Max Taylor asserted his strong preseason form by leading the opening practice session of the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season on Friday at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The Connecticut driver secured the fastest lap time in a dominant 1-2-3 finish for Andretti Global, confirming his potential as a front-runner for the upcoming season.
Taylor clocked a best lap of 1:05.0852 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car, the same vehicle Dennis Hauger drove to the INDY NXT championship last year before moving up to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this season. This 45-minute session marked the first official INDY NXT track time for Taylor in his rookie full-time campaign in the series.
Background on Taylor’s Progression to INDY NXT
Before stepping into INDY NXT full-time, Taylor made six starts last year while competing in USF Pro 2000. He impressed during preseason testing, having led the INDY NXT Group Test at Barber Motorsports Park in November and ranking among the fastest at sessions held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sebring International Raceway. His consistent top-two finishes during these group tests set high expectations ahead of the competitive season.
Strong Andretti Global Showing in Practice
Veteran newcomer Josh Pierson followed Taylor in second place, posting a best of 1:05.5358 in the No. 29 Starchive Andretti entry. Rounding out the Andretti 1-2-3 sweep was second-year INDY NXT competitor Seb Murray, who was third fastest at 1:05.5368 in the No. 27 Prosperity car. Their combined performance highlights Andretti Global’s continued strength in the development series.
Myles Rowe secured fourth place with a lap time of 1:05.5845 driving the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy car. Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, delivered a promising fifth fastest lap at 1:05.7017 for HMD Motorsports.
Practice Session Incidents and Schedule Update
The session experienced interruptions with two red flags. Rookie Jack Beeton damaged the rear of his No. 45 HMD Motorsports car after backing into the wall at Turn 10 roughly 15 minutes into the practice but managed to return to the pits for repairs. Approximately 20 minutes later, Lochie Hughes, the top returning driver for the season, collided with the barrier at Turn 7 while driving the No. 26 Andretti Global car, losing his front wing and requiring a replacement.
“Always loved driving around this place. Missed it. It was a really good session working with team, developing the setup, fixing my driving, as well. A really good start to the weekend, and I’m excited to keep on attacking it.”
?Max Taylor, INDY NXT Driver
The next practice session is scheduled for Saturday at 8:35 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 3:45 p.m. ET. Television coverage will be provided live on FS1 and FS2, with additional streaming via FOX One, the FOX Sports app, and live radio broadcast by INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls. The 45-lap race will commence at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Significance and Outlook for the Season
Max Taylor’s strong performance in this initial practice solidifies his status as a serious contender in his first full INDY NXT season, demonstrating both speed and composure. The Andretti team’s sweeping of the top three spots reflects their competitive readiness as the championship battle begins. With a challenging schedule ahead, Taylor and his teammates will look to build on this momentum to secure favorable results in qualifying and the race itself, setting the tone for a promising 2026 campaign.
