Hughes Takes Maiden INDY NXT Win At IMS
(Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment)
By Dennis Krause
Lochie Hughes started from pole, led all 35 laps enroute to his first victory in Friday’s INDY NXT by Firestone Series IndianapolisI Grand Prix Race 1 the 14-turn, 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
However, the going was anything but easy for the 2024 USF Pro champion from Australia.
“By the look of it, it looked like a pretty easy race, but it wasn't. That's for sure.” said the rookie driver of the No. 26 McGinley Clinic / USF Pro Championship car fielded by Andretti Global.
“It was tough around here with just different conditions throughout the day with practice and qualifying and just trying to manage the tires throughout the race. Had a few moments. Ended up clipping the wall a little bit there.
“I actually went to touch the push-to-pass and sort of had a snap, and the wheel cameout of my hands a little bit and clipped the wall. So it was actually a bit of a hard hit, but I hit it pretty square. So got that one. Otherwise, I would have looked like a bit of a fool.
“Those two laps there where I was going around going, ‘Please, nothing be broken.’ It was a little bit bent, but yeah, she pulled through.
“Great to get the win finally. Obviously, Dennis (Hauger) been dominating lately, so to go to a track that I know a bit more and a place where I drove the car for the first time and have a good result, it's pretty cool.”
Hughes’ Andretti teammate, Hauger, started from the outside of the front row, but slid off track after contact in the first turn of the race. Hauger, the championship leader and winner of the opening two races of the season recovered to finish eighth.
(Photo by Paul Hurley/Penske Entertainment
Caio Collet chased Hughes to the finish, only to come up .7229 of a second short after starting sixth in his No. 76 HMD Motorsports entry.
“Yeah, I think it was a good afternoon, especially after qualifying. We struggled I think a bit today. I had a really good start. First lap I think the opportunities came up to me, and we did the best.
“I knew from this morning we had a good car. I think for qualifying I struggled a little bit, but in the race I think we put everything together. We had a good pace.
“Obviously I think Lochie was a little bit quicker than us. I didn't want to push too much on the tire. I think last year I made that mistake, and I think this year I was just trying to play a bit more safe, and hopefully it would pay off in the end. But I think he just did a really, really good job today, and he deserved the win.
"Yeah, happy to be in second place. Starting sixth I think was a good recovery, and hopefully tomorrow we can be here again.”
(Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment)
Myles Rowe scored his first INDY NXT podium, the driver of the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car taking advantage of the action in front of him on the first lap to take third and hold it until the finish.
“As Caio said, there were a few opportunities that presented themselves from our row, and I was one of those opportunities. We kind of slotted in at third at the end of the first lap.
“I think naturally Lochie and Caio had a bit more pace. I think I was a little bit on pace for Caio at the beginning, but then I felt we had to protect our left rear a little bit and just manage for whatever restarts might have come, which did come, which I'm glad we could have managed that.
“It was a good run for us. Looking forward to tomorrow and closing out well. But, very happy with the P3, and naturally looking for more and hoping to build on us.”
While Friday’s race was run in the evening, Saturday’s race will be in the afternoon. That’s make tire management even more important according to Hughes.
“Yeah, it will be interesting tomorrow because I think it will be definitely a lot warmer at 1 o’clock. It was tricky managing the tires in that race, and when it’s warmer tomorrow, it's going to be even harder. Yeah, I think that's going to be the most important thing tomorrow.”
Dennis Krause has spent decades covering all forms of motorsports, including over 40 Indianapolis 500s, with stints at WIBA Radio, PIT PASS - Radio’s Premier Motorsports Magazine and Motorsports Minute. Follow him on X @DennisKrause500 or motorsportsminute.bluesky.social or motorsportsminute on Threads or MotorsportsMinute+ on Facebook.