Dennis Hauger continued his flawless start to the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season, converting pole position into a flag-to-flag victory at the Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park.
Driving the No. 28 Rental Group entry for Andretti Global, the Norwegian rookie led all 35 laps on the challenging 2.3-mile, 17-turn natural terrain road course. It was a repeat performance of his season-opening win in St. Petersburg, where he also led from pole.
With this win, Hauger has now led every lap of competition this season – 79 in total – and has topped every session except one practice, where he finished second. It’s a rare level of dominance in a development series known for its unpredictability and close competition.
“That was a good weekend, for sure,” Hauger said post-race. “I was trying to take care of the rear tires, especially in the beginning. After that, I was just trying to keep it consistent. The pace was really there. Andretti gave me a good car all weekend. I’m super happy for all of us.”
Rookies Shine in Alabama
The podium was filled entirely by rookies, signaling the arrival of a strong new wave of talent in the INDYCAR pipeline. Evagoras Papasavvas, just 17 years old, impressed in his debut by finishing second in the No. 24 HMD Motorsports entry. He stayed composed under pressure in the final laps to hold off fellow rookie Lochie Hughes, who brought his No. 26 Andretti Global machine home in third.
Cautions Can’t Slow Hauger
Despite two caution periods — one on Lap 4 and another on Lap 11 — Hauger was never seriously challenged. He managed both restarts with composure and quickly re-established a gap each time. The second caution was triggered by contact between Salvador de Alba and Bryce Aron in Turn 5.
At the time, Caio Collet, who had started on the front row, was keeping Hauger within striking distance. Unfortunately, Collet’s race unraveled after his car suffered a throttle issue during the second yellow flag, dropping him down the order.
That opened the door for Papasavvas, who inherited second place and held onto it despite pressure from Hughes, Myles Rowe, and Josh Pierson. The fight for the final podium spots was fierce, with just 1.8332 seconds separating P2 through P5 at the finish.
Top 5 Finishers:
- Dennis Hauger – Andretti Global
- Evagoras Papasavvas – HMD Motorsports
- Lochie Hughes – Andretti Global
- Myles Rowe – Abel Motorsports (ties career-best result)
- Josh Pierson – HMD Motorsports (career-best finish)
The series has also shifted into high gear with this event, as a doubleheader will take place this weekend on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The next chapter in the 2025 INDY NXT season will reveal whether anyone can stop the momentum of the red-hot rookie from Norway. But for now, Dennis Hauger stands alone as the driver to beat.
written by Philipp Kraus / Media Credit: Penske Entertainment
