On Sunday, August 24, 2025, the INDY NXT by Firestone race at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin, became a landmark event for Andretti Global as Salvador de Alba earned his first career victory and Dennis Hauger secured the INDY NXT championship. De Alba triumphed in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car, while Hauger claimed the series title with a solid second-place finish in the No. 28 Nammo car, highlighting a remarkable day for the team.</p>
The race also saw rookie Lochie Hughes finish third in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship vehicle, completing Andretti Global’s first podium sweep of the season and the first since September 2022. This milestone occurred during the penultimate race of the 2025 season, emphasizing the team’s strong competitive form heading into the final event.
Salvador de Alba’s Breakthrough Victory on Milwaukee’s Oval
Starting second on the grid, Mexican driver Salvador de Alba skillfully overtook pole-sitter Dennis Hauger just after the first turn on Lap 1, using an aggressive outside move exiting Turn 2. He maintained the race lead for all 90 laps on the historic 1.015-mile oval, marking his breakthrough victory in his 27th start over two seasons on the INDY NXT circuit.
“We knew we had the car yesterday to go a little bit wider than my teammate Dennis, so we had to try it,”
de Alba explained.
It worked out. The car was on rails all race long, and we brought it here to victory lane. Super happy about the 1-2-3 result, Dennis getting the championship today. It’s just a big day for all the Andretti team.
—Salvador de Alba, INDY NXT Driver
Dennis Hauger Clinches Championship with Consistent Performance
Dennis Hauger entered the race holding a narrow 54-point lead over rival Caio Collet, equating to a one-race advantage in the championship standings. By finishing runner-up to de Alba and ahead of Collet, who placed seventh in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car, Hauger secured the INDY NXT championship, becoming the first Norwegian to win the title.
Hauger’s achievement marks Andretti Global’s seventh INDY NXT championship, tying the series record held by Sam Schmidt Motorsports. It also represents back-to-back titles for the team, following Louis Foster’s championship victory last season before his move to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Hauger delivered an outstanding debut season, with six wins and seven poles in 13 races.
“It’s been an incredible season as a rookie with Andretti,”
Hauger said.
Super proud to be a part of them and part of this championship season. A few ups and downs but mostly ups. This is a big championship win for me.
—Dennis Hauger, INDY NXT Champion
Strong Performances Round Out the Top Five
Beyond Andretti Global’s success, several drivers delivered noteworthy performances during the Milwaukee race. Callum Hedge finished fourth in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports entry, while Bryce Aron secured fifth place after a spirited late-race charge in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car. Lochie Hughes claimed the final podium spot for Andretti in third, contributing to the team’s dominant display.
The race featured only one caution period, caused by Jack William Miller’s spin exiting Turn 2 on Lap 47. After the resulting restart on Lap 53, Salvador de Alba surged ahead, quickly eliminating any challenge from Hauger and the rest of the 18-car field. De Alba extended his lead to nearly three seconds with eight laps remaining before crossing the finish line 1.4693 seconds ahead of Hauger.
Looking Ahead to the Season Finale at Nashville Superspeedway
With the championship now decided, the INDY NXT season will conclude on Sunday, August 31, at the Music City Grand Prix hosted on the Nashville Superspeedway oval. This final race remains a key opportunity for drivers and teams to finish the 2025 campaign on a high note. Andretti Global’s championship momentum and the breakthrough victory for Salvador de Alba position them as strong contenders to close the season with further success.
