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Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Runs from Chaos To Win in Detroit, Pad Points Lead
INDYCAR Dennis Hauger quickly figured out the best way to avoid potential and real chaos Sunday in the INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix – stay out front. Pole sitter Hauger, from Norway, led all 45 laps of the race on the streets of downtown Detroit in the No. 28 Rental Group car for his fourth victory in five races this season in the INDYCAR development series. He held off the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car of 2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet by 1.0460 seconds in a one-lap dash for the checkered flag after a restart at the end of Lap 44. SEE: Race Results 'The tires, they cool down really quickly, so that last lap was sketchy,' Hauger said. 'I think I heated up the tires nicely, and we got a good gap after the back straight. 'Super happy with that. We kept it clean, and we got a good win today.' Hauger expanded his series lead to 38 points over fellow rookie teammate Lochie Hughes, who is the only other driver to win a race this season. Rookie Juan Manuel Correa earned his career-best finish of third in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports car. His previous best result was 14th in the second race of the Indianapolis road course doubleheader last month. Series veteran Josh Pierson completed a solid day for HMD Motorsports, which fielded the cars that finished second, third and fourth, with a fourth-place result in the team's No. 16 machine. Hughes rallied from a late pit stop due to a damaged front wing to round out the top five in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car. Just six of the 20 cars in the race finished on the lead lap, as the tight confines of the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary circuit on the streets of downtown Detroit induced chaos nearly from the green flag. At the start, Hauger and Hughes raced side by side into the first turn, with Hauger clinging to the top spot. In Turn 4 on the same lap, the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car of Myles Rowe was sent into a spin due to rear contact from the No. 17 car of teammate Callum Hedge. That incident spawned a caution period due to a bottleneck that blocked the track and led to an accordion effect of collisions, with nine cars involved and many suffering damage. Hauger held steady on the restart on Lap 3 and gradually eased away from Hughes and Andretti Global teammate Salvador de Alba in the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine. De Alba passed Hughes for second place on Lap 5 and stayed within four-tenths of a second of Hauger by Lap 10. But Hauger expanded his lead to 1.5 seconds by Lap 19 as de Alba, Hughes, Collet and Correa dueled – often side by side – for second through fifth. There was some contact, and the front wings on the cars of Hughes and de Alba were damaged. The wing damage, which also included rubbing a deep groove into his right front Firestone Firehawk tire, forced de Alba to pit from second place on Lap 24. Hauger had all but checked out up front by then, ahead by 6.5 seconds. Hughes' front-wing damage compromised his car's performance, and Collet passed him for second on Lap 38. Hughes was forced to pit for a front wing change on Lap 39 from third place. It looked like Hauger was going to canter to the checkered flag, as his lead had reached double digits by Lap 40. But Jordan Missig spun exiting Turn 2 on Lap 41 in the No. 48 Abel Motorsports car, triggering the second and final caution of the race and erasing Hauger's big lead. The field lined up for a final restart and one-lap shootout at the end of Lap 44, but Hauger got a big jump at the green and never was threatened by Collet or Correa. The next INDY NXT by Firestone race is Sunday, June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. It's the first of four oval races this season for the series. recommended
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Edges Andretti Teammate Lochie Hughes for Detroit Pole
INDYCAR The INDY NXT by Firestone duel between Andretti Global teammates Dennis Hauger and Lochie Hughes continued to heat up Saturday as Hauger edged fellow series rookie Hughes for the pole at the Detroit Grand Prix. Hauger earned his third pole in five races this season – Hughes grabbed the other two – with a series-record lap of 1 minute, 4.9896 seconds in the No. 28 Rental Group car. That broke the series track record of 1:05.1079 set last June by eventual series champion Louis Foster, also of Andretti Global. SEE: Qualifying Results 'It was so messy, but I pushed to the limit and got the pole,' Hauger said. 'That was intense.' Hughes was second at 1:05.0516 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine, also under Foster's track record. There was a gap of nearly one second to third on the starting grid for the 45-lap race Sunday (10:30 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), as 17-year-old rookie Max Taylor qualified third at 1:05.9554 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car in just his second start in the INDYCAR development series. 