Collet returns to top step of Indy Nxt podium at Road America

Photo: James Black

Caio Collet ended a wait of almost a year for his second Indy Nxt victory by passing Dennis Hauger to win at Road America.

Championship leader Hauger started on pole, and had to fend off an attack from Collet on the outside when they went into turn one for the first time.

Hauger’s Andretti Global team-mate Lochie Hughes tried passing Collet’s HMD team-mate Josh Pierson fpr third at turn three, then the lead battle resumed at turn five where Collet picked the outside and Hauger ran him deep.

Pierson and Hughes ran side-by-side exiting the corner, with Pierson in third through the uphill turn six. It then became evident that none of the cars had access to push-to-pass, so all overtakes had to be achieved on merit.

Collet pulled out of Hauger’s tow on the run to turns one but was not close enough to attempt a move, and gradually the leader’s gap grew.

The top two were continually lowering their pace through to lap 11 of 20, when Collet set a 1m53.0198s to take the fastest lap by 0.0777s and reduce Hauger’s lead to 0.522s. Pierson was a further 5.3s behind and had just about broken the tow to Hughes.

Collet was 0.4389s behind Hauger at the end of lap 13, and the leader responded with a 1m54.0084s next time by that brought his gap back up to 0.5824s as Collet got sideways out of the final corner.

But Hauger had his own error on lap 15 that meant Collet got the benefit of the slipstream and set a stunning 1m53.6931s as he homed in to be just 0.1518s behind mounting the crest on the pit straight.

Collet had enough speed to sweep right around the outside of Hauger at turn one, and was 0.9099s ahead by the end of the lap.

His gap stood at 1.7093s by the finish, but there was still a podium battle going on to the end. Hughes set a personal best time on lap 13, then again on lap 17 to get back within 0.5s of Pierson. He had a slide at turn five on lap 18 while pressuring and thought about a move at Canada Corner.

Knowing where Pierson was weak, he tried the outside of turn five again on the penultimate lap and Pierson defended through there and turn six. Hughes attacked again at Canada Corner, but Pierson held firm despite sliding.

It came down to the final lap, and this time Hughes picked the inside for turn five. Pierson ran wide and went off, as behind them Abel Motorsports with Force Indy’s Myles Rowe held off Abel stablemate Callum Hedge.

The other Abel drivers had tricky times. Jordan Missig picked up front wing damage that led to him finishing last, and Jack William Miller came a personal-best seventh despite multiple offs.

Race results (20 laps)