Health, Indiana’s only comprehensive pediatric research hospital. Serving over 300,000 patients annually across all 92 counties, it leads in neonatal intensive care, pediatric cancer, and cardiovascular surgery, offering hope to children facing daunting odds. Its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was a lifeline for Devlin, whose 15-week premature birth at one pound demanded world-class care to survive. “Riley’s is giving children like me a fighting chance,” he says, his voice steady with gratitude. “Now it’s my turn to help others cross their finish line.”

Devlin’s Ð145,000 Donation to Rileys

Teaming with the Dogecoin Foundation and House of Doge, Devlin is turbocharging a fundraising campaign tied to the 2025 Indy 500’s global spotlight. He’s donating $25,000 worth of his Dogecoin salary (~Ð145,000) to Riley’s NICU, ensuring premature infants get the same shot at life he did. And now he’s inviting the Doge Community to join the race: fans can donate Dogecoin at dogecoin.com/devlin to support Riley’s mission of equitable, exceptional care. “Let’s show Riley’s what the Dogecoin community can do for a good cause,” Devlin urges. “Every Doge counts for these kids.”

Dogecoin Indy Helmet, Riley Children’s Foundation Auction

To amplify the impact of his Indy 500 campaign, Devlin is auctioning his custom Dogecoin-themed racing helmet to raise even more funds for Riley Hospital for Children. The auction, hosted by Riley Children’s Foundation, begins May 8th and runs through May 28th. This full carbon-fiber, FIA-certified Bell helmet, hand-painted by OffAxis Paint in Mooresville, North Carolina, is a true collector’s gem, signed by Devlin himself—a prize as coveted as an Indy 500 pole position. Reflecting Dogecoin’s “Do Only Good Everyday” ethos, this initiative underscores Devlin’s lifelong commitment to compassion, from supporting karting peers to championing pediatric healthcare. It’s a testament to how underdogs race not just for victory, but for a better world.

Do Only Good Everyday: The Underdoge’s Legacy

Devlin DeFrancesco, the racing underdog, drives his Dogecoin story beyond the track, proving speed is nothing without purpose, inspiring the community as he races toward the 2025 Indy 500 to represent Dogecoin to millions of viewers worldwide.

Catch Devlin and the Dogecoin IndyCar at the 2025 Indy 500, live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025, at 12:45 p.m. ET, aired on FOX. Then join the Dogecoin community to support our driver by sharing watch party posts on X, tagging @DevlinDeFran, @HouseOfDoge, and @DogecoinFdn on race day!

Support Riley Children’s Foundation at dogecoin.com/devlin

REDWRITER is an independent journalist writing about Dogecoin development & news. He can be reached on X via: @The_REDWRITER.