Foster wins on Iowa oval as Indy Nxt title rivals hit trouble

Photo: Travis Hinkle

Louis Foster snatched victory from Andretti Global team-mate James Roe Jr in Indy Nxt’s first oval race of 2024 at Iowa Speedway.

The race was shortened from 75 to 55 laps due to tyre blistering concerns, and a significant portion of the race was spent under yellow flag conditions which meant the tyres were not pushed to the limit as much as they otherwise could have been.

Foster took the lead not long before a caution period which meant he met the chequered flag under yellow flag conditions.

The cause of the earlier lengthier caution period was a heavy crash for Foster’s title rival Caio Collet and his HMD Motorsports team-mate Myles Rowe which left fluid on the track.

Rowe was tapped by Jack William Miller on the approach to the green flag at the start of the race, sending him into a spin. He rejoined at the back of the field and was cutting through the pack once racing resumed. He had made it up into the top 10 and was just behind Collet when his team-mate’s ongoing understeering issue became too severe and he spun. Rowe was collected, the pair retired and a caution period began on lap 15.

After a long time behind the pace car, there was plenty of action when green flag action resumed in the race’s second half.

Foster stuck with Roe, the pair pulling away as team-mate Jamie Chadwick battled to hold on to third. In the closing stages of the race, Foster pulled alongside and managed to sweep past Roe. A few moments later, yellow flags waved again. This time Miller had hit the wall heavily at turn three with two laps to go.

With the order locked into place, it meant Andretti Cape’s Salvador de Alba finished third after starting 10th. Chadwick had first come under pressure from Christian Bogle, who managed to get alongside her. De alba made it three-wide, only for Christian Brooks and Callum Hedge to join the fight. Bogle initially managed to hold de Alba off, but he had looked after his tyres well and came through while Chadwick tumbled backwards.

Hedge picked up fourth, ahead of Brooks, Bogle and Chadwick. Bryce Aron, Jonathan Browne and Yuven Sundaramoorthy completed the top 10.

Collet’s retirement was the first gift to Foster, then his other title rival Jacob Abel retired mid-race with a slashed rear-right tyre. The victory means he now leads the championship by 77 points.

Race result (55 laps)