“We can’t race like this”: Indy Nxt drivers fume as tyres blister at Iowa

Photo: Travis Hinkle

HMD Motorsports’ Christian Bogle was fastest in Indy Nxt practice at Iowa Speedway, but the big story of the session was tyre blistering.

A week before the event, organisers extended the single practice session to 75 minutes since drivers needed more oval running after the in-season test at Iowa last month got rained off.

Andretti Global’s Louis Foster topped the times after the first 14 minutes of running, with the points leader setting a 19.5973s lap (at 164.227mph) to lead HMD Motorsports’ Caio Collet by 0.0078 seconds. Andretti Cape’s sole driver Salvador de Alba sat in third place, and Foster’s team-mates James Roe Jr was fourth.

Drivers were running high-downforce set-ups and were reporting tyre blistering, and 10 minutes later yellow flags waved so a track inspection could take place. Everyone therefore returned to the pits, and behind the top four were Abel Motorports’ Jacob Abel, Miller Vinatieri Racing’s Jack William Miller and HMD’s Callum Hedge.

The yellow flag period went on for three seconds short of 26 minutes, and when green flags finally waved again with less than 25 minutes left of practice to go the field was sent out on lower downforce set-ups.

Abel improved to second place four minutes later, then three laps after that set a new 19.4276s benchmark. He was on top for less than 30s before HMD’s Myles Rowe beat him with a 19.3936s, set just before yellow flags waved again due to a leafblower being left on the track.

There were 16 minutes remaining when green flags returned, and it only took a few laps for Collet to get up to speed and beat Rowe by posting a 19.2494s.

Hedge went fourth fastest a minute later, and Bogle rose to second a minute after that then on his next lap set a new 19.1378s benchmark. Another improvement from Hedge put him third, and de Alba then disputed fourth place with Rowe.

HMD’s Christian Brooks took over that position with less than nine minutes to go, and improved to third with 65s left of practice before joining his frustrated rivals in the pits.

“We can’t race now like this,” fumed Foster after getting out of his car, who said “everyone” had blistering on their second runs despite the reduced downforce levels.

“These things barely last 20 laps. It’s just unfortnate. I’m having a lot of fun, I’m sure a lot of people are, going flat around here,” added Rowe. “I hope [tyre supplier] Firestone can get this situation [sorted] so we can have a good, safe race.

He noticed blistering as soon as he headed out with reduced downforce, and said if his run had lasted a few more laps he would have had a tyre blowout.

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