2024 Rookie of the Year Caio Collet qualified fourth at 1:05.6249 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Salvador de Alba was the third Andretti Global driver in the top five with his top lap of 1:05.9772 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car. Callum Hedge rounded out the first three rows by qualifying sixth at 1:06.1315 in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports car. There was plenty of suspense throughout qualifying. The session was split into two groups of drivers, with Hughes in the first group and Hauger in the second to build the drama. Hauger leads his teammate by 15 points atop the series standings after four races, and they are the only drivers to win races this season – Hauger has three victories, Hughes one. Hughes laid down his huge lap on his final trip around the treacherous, nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit, finally getting clear track on the tight, bumpy circuit for his last qualifying run. Hauger was working up his response when James Roe suffered his second crash of the weekend with about seven minutes left in the session, with his No. 29 Topcon car receiving heavy right front damage after wall impact. Roe was unhurt. There were only three minutes, 56 seconds left in the session when the track reopened, and Hauger and his group hustled back on the circuit to complete as many laps as possible. Hauger dropped to 1:05.287 on his second-to-last lap, just behind Hughes, but grabbed the pole with his track-record lap on his final trip around the circuit. 'That was just so nerve-wracking with the red flag because tire temperatures weren't there on the first two laps, and they came on the last one,' Hauger said. 'I hit the wall on the second-to-last lap, I almost crashed in Turn 1 on the last lap.' recommended
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Sets Quick Early Pace in First Detroit Practice
INDYCAR Just when it appeared Dennis Hauger might be mortal, he sent a message Friday afternoon to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during the final moments of the first practice for the Detroit Grand Prix. Series points leader Hauger turned the quickest lap of the opening session of the weekend, 1 minute, 6.8158 seconds, in the No. 28 Rental Group car fielded by Andretti Global on his final trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit. SEE: Practice Results 'Good run,' Hauger said. 'We were having some issue in the middle of practice, which wasn't ideal, and we didn't get to do as many laps as the others. But we still found good pace. Getting laps was the most important thing with a new track (for me), and a track like this, it's not easy to get on with quickly. 'A good start. We have to keep improving for tomorrow.' Those are ominous words for Hauger's rivals. He has won three of the first four races this season in the INDYCAR development series and is 15 points ahead of fellow Andretti Global series rookie Lochie Hughes atop the standings. Up next is practice at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:30 a.m. (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 45-lap race starts at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). 2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet ended up second at 1:07.1961 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine, also ripping off his quickest lap late in the 45-minute session. Rookie Max Taylor, just 17 years old, sat atop the time sheets with one minute to go but ended up still an impressive third at 1:07.2210 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car. Series veteran Myles Rowe was fourth at 1:07.3022 in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine. Veteran Salvador de Alba rounded out the top five at 1:07.3826 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. That team put three drivers in the top six as Hughes' best lap was 1:07.4375 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car. The unforgiving concrete walls around tight, bumpy street circuit in downtown Detroit collected their share of cars during the session. Andretti Global's James Roe brought out a red flag with heavy left-side contact in Turn 7 in his No. 29 Topcon machine, while Liam Sceats later made contact in Turn 4 in his No. 30 HMD Motorsports car shortly after the track opened following Roe's incident. Also making light contact without causing a red flag were rookie Tommy Smith in the No. 16 HMD Motorsports machine and veteran Niels Koolen in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing car. None of the drivers involved in the incidents was hurt. recommended
Fox Sports
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Returns to Winning Ways in Indianapolis GP Race 2
