In a breakthrough performance that marked a key milestone in his young career, rookie Lochie Hughes led every lap of the first INDY NXT by Firestone race of the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The 2024 USF Pro 2000 champion delivered a flawless performance from pole position to claim his first victory in the series, crossing the line just 0.7229 seconds ahead of Caio Collet.
Driving the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car for Andretti Global, Hughes managed two tense restarts and even survived a minor wall tap to seal the win in dominant fashion.
“It Looked Easy, But It Wasn’t”
“By the look of it, it looked like a pretty easy race — but it wasn’t, that’s for sure,” said Hughes. “We had to manage tire wear, deal with changing conditions throughout the day, and even had a close call with the wall when I clipped it trying to hit the push-to-pass button.”
Despite a slight bend in the car’s suspension after the impact, Hughes held firm. “I was going around for two laps thinking, ‘Please, nothing be broken.’ It was a bit bent, but it held together.”
Adding a personal highlight to the day, Hughes celebrated the win with his parents in attendance — a rare occasion given their limited travel from Australia. “It’s only the third race they’ve been to since I started racing in the States. It’s pretty special to get this one with them here.”
A Team Effort and a Rising Title Fight
The victory further cements Andretti Global’s dominant form, with the team now having won 12 of the last 14 INDY NXT races. Hughes’ win also brings him within three points of teammate and championship leader Dennis Hauger.
“It just shows the great work the Andretti team is doing,” Hughes added. “From the engineers to the mechanics — the car has been competitive everywhere.”
Hauger, who won the first two rounds of the season, saw his day derailed by first-lap contact that dropped him to the back of the field. He recovered to finish eighth, limiting the damage in the title race.
Collet and Rowe Complete the Podium
Second-place finisher Caio Collet made a strong charge from sixth on the grid in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports entry.
“I knew we had a good car from practice, but qualifying was a struggle. During the race, I tried to be more cautious with tire wear — I learned my lesson from last year. Lochie was just a bit quicker today.”
Collet praised the massive effort from his team. “Running nine cars isn’t easy. The organization at HMD is incredible. It’s about filtering the right information and executing.”
Myles Rowe, in his sophomore INDY NXT season, secured his first career podium by finishing third for Abel Motorsports. “It’s been a long time coming,” Rowe said. “I think the team believed in me, and I’m happy to deliver this result. I knew Lochie and Caio had a little more pace, so my focus was on tire management and defending through the restarts.”
Rowe’s podium also positions him just 34 points behind Hauger in the standings.
Restarts and Racecraft
The 35-lap contest saw two caution periods — one on Lap 10 due to an incident involving Juan Manuel Correa and Niels Koolen, and another on Lap 29 when James Roe and Nikita Johnson crashed. Hughes mastered both restarts, though admitted they brought some anxiety.
“I’d build a gap, then a yellow would come out and reset everything. Turn 1 at Indy is always a wildcard, even if you nail the restart.”
Both Rowe and Collet noted the challenges of navigating restarts, especially with tire grip and pressure fluctuating. “It was all about balance,” Rowe explained. “Knowing when to push, knowing your gaps. My spotter helped a lot on that front.”
Looking Ahead to Race 2
All three podium finishers acknowledged that Saturday’s Race 2 — also a 35-lap sprint — will pose new challenges, especially with warmer temperatures forecasted.
“Tire degradation will be key,” Hughes said. “It’s going to be hotter, and managing the car over the stint will be even tougher.”
For Collet and Rowe, both aim to carry momentum into the next battle. “We’ll study the data tonight,” said Collet. “If we can tweak the setup and be a bit stronger on pace, I think we can fight for the win.”
Race 2 begins at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network — with Hughes and Hauger once again starting from the front row.
written by Philipp Kraus / Media Credit: Penske Entertainment
