Hauger fastest in Indy Nxt’s oval test at Nashville

Photo: Indy Nxt

Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger was fastest in Indy Nxt’s in-season test day at Nashville Superspeedway on Tuesday this week.

The test was split into a morning and an afternoon session, with the majority of drivers setting their personal-best laptimes in the latter.

Hauger ended session two on top by a tiny margin, as a 25.5273s lap put him just 0.0099 seconds ahead of Abel Motorsports with Force Indy’s Myles Rowe.

“First test on an oval, and it was a really cool experience,” said Hauger. “I had a lot of fun out there. Good day at the office, and I’m looking forward to coming back here later in the season.”

Lochie Hughes was third fastest, just 0.1248s off top spot and 0.0068s ahead of Andretti team-mate Salvador de Alba.

HMD Motorsports’ Caio Collet was fifth, and the highest placed of the drivers not to improve in session two. Also doing better in the morning’s conditions were James Roe Jr (Andretti), Jordan Missig (Abel), Niels Koolen (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Tommy Smith (HMD).

Just 0.4683s split first and 18th place, a position which was occupied by Davey Hamilton Jr. The 28-year-old was driving HMD’s #30 car, which was raced by Liam Sceats in the St. Petersburg season opener. HMD did not find a replacement to pilot its #24 entry, which Sophia Floersch has vacated after just one race.

Hamilton has three Indy Nxt starts to his name, having contested the Laguna Seca double-header that ended the 2016 season and then finishing seventh in the 2018 Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He has since raced in Stadium Super Trucks and midget cars.

Test results