Murray Leads Andretti Power Playin Chris Griffis Memorial Test at IMS  

The road to the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season officially began at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test on Monday, with 24 drivers and eight teams participating in a pivotal full-field evaluation on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The day saw a mix of established contenders, series newcomers, and technical intrigue play out over two sessions and by sunset, it was Sebastian Murray and Andretti Global who stole the show.

Murray Leads an Andretti Global Lockout

Sebastian Murray, piloting the No. 27 car for Andretti Global, laid down the fastest time of the day with a 1:14.5035, establishing himself as an early title contender for 2026. The young Scotsman, who finished 13th in the standings during his rookie season with Andretti Cape in 2025, made the most of his first test with the main Andretti outfit.

“Great day at IMS,” said Murray. “We finished P1, so obviously thrilled. The team was amazing today, and we learned a lot and improved a lot. We were obviously very fast all day, so massive thank you to the team.”

Murray’s pace was part of a dominant showing by Andretti Global, whose drivers swept the top three positions on the combined timesheets. Max Taylor (No. 28) was second-fastest with a 1:14.6366 and had also led the morning session at 1:15.0926. Josh Pierson (No. 29), another newcomer to the team, secured third with a 1:14.6674.

The performance underscored Andretti’s depth and continuity in INDY NXT, having won the last two championships. With drivers like Murray, Taylor, and Pierson in their arsenal, the team looks well-positioned to defend their crown in 2026.

A First Look at the 2026 Grid

The test wasn’t just about Andretti dominance — it was also a first true look at the shape of the 2026 INDY NXT field. Notably, four teams participated that either did not race in 2025 or are now aligned with new technical partners:

• Cape Motorsports, now partnered with Ed Carpenter Racing and Jay Howard Driver Development.
• Juncos Hollinger Racing, returning after a one-year absence.
• Cusick Morgan Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing, both entering with HMD Motorsports affiliations.

In total, 16 of the 24 drivers had fewer than 10 career INDY NXT starts, creating a highly inexperienced, but incredibly promising, field.

Among them, Nikita Johnson stood out. The Cape Motorsports rookie logged the fourth-fastest time (1:14.8849), showing poise and speed as he prepares for a full 2026 campaign after select starts in 2025.

Other promising dark‑horses deserve particular mention as well: Enzo Fittipaldi and Victor Martins. Fittipaldi, the Brazilian‑American whose family name already resonates in motorsport, indeed turned laps at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test for HMD Motorsports, posting a time of 1:15.3246 to place 11th overall. His presence signals that he is eyeing the Indy NXT ladder seriously, and his performance suggests a driver rapidly adapting to new machinery. Meanwhile, French rookie Victor Martins made his debut in the test as well, running under 1:15.47 and finishing 12th. With sixteen of the 24 drivers in attendance having fewer than ten NXT starts, the likes of Fittipaldi and Martins represent fresh talent who could shake up the pecking order in 2026. Their early showing may set the tone for a season where experience matters, but so does raw speed.

Alessandro de Tullio, running for AJ Foyt Racing, rounded out the top five (1:15.0406) and highlighted the strength of Foyt’s newly reinvigorated development program.

Testing Drama and Team Highlights

The day’s action unfolded over two sessions, morning and afternoon, producing 1,728 laps and seven red flags, many involving Chip Ganassi Racing, who struggled with reliability. Rookie Carson Etter was among those affected by mechanical issues.

The morning session was less representative, but gave early glimpses of the pecking order. Max Taylor led with a 1:15.0926, while teammates Murray and Pierson also showed well. Interestingly, Lochie Hughes, despite not topping the charts, played a pivotal role as one of the drivers trialing a new gearbox that the series plans to implement in 2026.

Joining Hughes in the gearbox test were Myles Rowe (Abel Motorsports), Nikita Johnson, and drivers from the HMD family of teams, valuable technical insight as the series looks to modernize its spec package.

The afternoon session brought quicker times and saw the top of the leaderboard solidify. Murray’s 1:14.5035 came in the final moments, narrowly edging out teammates Taylor and Pierson. Johnson improved to break the 1:15 mark, and de Tullio slotted into fifth. Other strong performances included Hughes, Rowe, Bryce Aron, Tymek Kucharczyk, and Juan Manuel Correa, who all finished in the top 10.

Team-wise, Andretti Global clearly emerged as the benchmark. Cape Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing maximized their new partnerships with competitive showings. Cusick Morgan and HMD Motorsports spent the day gathering data in the mid-pack, while Juncos Hollinger Racing struggled with consistency, managing only 21st and 23rd. Abel Motorsports had a mixed day, placing just one of four entries in the top 10. Ganassi’s difficult day left them with only one car outside the bottom 10.

Still, the field showed impressive parity, with 23 of 24 drivers finishing within two seconds of each other, a promising sign for competition in 2026.

The Chris Griffis Test

The Chris Griffis Test has become a cornerstone of the off-season calendar, giving teams a chance to evaluate talent and drivers a vital opportunity to adapt to NXT machinery. The event is named in honor of Chris Griffis, a respected team manager with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports who passed away suddenly in 2011.

Looking Ahead: Private Testing and March Opener

The Chris Griffis Memorial Test, named in honor of the late Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team manager who passed in 2011, has become a key date on the INDY NXT calendar. It offers teams a chance to scout and assess talent in a real-world setting, and drivers a shot to impress.

The series will continue preparations with a private test at Barber Motorsports Park in the coming weeks, before the green flag officially waves on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and talent-rich in recent years. With new teams, young standouts, and returning veterans all vying for Road to Indy success, the anticipation is already building.

And if the Chris Griffis Memorial Test was any indication, Sebastian Murray and Andretti Global have already fired the opening shot in the chase for next year’s championship.

written by Owen White & Philipp Kraus / Media Credit: Penske Entertainment