Dennis Hauger Leads Nashville Open Test in Oval Debut
INDYCAR
No previous oval experience, no problem for Dennis Hauger.
Andretti Global rookie Hauger led the INDY NXT by Firestone Open Test on April 1 at Nashville Superspeedway on his first-ever day of driving on an oval, turning a top lap of 187.564 mph in the No. 28 Rental Group car. Hauger, from Norway, leads the standings in the INDYCAR development series after winning the season opener March 2 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
SEE: Test Results
'First test on an oval, and it was a really cool experience,' Hauger said. 'I had a lot of fun out there. Good day at the office, and I'm looking forward to coming back here later in the season.'
Series veteran Myles Rowe was second fastest on the 1.33-mile concrete oval, which will host the 2025 series finale Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 31. Rowe's best lap was 187.491 in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports/Force Indy car.
Rookie Lochie Hughes helped Andretti Global produce a 1-3 finish on the speed charts, as he was third at 186.651 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship entry.
Veteran Salvador de Alba kept the good times rolling for Andretti Global, fourth at 186.602 in the No. 27 Group Indi car. Fellow veteran Caio Collet rounded out the top five at 186.054 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Collet was the only one of the top five to turn his fastest lap during the morning session.
A total of 19 drivers turned 2,953 laps without incident today. Series veteran Jonathan Browne was the busiest driver, recording 194 laps in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car.
The next INDY NXT by Firestone event is the Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday, May 4 at Barber Motorsports Park (11:30 a.m. ET, FS1, INDYCAR Radio Network).
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