Myles Rowe Bio
Myles Rowe (born June 19, 2000) is an American racing driver who competes in the Indy NXT series, the primary development ladder of the NTT IndyCar Series. He currently drives the No. 99 entry for Abel Motorsports with Force Indy. Rowe is widely recognized as the 2023 USF Pro 2000 champion and as the first African-American driver to win an American open-wheel championship.
Born and raised in the United States, Rowe has quickly built a reputation as one of the most compelling young talents in domestic open-wheel racing. His career has combined competitive results with historic milestones, making him a prominent figure in efforts to broaden representation within motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Rowe was born in Powder Springs, Georgia, on June 19, 2000. He grew up in the greater Atlanta area before eventually relocating to Brooklyn, New York, where he currently resides. The move north aligned with the launch of his professional racing career and the formation of the team that helped introduce him to the national stage.
Rowe did not come from a traditional racing family. After stepping away from competitive motorsports for several years, he returned to the sport as a young adult, when Force Indy, a newly formed organization committed to expanding diversity in racing, selected him as a driver. The partnership gave Rowe a structured entry point into the Road to Indy development pipeline.
Path to NASCAR
Rowe’s professional path is rooted in open-wheel racing rather than stock car competition. His progression followed the traditional Road to Indy ladder, beginning with the USF2000 Championship in 2021, advancing to a championship-contending USF2000 campaign in 2022, and then stepping up to the USF Pro 2000 Championship in 2023. The 2023 USF Pro 2000 title, paired with the series’ scholarship prize, secured his promotion to Indy NXT for the 2024 season.
While his career to date has centered on road and street courses within the open-wheel ladder, his rapid rise through Force Indy’s program and the Abel Motorsports partnership demonstrates a clear trajectory toward the top levels of American motorsports.
Myles Rowe Career
Early Career (2021)
Rowe’s professional debut came in 2021 with Force Indy in the USF2000 Championship. He made an immediate impact by winning the second race of the season in New Jersey, becoming the first African-American driver to win in the series. The victory announced him as a historic competitor and laid the foundation for his climb up the open-wheel ladder.
Despite a learning curve across a partial schedule, Rowe finished the 2021 USF2000 campaign 13th in the standings. The season established the Force Indy partnership and set the stage for a more complete effort the following year.
USF2000 Breakthrough (2022)
Entering 2022 without a confirmed budget, Rowe launched a public fundraising effort that included a $200,000 donation, allowing him to join Pabst Racing for the opening round at St. Petersburg. After a crash in race one, he responded with a victory in race two, his first with the team, and followed it with a win at Barber Motorsports Park. Additional funding, including support from Roger Penske, allowed him to contest the full season.
From the Indianapolis Raceway Park round through the Toronto event, Rowe produced three wins and seven consecutive podium finishes, building a championship lead entering the Portland finale. Despite a narrow points lead entering the final race, contact on the opening lap at Portland dropped him down the order. He recovered to fifth, but the result allowed Michael d’Orlando to claim the title. Rowe closed 2022 with five wins and the runner-up spot in the USF2000 standings.
USF Pro 2000 Championship (2023)
Rowe moved up to the USF Pro 2000 Championship in 2023 with Pabst Racing with Force Indy. He was dominant through the opening rounds, winning race two at St. Petersburg and sweeping both races at Sebring to build a substantial early points lead. Additional wins at Mid-Ohio and Toronto, combined with consistent podium finishes at Road America and the Carb Night Classic, kept him in control of the title fight.
Entering the Portland finale, Rowe held a commanding championship advantage. In race two, he passed rival Kiko Porto off the line and spent the remainder of the race holding position to clinch the 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship. With the title, Rowe became the first African-American driver to win an American open-wheel championship and earned a $640,000 scholarship to advance to Indy NXT in 2024.
Indy NXT Era (2024–Present)
Following his USF Pro 2000 title, Rowe moved to Indy NXT in 2024 with HMD Motorsports and Force Indy in the No. 99 entry. The 2024 season served as a transition year as he adapted to the higher-powered, more demanding series. Entering 2025, Rowe switched to Abel Motorsports while continuing with Force Indy, providing a refreshed technical environment for his second full Indy NXT campaign.
Rowe opened 2025 with two fourth-place finishes at St. Petersburg and Barber, lifting him to third in the championship standings. At the Indianapolis road course rounds, he captured his first Indy NXT podium with a third-place result in race one. Later, at Iowa Speedway, Rowe passed Dennis Hauger with fourteen laps remaining and held on to win, becoming the first Black driver to win an Indy NXT race. He has also been confirmed to continue with Abel Motorsports for the 2026 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rowe has demonstrated particular strength on road and street circuits, where precise braking and consistent race pace are critical. His ability to defend position under pressure, as shown in his late-braking move into turn one at Indianapolis, suggests strong race craft. His partnership with Abel Motorsports for 2025 has produced steady early results and clear upward momentum in the championship standings.
Notable Races and Milestones
Rowe’s milestone moments include his first USF2000 win in New Jersey in 2021, his emotional victory in race two at St. Petersburg in 2022, and his USF Pro 2000 title-clinching drive at Portland in 2023. His 2025 Iowa Speedway victory stands as his most significant Indy NXT achievement to date and a historic marker for representation in the series.
Myles Rowe Career Wins
Rowe has built a steady resume of victories across the junior open-wheel ladder, with verified wins in both the USF2000 Championship and the USF Pro 2000 Championship, alongside a maiden Indy NXT victory in 2025. His win total reflects consistent front-running form in each step of his progression.
USF2000 Highlights
In the USF2000 Championship, Rowe scored five victories across the 2022 season, including wins at St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Raceway Park, and additional rounds in the second half of the year. He finished that season as the championship runner-up.
USF Pro 2000 Highlights
Rowe’s 2023 USF Pro 2000 campaign featured five wins, highlighted by a Sebring sweep and dominant performances at Mid-Ohio and Toronto. The title was secured at Portland, where a controlled drive in race two delivered the championship and a $640,000 scholarship to advance to Indy NXT.
Indy NXT Highlights
Rowe captured his first Indy NXT victory at Iowa Speedway in 2025, becoming the first Black driver to win in the series. He also earned his first Indy NXT podium earlier in the season with a third-place finish on the Indianapolis road course.
Myles Rowe Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available information about Rowe’s family and racing lineage is limited. He is not known to come from a traditional motorsports family, and his entry into professional racing was driven primarily by his own determination and the support of the Force Indy organization.
Personal Life
Rowe was born in Powder Springs, Georgia, and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Beyond his racing commitments, limited verified information is available about his personal or family life.
2025 Season Performance
Rowe’s 2025 Indy NXT campaign with Abel Motorsports and Force Indy has been a strong follow-up to his 2024 transition year. Two fourth-place finishes at St. Petersburg and Barber moved him to third in the championship standings, signaling immediate pace with his new team. The early consistency established a foundation for the remainder of the season.
At the Indianapolis road course rounds, Rowe added his first career Indy NXT podium with a third-place result in race one, navigating a tight battle with Salvador de Alba into turn one. Later, at Iowa Speedway, he produced his defining moment of the season, passing Dennis Hauger with fourteen laps remaining to earn his first Indy NXT victory and become the first Black driver to win in the series.
With the season still in progress, Rowe sits among the championship contenders. The combination of confirmed team continuity, his established road-course strengths, and growing comfort in the Abel Motorsports environment positions him for a sustained push through the closing rounds of the 2025 Indy NXT schedule.
