De Tullio DQ’d, Nannini Declared INDY NXT Race 2 Winner at Road America
Photo: Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
By Dennis Krause
Just when it looked like Alessandro de Tullio’s season had turned around in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, the bottom fell out.
De Tullio, who led all 18 laps in Sunday’s Race 2 at Elkhart Lake’s Road America, was disqualified in post-race technical inspection, handing the race win to Matteo Nannini.
INDYCAR officials determined that de Tullio and his A.J. Foyt Racing teammate, Nicholas Monteiro, had switched tires and did not start the race on the tires on which they had qualified.
Nannini finished 1.0584 seconds behind de Tullio on track for his first podium of the season and the second of his career only to be later declared the winner.
“It's good to be back. I feel like it's been a tough start to the season for me, not very lucky,” the driver of the No. 20 Cape Motorsports powered by ECR said. “But we no get the speed since the first race. We're just about having a clean weekend, good qualifying.
“The race was pretty good. I felt like I could have kept up with Alessandro. I got hit at the start, I'm not sure by who.
“Other than that, I'm glad to bring it home for my team and sponsors. It's been a tough start to the season, but second place is not too bad.”
It was the second series win for the 22-year-old Italian who triumphed in his series debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2023 for Juncos Hollinger Racing before leaving the team mid-season.
Photo: Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
While it’s been a difficult start to the season for Nannini, he admits getingt up to speed after being gone for so long has been challenging at times.
“For the past two years, I didn't do much, not even working out. Started focusing on other things.
“Obviously, the first few races... I feel like the third one, we were already up there speed-wise. We didn't have a clean weekend and couldn't put it together from qualifying. Obviously when you start at the back, it's easier to get involved in contact or doing mistakes here and there.
“I feel like in this series, qualifying is key. If you start up front, 90% of your job is done.”
Nannini started Sunday’s race from fourth.
Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk made a race high 20 on-track passes after starting 16th to ultimately being credited second, his sixth podium finish for the season.
“Yeah, it was a fun one, for sure (smiling). I didn't expect to be this quick. Obviously yesterday we took a little bit of a gamble, went used tires. Today we had new tires. Most of the grid had used. We were super quick. On lap one I went from 16th to eighth, which is quite insane. I had to make a pace. Probably had a shot at the win today. Yeah, I think I went side by side with Nikita. He forced me off the track. I lost a couple places, had to make it up all the way again. Safety cars. Didn't have much push to pass left. Sketchy last lap.
“Obviously really, really happy. I would say like this is the moment where I had to do it for the championship, as well.”
Championship leader Nikita Johnson was promoted to a third place finish.
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.