Dennis Hauger continues to impress in his rookie INDY NXT by Firestone campaign, mastering the ever-changing conditions at Barber Motorsports Park to claim pole position for the Grand Prix of Alabama.
The Norwegian driver delivered a commanding performance in the No. 28 Rental Group car for Andretti Global, clocking a fastest lap of 1:12.7705. With this result, Hauger remains a perfect 2-for-2 in qualifying this season, having already won pole and the race at the season opener in St. Petersburg.
A Game of Two Halves
Qualifying was split into two distinct sessions due to fluctuating weather. Group 1 faced a damp track and were forced to run on Firestone’s rain tires, while Group 2 benefited from a rapidly drying surface that allowed them to switch to slicks after their warm-up laps — leading to a dramatic time gap between the groups.
Despite the disparity, INDY NXT rules balance the grid by alternating the fastest drivers from each group. As a result, Caio Collet will join Hauger on the front row despite posting a time over 12 seconds slower due to wetter conditions (1:24.8394). The entire grid reflects this alternation: odd-numbered positions from Group 2 (dry), even-numbered from Group 1 (wet).
Hauger was already quickest before improving on his final flying lap, which came after a red flag caused by Max Taylor’s spin. The rookie lost his two fastest laps for triggering the stoppage but paved the way for one last push from the remaining drivers.
“It was looking like it was drying up, but you don’t really know before you go out there,” said Hauger. “After the first lap, I was like, ‘We’ve got to pit for a sticker run.’ It was a good run, a good last lap. I managed to maximize it.”
The Andretti crew appears to have dialed in the No. 28 machine well, with Hauger confident heading into Sunday’s race.
Rookies Shine in Tight Field
Starting third will be Evagoras Papasavvas, making an impressive series debut with HMD Motorsports. The 17-year-old rookie posted a 1:13.3669 in the drier second group. He’ll share row two with Lochie Hughes, who qualified fourth in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry.
Rounding out the top six are Myles Rowe in fifth and Bryce Aron in sixth, showcasing the depth of talent in the field and hinting at a highly competitive race ahead.
written by Philipp Kraus / Media Credit: Penske Entertainment
