Even if its one step below IndyCar’s…
Lost in All of the feverish anticipation over
IndyCar finally coming out from underneath its shadow, and shaking off its
stupendous six months winter’s slumber…
IndyCar’s “premiere” Feeder Series, Indy NXT
also kicks off its season in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and sports a truly
different flavour this year.
As new regulations allows for a maximum grid of
24 cars and teams being limited to four entries apiece. Having scribbled about
the Grid changes previously, following last October’s Chris Griffis test.
Plenty
to Take away from Annual Chris Griffis test
Although less than 60 days out, there were
still five TBA seats on the grid. One at Cape Motorsports, half of HMD
Motorsports and both Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) seats being unknown when I
began scribblin’ this…
Ah contrair, Thar had been three more
announcement, which I missed two-thirds of. Leaving just one seat at Cape and
JHR still vacant…
I’ll surmise that this year’s championship
scrum will be between sophomore Lochi Hughes and Myles Rowe, who’s entering His
third season. As the duo finished third and fourth overall respectively last
year. And the top two finishers; Dennis Hauger, the 2025 Indy NXT Champion. (6
wins) And Caio Collet, the runner-up, (3 wins) both have graduated to IndyCar
this year.
Abel Motorsports (3+)
Abel Motorsports with Force Indy (1)
Can Abel Motorsports finally win a championship
and stop the likes of Andretti and HMD Motorsports? As they were the only three
teams to win races last year.
On “paper”, you’d have to say that Myles Rowe
is the team leader. Having finished fourth overall last year upon scoring His
first two Indy NXT wins in His sophomore season. Along with six podiums and 10
top-five finishes. Rowe finished just eight points adrift of Lochie Hughes,
with a worst finish of 18th vs. Hughes P16.
Jordan Missig returns for His second full
season campaign with the team, having finished ninth overall last season. While
Colin Kaminsky returns to Abel after a year’s absence; Arse-sumedly due to
financial constraints…
Whilst the team’s newest signing being of much
interest. As Max Garcia spent two seasons in the USF2000 Championship driving
for Pabst Racing. Culminated by winning the championship in His sophomore
season. (2024)
Garcia then stomped the USF Pro 2000
competition enroute to the title with nine wins! And a total of 13 podiums as a
rookie last year, Remaining with Past Racing.
Will Max give teammate Rowe, Lochie Hughes and
the rest of the Indy NXT Grid Headaches this year fighting for the title?
A.J. Foyt Enterprises (2)
The storied racing team returns to Indy NXT
competition after last competing fulltime in 2003, albeit running Jeff Simmons
in a “One-off” at the 2004 Freedom 100. As Y’all remember when the Freedom 100
was arguably Indy Lights most exciting race of the year, Eh?
Although the Foyt entry is basically one of two
HMD Motorsports “Satellite” squads, since they’re supplying the cars and
equipment in alliance with Foyt. Thus adverting the new rule over only four
cars per team entry, since HMD ran eight or more last year…
Foyt Racing returns with two unknown rookies.
As cannot say I’m familiar with the names of either Nicholas Monteiro or
Alessandro de Tullio. Although I did learn that de Tullio had been the second
quickest rookie during last October’s Chris Griffis test. Finishing fifth
overall, while Monteiro was P18 on the time sheets.
Although Monteiro races as a Brazilian, He was
born in Pembroke Pines, Florida. With the 20yr old having made His single
seater debut in the 2022 Brazilian F4 Championship, before moving to USF2000
the following year.
Monteiro contested three seasons of USF2000 for
several teams. Finishing a career best of 10th overall last year, despite
missing the final round at Portland.
De Tullio swept the Virginia International
Raceway (VIR) weekend, winning all three races. Ending the 2023 season third
overall in the USF2000 Championship, with a total of five wins.
Last year, Alessandro scored His maiden USF Pro
2000 victory at the St Pete Season opener. Ultimately winning four races and
seven podiums enroute to fourth overall in the championship.
Andretti Global (4)
Once again, the Andretti Global Juggernaut
comes loaded for Bear with another stout four-car entry. Having won the past
two championships.
Aussie Lochi Hughes, who finished second fiddle
to teammate Dennis Hauger. Claimed third overall His rookie season on the back
of two wins, eight podiums and 10 top five finishes. Finishing just eight
points ahead of Myles Rowe. (466-458)
Hughes returns to Andretti with three new
teammates, with Sebastian Murray having finished P1 during the Chris Griffis
test.
As Scottish teenager Murray began His single
seater career in the UAE Formula 4 series, before graduating to the British GB3
Championship in 2024.
Last season, Murray raced for Andretti Cape
Indy NXT, before being sidelined after a vicious Mid-Ohio incident. As Murray
and teammate Ricardo Escotto “rubbed” wheels, sending Sebastian “cartwheeling,”
before coming to a stop upside down in the middle of the track!
Max Taylor, who was second quickest at the
test, graduates from USF Pro 2000. Finishing sixth overall with one win.
While Portland’s Josh Pierson, now in His fourth
season was third quickest during the October test. Moving over from HMD
Motorsports after three years. Claiming His best Indy NXT campaign at sixth
overall. Including His breakout weekend at Laguna Seca.
Starting third in both races, Pierson scored
His first series podium with third place Saturday. Then improved one place to
second on Sunday, His career best finish to date.
Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR (2)
Due to the entrant teams restructuring,
Andretti Global dropped its affiliation with Cape Motorsports and was replaced
by Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) this year.
Just days prior to this year’s Rolex 24, the
team still hadn’t divulged its second driver. With only Nikita Johnson being
named to the team’s No. 21 entry.
Johnson had a busy season last year. Racing
abroad in Formula Oceania Regional, GB3 and Formula 3, also made selected
starts in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports. But preserved His rookie status doing
so.
Johnson capped off the year by being the
quickest rookie at the Chris Griffis test and fourth overall…
Interestingly, Nikita has been announced as one of RLL Team McLaren’s fulltime drivers for this year’s IMSA GTD Pro campaign. Partnering Max Esterson in the No. 59 Rahal McLaren 720S GT3 Evo entry, along with making His Rolex 24 debut this January.
