INDY NXT Road America Race Notes and Results
By Tony DiZinno
After the doubleheader weekend in Detroit, the INDY NXT by Firestone was back for a single race at the Grand Prix of Road America.
An unusual front row presented itself with Kyffin Simpson of HMD Motorsports and Colin Kaminsky of Abel Motorsports leading the 19 Dallara cars to green. But would Simpson and Kaminsky stay there?
The answer is not for long. Simpson ran wide on the exit of Turn 1 right away, catching air in the process, and losing the lead and starting a plunge down the field. He was down to seventh by the end of Lap 1.
Taking advantage was another HMD Motorsports driver, Reece Gold, who moved into the lead ahead of Nolan Siegel (HMD), Louis Foster (Andretti Autosport), Kaminsky, Jacob Abel (Abel), Christian Rasmussen (HMD), Simpson, Hunter McElrea (Andretti), Jamie Chadwick (Andretti) and series returnee Josh Pierson (HMD) in the top 10.
On Lap 2, Chadwick’s best grid position of ninth came to rest when Pierson ran her wide on corner exit of Turn 1. Pierson went onto the paved runoff while Chadwick got into the gravel and dropped from ninth to last in the 19-car field.
As Foster tried to close on Gold for the lead with an over-under attempt, this brought Siegel close to the lead.
Further back, Simpson made it around the outside of Kaminsky for fifth into Canada Corner. Shortly thereafter, Kaminsky ran wide through the grass on corner exit of Turn 13. He kept it off the wall but returned on track ahead of Pierson in 14th.
Siegel made his move for second on Foster at Turn 1 on Lap 5, compelting the move on the outside. Simpson began his recovery drive with a great pass on Danial Frost for ninth on the same lap.
Siegel took the lead on the outside of Turn 5 on Gold on Lap 8, completing the move around the outside.
On Lap 10, the first full-course caution flew when Rasmussen, who’d flat-spotted his left-front tire early, appeared to have it going down slightly and he crashed on corner exit at the Kink.
The order at half distance: Siegel, Gold, Abel, Foster, McElrea, Roe, Francis Jr., Simpson, Frost, Pierson top 10 with Nannini, Bogle, Ahmed, Kaminsky, Green, Lindh, Jones and Chadwick still running.
Push-to-pass remaining at half distance for the top 10 runners: Siegel 62 seconds, Gold 76, Abel 74, Foster 77, McElrea 113, Roe 82, Francis Jr. 75, Simpson 59, Frost 80 and Pierson 26.
Two pit stops under this caution: Jones for a new left front, Lindh for a new left rear.
Under the caution, Firestone’s Cara Krstolic talks to Georgia Henneberry on the Peacock broadcast, noting it’s been a quick turn for production and notes the learnings coming from INDY NXT tire given they’re the same primaries.
The restart comes at conclusion of Lap 12 and start of Lap 13.
After the restart, Abel got by Gold for second into Turn 1 on Lap 14, with Foster trying as well. As Foster lost momentum, that opened the door for McElrea to over-under them to get them both by Turn 6 on the next lap. Roe was trying to get past Foster but couldn’t. Foster was later assessed a penalty and needed to give up the position.
Up front for the final few laps, Siegel maintained the gap over Abel, who had a push-to-pass advantage but was unable to make up the gap. Abel did well to withstand pressure from McElrea, who saved more of his P2P to have a chance.
Siegel took his second win of the year by 1.2695 seconds to become the first repeat winner of the INDY NXT season ahead of Abel and McElrea.
All three podium finishers have great racing connections with their dads, cool stories for the podium here on Father’s Day. Siegel and dad Mark have been together over the years in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge paddock with the Peregrine Racing program. Abel and dad Bill have been together here at Road America for years, and McElrea and dad Andy also have a long history at tracks across Australia, New Zealand and North America.
“I’ve now done a few races with P2P, a few in this car, it’s starting to come together. No stress now. Super happy with the job everyone did, getting it back together. Thanks to HMD,” Siegel tells Henneberry.
Siegel’s also in a great spot in the championship. He’s now provisionally up 40 points on Rasmussen with McElrea 56 back and Abel 61 back. Frost completes the top five, 71 back.
On being the points leader, Siegel said, “It sounds pretty good! I like that! I’d like to keep it like that.”
INDY NXT BY FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF ROAD AMERICA UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
| P | No | Name | Team | Laps | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 39 | Nolan Siegel | HMD Motorsports | 20 | LAP 20 |
| 2 | 51 | Jacob Abel | Abel Motorsports | 20 | 1.2695 |
| 3 | 27 | Hunter McElrea | Andretti Autosport | 20 | 2.0244 |
| 4 | 10 | Reece Gold | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 12.0358 |
| 5 | 29 | James Roe | Andretti Autosport | 20 | 14.0818 |
| 6 | 26 | Louis Foster | Andretti Autosport | 20 | 15.1098 |
| 7 | 68 | Danial Frost | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 15.4082 |
| 8 | 21 | Kyffin Simpson | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 15.7804 |
| 9 | 98 | Jagger Jones | Cape Motorsports | 20 | 18.7745 |
| 10 | 57 | Colin Kaminsky | Abel Motorsports | 20 | 19.1668 |
| 11 | 14 | Josh Pierson | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 20.8686 |
| 12 | 99 | Ernie Francis Jr. | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 21.6818 |
| 13 | 7 | Christian Bogle | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 22.0230 |
| 14 | 3 | Josh Green | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 24.3781 |
| 15 | 28 | Jamie Chadwick | Andretti Autosport | 20 | 25.1302 |
| 16 | 75 | Matteo Nannini | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 20 | 26.7121 |
| 17 | 47 | Enaam Ahmed | Cape Motorsports | 20 | 28.3785 |
| 18 | 76 | Rasmus Lindh | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 17 | Off Course |
| 19 | 6 | Christian Rasmussen | HMD Motorsports | 9 | Contact |