As they’ll be the supporting bill during the Month
of March…
The Indy NXT Series once again commences its 17
race season at St Pete. Followed by its Arlington Street race debut, and the
first of five “Double Header” weekends at the oh, so beautiful Barbers
Motorsports Part at the end of March.
Next is two races on Indianapolis’s road
course, followed by Detroit. The first Oval track at Gateway, then back-to-back
Double Headers at Road America and Mid-Ohio. With Nashville capping off the
month of July.
Next is the Rose City, aka Portland, the
Milwaukee Mile and the season finale Double Header at Laguna Seca. Will all
races once again being aired live on (Fox Sports) FS-1 and FS-2.
Chip Ganassi Racing (4)
Obviously Cheep’ (Ganassi) isn’t accustomed to
going winless a la last season. With Andretti Global claiming the Lion’s share
of W’s with nine victories! As CGR steps up to four cars this year, with
drivers Bryce Aron and Niels Koolen returning.
James Roe, now in His fifth season; presumably
the longest duration? Joins from Andretti Global, after spending the past three
seasons there. Having contested the majority of His rookie Indy Lights campaign
driving for TJ Speed Motorsports before joining HMD Motorsports. While rookie Carson
Etter is totally unknown to Mwah…
Although subsequently learning that He
contested last year’s USF Pro 2000 Championship driving for Exclusive
Motorsports. Finishing a very pedestrian P17 overall, with a lone top-ten
finish, i.e.; sixth in the Nashville season finale. With two 12th place
finishes being His other best results. Making me wonder who’s Bankrolling His
Indy NXT program?
As Etter finished a long way behind the two
“Max’s”, i.e.; Max Garcia and Max Clark. Plus Alessandro de Tullio to name just
a few of His USF Pro 2000 colleagues…
Cusick Morgan Motorsports (2)
Know very little about this new team, other
than it’s the other “Satellite” HMD Motorsports squad, with the latter
providing the technical support and vehicles. Although Don Cusick’s name should
be familiar to all of us IndyCar Diehards…
As the team sports rookie teenager Aussie’ Nicholas
Stati, who finished “Vice Champion”, err runner-up to Daniel Quincy in the 2024
United States Formula 4 Championship. Falling just 4.5-points shy of the title,
with three wins.
“Journeyman” driver Juan Manuel Correa, who
previously competed in Formula 2, moves from HMD Motorsports to contest His
first full season Indy NXT campaign.
HMD Motorsports (4)
And then there was one TBA driver left. As HMD
had previously announced rookie drivers Jack Beeton and Enzo Fittipaldi. Before
third year Indy NXT competitor Salvador de Alba’s name was announced January
15th.
As the 26yr old Mexican driver scored an
emphatic maiden Indy NXT victory at Milwaukee last year. Followed by a
runner-up finish at the Nashville season finale, finishing fifth overall
driving for Andretti Global.
Last year, HMD Motorsports was the second most
successful team behind Andretti Global. With Caio Collet scoring His maiden
Indy NXT W’, and three total wins enroute to runner-up in the Drivers
Championship.
The team last claimed the title in 2023 with
Christian Rasmussen. And obviously, like
Everyone, is intending to stop Andretti
Global’s current championship streak!
But wait, I missed another memo. As the team
snuck in the announcement of Poland’s Tymek Kucharczyk being confirmed one day
ahead of de Alba’s announcement…
Juncos Hollinger Racing (2)
Doing their best Dale Coyne impersonation, the
team had failed to publicly disclose either of its two drivers as of
mid-January. But like Coyne, they’ll need to have drivers attending Content
Days, Righto?
Juncos Racing won the 2015 and 2017 Indy Lights
Driver titles with Spencer Pigot and Kyle Kaiser respectively. Along with
amassing five Indy Pro 2000 Drivers Championships between 2010 and 2020. With
Current IndyCar drivers Rinus VeeKay in 2018, and Sting Ray Robb in 2020.
Whilst I missed this memo too, Geez! As JHR confirmed Mexico’s Ricardo Escotta, who competed for Andretti Cape Indy NXT last season. But no word on His teammate as of January 20th…
