By Steve Wittich

Michael d’Orlando on track in the No. 75 Juncos Hollinger Racing machine Photo Courtesy Of Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones)

Juncos Hollinger Racing, with rookie Michael d’Orlando turning a lap at 57.294 seconds, led a mixed weather two-day NXT by Firestone series test at Sebring International Raceway that had 15 of the 19 drivers that took part within one second of the 2022 USF2000 champions quick lap.

The teams utilized the 1.7-mile, 10-turn Club Circuit. With several 90-degree corners, varying surface materials, and bumps in the braking areas, the shorter of the two circuits at the former US Army Air Base does an admirable job standing in for a street-circuit. With the three street circuits on the 2024 calendar, including the season finale in Nashville, Tenn., nailing a solid baseline set-up for the concrete canyons is essential.

Monday began with a dry track, with Jacob Abel (Abel Motorsports) leading Jamie Chadwick (Andretti Global), Louis Foster (Andretti Global), Christian Bogle (HMD Motorsports) and d’Orlando before the rains came and the teams took a lunch break.

Chadwick was busy during a steady rain-filled afternoon session, completing 35 laps while going quickest at 66.202 seconds, just ahead of her teammates Foster, Bryce Aron, James Roe, and Irishman Jonathan Browne (HMD Motorsports).

Andretti Global sophomore Jamie Chadwick was all smiles after showing speed in the wet and dry conditions Photo Courtesy of Penske Entertainment – James Black)

Tuesday began the way Monday ended, with a wet track and an Andretti Global driver quickest. This time, Foster led Brazilian Caio Collet (HMD Motorsports), Bogle, Aron, and d’Orlando during a session interrupted by thunder and lightning.

Andretti Global’s Louis Foster navigates a wet Sebring International Raceway during an INDY NXT by Firestone test in preparation for the 2024 season Photo Courtesy Of Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones)

Notes:

• Reigning Formula Regional Americas Champion Callum Hedge was scheduled to be at the test but instead was in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. We wish Callum a speedy recovery.
• Each team had one set of Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone wet weather tires to utilize.

A Firestone Racing INDY NXT wet weather tire after testing at Sebring International Raceway Photo Courtesy of Penske Entertainment – James Black)

• Miller Vinatieri Motorsports and rookie second-generation racer Jack William Miller only took part in the first day of testing.
• The 19 drivers completed 2204 laps.
• Rookie Myles Rowe (HMD Motorsports), who completed 171 laps, and Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Abel Motorsports), who completed 149 laps, were the busiest drivers.
• Christian Bogle was the quickest of the nine HMD Motorsports drivers that turned laps.
• Nolan Allaer made his INDY NXT by Firestone debut with HMD Motorsports. The multi-generation racer spent 2023 racing in Formula Ford and testing in GB3 in the United Kingdom. Allaer’s livery was familiar to fans of the ladder series. His father, Robert – a TV producer – ran the same scheme in a USF2000 event.

HMD Motorsports newcomer Nolan Allaer on track at Sebring International Raceway during INDY NXT by Firestone testing Photo Courtesy Of Penske Entertainment – Chris Jones)

This is where we insert our usual corollary that testing times don’t matter. Teams will have different drivers working on various programs, so don’t read too much into the times.

Unofficial combined results from an INDY NXT by Firestone test at Sebring International Raceway

RANK	CAR NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	FAST LAP	DIFF.	LAPS
1	75	Michael d’Orlando	Juncos Hollinger Racing	57.294		135
2	51	Jacob Abel	Abel Motorsports	57.370	-0.076	85
3	26	Louis Foster	Andretti Global	57.396	-0.102	94
4	7	Christian Bogle	HMD Motorsports	57.487	-0.193	147
5	29	James Roe	Andretti Global	57.591	-0.297	117
6	22	Yuven Sundaramoorthy	Abel Motorsports	57.626	-0.332	149
7	28	Jamie Chadwick	Andretti Global	57.634	-0.34	133
8	18	Caio Collet	HMD Motorsports	57.641	-0.347	116
9	2	Salvador de Alba	Cape Motorsports	57.783	-0.489	120
10	39	Nolan Siegel	HMD Motorsports	57.861	-0.567	127
11	99	Myles Rowe	HMD Motorsports	57.865	-0.571	171
12	27	Bryce Aron	Andretti Global	57.871	-0.577	139
13	14	Josh Pierson	HMD Motorsports	57.962	-0.668	94
14	5	Johnathan Browne	HMD Motorsports	58.089	-0.795	120
15	40	Jack William Miller	Miller Vinatieri Motorsports	58.332	-1.038	26
16	76	Lindsay Brewer	Juncos Hollinger Racing	58.762	-1.468	135
17	11	Nolan Allaer	HMD Motorsports	58.928	-1.634	103
18	33	Niels Koolen	HMD Motorsports	59.079	-1.785	143
19	10	Reece Gold	HMD Motorsports	64.392	-7.098	50
20	17	Callum Hedge	HMD Motorsports