June 12, 2025

Indy NXT drivers take part in all-day test session at Iowa Speedway

Twenty-one drivers turn laps at the 7/8-mile oval

By Troy Hyde
IndyCar NXT

From left: Indy NXT drivers Juan Manuel Correa, James Roe and Dennis Hauger turn laps at Iowa Speedway during a testing session on Monday. The series will be part of the Sukup IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa on July 11-13. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

The rising stars of INDYCAR racing got a chance to experience the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet” Monday as INDY NXT by Firestone hosted a day-long series open test at Iowa Speedway in preparation for the upcoming Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend, July 11-13.

In all, 21 cars took to the fast 7/8 of a mile oval over the course of the day with INDY NXT competitors turning a combined 3,209 laps on the track that was partially resurfaced prior to the 2024 INDYCAR weekend in Iowa.

Dennis Hauger

IndyCar NXT driver Dennis Hauger is currently first in the point standings. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

The talented young field showed solid speed on the day as more than half of the drivers testing surpassed the official INDY NXT track record lap at Iowa Speedway.

The morning test session was paced by second-year INDY NXT by Firestone driver Myles Rowe. Driving the No. 99 car for ABEL Motorsports with Force Indy, Rowe posted a top lap of 18.6687 seconds (172.396 mph) to get the day off to a speedy start at Iowa Speedway.

Rowe’s top morning time was faster than the official INDY NXT by Firestone track record lap of 18.8114 seconds established by James Roe last season when he won the pole for the 2024 series race at Iowa Speedway.

The lap times continued to drop as track temperatures rose during the afternoon session on Monday.

Josh Pierson clocked the fastest time in the afternoon and the quickest overall lap on the day as he posted a top time of 18.2750 seconds (176.109 mph) in the No. 14 car for HMD Motorsports.

In all, 11 of the 21 cars that tested on Monday posted times that were unofficially faster than Roe’s track record pole-winning lap from last season.

“P1 to end the day, so solid step for us,” said Pierson, competing in his third INDY NXT season in 2025. “I think the ovals last year were an area we particularly struggled in. So, really happy with that to show up here and have some pace to show for it. All in all, I think we found our way throughout the day, and slowly made steps. This is such a unique track, especially after the repave now. It’s kind of got some bumpy (corner) entry still, but then in the mid corner and the exit, it’s so smooth now that you really just have to push the entry phase. I’m excited about our progress, particularly in single-car runs, and looking forward to (the oval race in) St. Louis this weekend and coming back here to Iowa in July.”

Lochie Hughes

IndyCar NXT Series driver Lochie Hughes is currently second in the points standings. Hughes was part of an all-day testing session at Iowa Speedway on Monday. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

INDY NXT by Firestone championship leader Dennis Hauger of the Andretti Global team recorded the second fastest lap of the test overall.

Winner of four of the first five series races of the season, Hauger posted a top time of 18.3798 seconds (175.105 mph) in the No. 28 machine. Fellow championship contender, series rookie and Andretti Global teammate Lochie Hughes owned the third-fastest lap of test.

Hughes, who ranks second in the series standings and is currently 38 points behind Hauger, posted a fast lap of 18.5184 seconds (173.795 mph) during Monday’s afternoon session. Salvador de Alba of Andretti Global, who finished third in last season’s INDY NXT race at Iowa Speedway, was fourth fastest in testing while Rowe completed the top five in Monday’s overall rundown.