Hauger dominates at Barber to make it two wins from two in Indy Nxt

Photo: Chris Owens

Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger made it two wins from two races in Indy Nxt this year with a dominant display at Barber Motorsports Park.

Hauger finished more than 11 seconds clear of HMD Motorsports’ Evagoras Papasavvas, who was runner-up on his debut.

USF2000 graduate Papasavvas spent the race in an intense battle with Lochie Hughes (Andretti) and Myles Rowe (Abel Motorsports with Force Indy), but managed to hold off the pair.

Hauger made a good getaway from pole, holding off HMD Motorsports’ Caio Collet who was alongside him for the rolling start. Before he could shake off Collet, the pace car was brought out for an incident involving Abel Motorsports’ Callum Hedge. He had been hit from behind as the field scrambled for position on the opening lap and was sent into the sand.

After Hedge’s car was cleared, racing resumed on lap five. The top two held position as Papasavvas fought to stay ahead of Hughes. 

There had been no change at the front of the order when the pace car returned, this time following a collision between Chip Ganassi Racing’s new driver Bryce Aron and Andretti’s Salvador de Alba left debris on track.

While the field circulated under yellow flags, Collet suddenly slowed with an apparent throttle problem. He was able to get going again, but was now running in 14th. Through the remainder of the race, Collet continued to have intermittent problems and came into the pits to avoid bringing out a caution period.

The battle between Papasavvas and Hughes was now for second place. Neither driver stayed with Hauger on the restart, and their battle allowed him to escape down the road. Every lap the leader was able to extend his gap up front, and at the end of the 35-lap encounter was 11.0196 seconds clear.

Papasavvas defied his inexperience – having made two steps up the single-seater ladder – to defend well from Hughes and that allowed Rowe to join their fight. The trio squabbled for a few laps, slowing each other down until HMD’s Josh Pierson joined the fight.

In the closing laps, it was Rowe putting the pressure on Hughes, giving Papasavvas breathing room. He was still only 0.8167s clear of Hughes at the chequered flag. By making the podium, Hughes remains Hauger’s closest title rival.

Behind Pierson, team-mate Liam Sceats held off charging debutant Max Taylor to finish sixth. 

Abel with Miller Vinatieri Motorsports’ Jack William Miller climbed from the back of the grid, having been barred from qualifying as a penalty for an incident in round one, to come home eighth. He spent the closing stages of the race battling to stay ahead of James Roe Jr and Ricardo Escotto. The latter passed Roe before the finish.

Race results (35 laps)