Dennis Hauger, the INDY NXT Championship leader, stunned spectators by winning the pole position during his oval racing debut at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday. Hauger posted a two-lap average speed of 166.162 mph in the No. 28 Nammo car for Andretti Global, setting a new track record and surpassing the previous mark of 164.242 mph held by last year’s series champion Louis Foster.
Strong Qualifying Performance Follows Mixed Practice Results
Despite appearing tentative during the first practice session on the 1.25-mile oval track, where he ranked fifth and was 1.6 mph slower than the session leader Caio Collet, Hauger quickly adapted. His fourth pole of the season highlights his rapid progress on the track, especially given his inexperience on oval circuits.
First time on an oval, and we got the pole,
Hauger said. Super happy about that. Didn’t really know what to expect, but we got up to speed in practice, and we really made improvements for qualifying.
Looking forward to seeing how we get on tomorrow. It’s going to be a bit of a different game.
Qualifying Standings and Key Drivers to Watch
The upcoming 75-lap race will begin Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET and marks INDY NXT’s first oval competition this season. Rookie Caio Collet, who is also leading the Rookie of the Year standings, qualified second with a two-lap average of 165.735 mph in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car. His second lap of 166.341 mph currently stands as the one-lap speed record for INDY NXT at WWTR.
Salvador de Alba secured third place in his No. 27 Grupo Indi entry for Andretti Global with a speed of 165.223 mph, closely followed by veteran Myles Rowe in fourth at 165.082 mph driving the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car. Fifth place went to rookie Lochie Hughes, the only other race winner beside Hauger this season, who posted 164.350 mph in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car. Completing the top six starters was Josh Pierson in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports car with a 163.993 mph average.
Implications for the INDY NXT Season and Upcoming Race
Hauger’s breakthrough pole position at WWTR signals a strong challenge for the oval race, adding momentum to his dominant season where he has won four of the five races so far. His ability to quickly master oval racing could impact the series championship battle, especially with other promising rookies and seasoned drivers all vying for position. The race on Sunday promises high-speed excitement and important points as the INDY NXT series transitions to its first oval track event of 2024.