INDYCAR Dennis Hauger earned his third victory in four INDY NXT by Firestone races this season, passing Andretti Global teammate Lochie Hughes early and powering to victory in the second race of the Indianapolis Grand Prix doubleheader Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Hauger drove his No. 28 Rental Group car to a 4.7739-second victory over the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine of pole sitter Hughes, who earned his first career victory in the INDYCAR development series Friday evening in Race 1. Myles Rowe finished a career-best third for the second consecutive race in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy entry. SEE: Race Results 'It's been a great start to the season,' Hauger said. 'Yesterday wasn't great, but we were able to come back and get a win today. Super-happy about that, and in a place like this, it's awesome.' Salvador de Alba climbed one spot from his Friday finish to place fourth in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car as the third Andretti Global entry to finish in the top four today on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit. Caio Collet rounded out the top five in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car. Norwegian driver Hauger became the first driver to win three of the first four INDY NXT by Firestone races of the season since current NTT INDYCAR SERIES star Pato O'Ward achieved the feat in 2018. Hauger's path to victory was created when he survived the first turn of the 35-lap race without contact, unlike Race 1. He was bumped off track in Turn 1 on the first lap Friday, falling to last in the 21-car field before recovering to finish eighth. Hughes once again led into Turn 1 today, this time with fellow rookie teammate Hauger in pursuit. Hughes built a gap of 1.7 seconds by Lap 3 when the only caution period of the race was triggered when Jack William Miller in the No. 40 Abel/Miller/Vinatieri Motorsports car and Nolan Allaer in the No. 11 HMD Motorsports machine made side-by-side contact in Turn 1, forcing both cars to a stop in the grass. On the restart at the end of Lap 5, Hughes and Hauger raced side by side toward Turn 1, with Hauger on the left and Hughes on the right at the start of Lap 6. Hauger edged ahead approaching Turn 2, with his left wheels on the dirt adjacent to the asphalt, and completed the pass for the lead in that corner. Hauger never trailed thereafter, but Hughes stayed close for a while. Hauger's lead stayed around one second until about 10 laps to go, when he started to pull away. He padded his gap to 2.6718 seconds by Lap 29 and continued to drive away until the checkered flag. 'Yesterday was tough,' Hauger said. 'I think we really didn't have the balance, either, going through the field. But today we really nailed it. It was a warm day, and you had to judge it nicely with the rear tires. 'We managed well, and we had really good pace today. That's a good way to bounce back.' Hauger took a 15-point lead over Hughes in the series standings after four of 14 races this season. The next race is the Detroit Grand Prix on Sunday, June 1 on the streets of downtown Detroit (10:30 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). recommended
Fox Sports
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Lochie Hughes Breaks Through for First INDY NXT Victory at IMS
INDYCAR Rookie Lochie Hughes led all 35 laps of the Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 to earn his first career INDY NXT by Firestone victory on Friday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. 2024 USF Pro 2000 champion Hughes, from Australia, drove his No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car fielded by Andretti Global to victory by .7229 of a second over the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car of veteran Caio Collet. SEE: Race Results 'This is an awesome weekend so far,' Hughes said. 'I can't thank the whole team enough. It's been a tough jump to this series. It's a big step from what I was in, so I've been playing catch-up for a while. 'It's nice to finally get a win, especially around here. What a day. My parents are here, as well, this weekend, and they're not usually here, so I think it's the first time they'll see me win in a long time because they don't come over (to America) much. Pretty cool.' Veteran Myles Rowe finished a career-best third in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine. Callum Hedge (No. 17 Abel Motorsports) and Salvador de Alba (No. 27 Grupo Indi of Andretti Global) rounded out the top five. Hughes started from the pole and opened a 1.6813-second lead before a caution on Lap 10 when Juan Manuel Correa and Niels Koolen went off course in Turn 1. Hughes then led the field to green on the Lap 12 restart and quickly built a 2.3395-second advantage by the halfway mark on Lap 18. His lead blossomed to 2.6693 seconds before teammate James Roe crashed in Turn 14 on Lap 29, collecting 16-year-old Nikita Johnson and triggering the second and final caution of the race. Hughes kept the lead on a restart, this time on Lap 31, and held off Collet for victory. Andretti Global has won 12 of the last 14 INDY NXT by Firestone races, dating back to Race 2 of last year's Indianapolis race weekend. 'I was pretty annoyed when I kept seeing the yellow come out,' Hughes said. 'I was just trying to get a good jump off the last corner there and brake late into (Turn) 1 and make sure I don't get passed.' Hughes pulled to within three points of series leader and Andretti Global teammate Dennis Hauger with the victory. Hauger, who won the first two races of the season, finished eighth in the No. 28 Rental Group car. Hauger started second but had contact with Hedge in Turn 1 on the opening lap, forcing his car off track. He returned to the racetrack last in the 21-car field. He steadily climbed through the day and was in 13th at the first caution and eighth by the second yellow. Race 2 of the doubleheader, another 35-lap contest, starts at 1 p.m. ET Saturday on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Hughes and Hauger once again will share the front row, with Hughes on the pole. recommended
