Photo: Chris Jones
Nolan Allaer has announced that he will not see out the Indy Nxt season in full as his focus switches to preparing himself and his budget for the 2025 campaign.
The 22-year-old came sixth in BRSCC National Formula Ford 1600 (the Ford-powered equivalent to the USA’s Honda-powered Formula 1600) and 16th in the FFord Festival last year, as will as winning SCCA’s National Runoff in Formula F.
He only had “a little bit of experience with downforce” in winged single-seaters, having won the 2023 Runoff for Formula Continental and done a GB3 test, before he made the surprise step up to second-tier series Indy Nxt with HMD Motorsports.
Allaer started and finished eighth at Mid-Ohio last weekend, his best qualifying and race results and the first time he has made the top 10 in either classification.
“It was a terrific weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports for myself and the HMD Motorsports team. The jump I made this year to Indy Nxt has obviously been a big learning experience for me, and we are thrilled with the progression we have made together. I want nothing more than to continue to my career and grow with HMD through the 2025 season,” said Allaer.
“Due to my time in Europe last fall and some unlucky weather in the new year, I missed most of the off-season testing leading into the 2024 schedule. Our plan is to hit the ground running next year, so in order to not jeopardise our financial position, we have decided to pause my efforts this season. I am hoping to compete in at least one more Indy Nxt event in 2024, but together with the incredible HMD crew, our focus will now be 2025.”
Indy Nxt’s first oval race of the season is this weekend at Iowa Speedway, and there have been preparation concerns for some drivers as the series’ official test there in June was washed out by rain. Three of the four remaining rounds after Iowa are also on ovals.