Collet races into Indy Nxt title contention with victory as Hauger retires

Photo: Paul Hurley

Caio Collet won Indy Nxt’s delayed second race at Laguna Seca, which championship leader Dennis Hauger crashed out of.

Andretti Global driver Hauger was one of many drivers to be involved in incidents, with four caution periods disrupting running.

Up front, Collet managed each restart perfectly to stay ahead of HMD Motorsports team-mate Josh Pierson to claim his second consecutive victory.

The first caution period began at the end of lap one due to Chip Ganassi Racing’s Bryce Aron and HMD’s Liam Sceats colliding at turn three then HMD’s Tommy Smith running into them after being left with nowhere to go. Aron retired on the spot, but Sceats and Smith were able to continue.

Pierson was second at that point after profiting from a wide moment for Hauger. When racing resumed, Hauger was initially on the attack, but then came under pressure from team-mate Lochie Hughes. It gave Pierson breathing room, but he was unable to stick with Collet.

The top four gradually separated, while Abel Motorsports’ Callum Hedge stayed close to Hughes. 

Collet had a lead of over two seconds when Sceats ran into trouble again. He went into the tyres at turn six, prompting the second caution period.

Racing resumed on lap 22 but was almost immediately halted due to an incident at the back involving Abel’s Jordan Missig and HMD’s Hailie Deegan, Nolan Allaer and Juan Manuel Correa. Allaer got away from the initial incident at turn three, but came to a stop further along the track with front-end damage, Deegan pitted for a new nosecone after spinning and Allaer was also able to continue.

The incident was cleared and the next restart on lap 27 lasted mere moments. This time, Hauger was knocked out of the race.

Hughes appeared to challenge for position before the field reached the line at which point overtaking was permitted. It triggered a multi-car incident, putting Hauger out and sending Abel Motorsports with Force Indy’s Myles Rowe down the order. Hughes meanwhile pitted with damage.

The final restart came on lap 31 of 35. Collet, having managed each restart without fault, once again pulled away and in an incident-free final few laps he built a lead of 3.2249 seconds. Hauger’s retirement means he is now 42 points behind him in the title race.

Hedge was promoted to third by the final incident ahead of HMD’s Max Taylor and Andretti Cape’s Seb Murray, who took his first ever top-five finish.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Niels Koolen spent the race’s early stages battling to keep Andretti Global’s Salvador de Alba and Abel’s Jack William Miller behind him in the fight for ninth. By the final restart, he had moved up to sixth. The battles continued behind him, with de Alba and Miller being joined by Rowe. De Alba was forced wide as he fought with Rowe, who got a drive-through penalty for the incident. 

Miller held onto seventh, and Rowe finished eighth despite the penalty. De Alba and Jordan Missig completed the top 10.

Race results (35 laps)