INDY NXT RACE REPORT: Grand Prix of Alabama Race 1
Race Notes
- The Andretti Global INDY NXT team kicked off the doubleheader weekend at Barber Motorsports Park today in Race 1, with Max Taylor leading the team to green from the first row.
- The 35-lap contest took a sharp turn early on when Josh Pierson and Seb Murray made contact, ending Pierson’s day prematurely and relegating Murray to the back of the field. While Max Taylor challenged for the top step of the podium in the closing laps, contact with the leader derailed his podium hopes and forced him to a back-of-the-pack finish.
- Lochie Hughes successfully navigated the afternoon’s chaos, crossing the finish line just outside the top 10 as Andretti’s highest finisher.
- It will be a quick turnaround for INDY NXT by Firestone as drivers will be back on track tomorrow to compete in Race 2 tomorrow. Fans can catch the action live on FS1 beginning at 11:00 AM ET.
Race Results
Lochie Hughes
No. 26 Andretti Global Dallara
P12
| Started | P19 |
| Standings | P6 (78 points) |
- Following a difficult qualifying session earlier today, Hughes was forced to start from the back of the field in Row 10. Despite the disadvantaged starting position, Hughes remained focused on making up ground on the opening laps.
- Once the field went green again following the caution period in Lap 1 of the race, Hughes was able to navigate up the field to run as high as 11th, but a tire issue in the final five laps of the race forced him to 12th, which is where he crossed the finish line.
“It was a pretty horrible day today. Not sure what happened in qualifying. We were looking strong for pole after practice, we were in the top three almost the whole time. I just don’t know what happened in qualifying. So, I started at the back, and we were running as high as 11th for a bit, then just something happened on the last few laps. I wasn’t sure if I had a puncture or something and then I lost the position on the restart. Still, I made a bunch of spots from our starting position, so that’s a positive at least.”
Seb Murray
No. 27 Prosperity Dallara
P22
| Started | P12 |
| Standings | P9 (66 points) |
- In Group 1 qualifying, Seb Murray earned a 12th-place starting position for this afternoon’s contest. This marked Murray’s second career start at the technical Alabama permanent road course.
- In the opening moments of the race, the competitor in front of Murray lost control, forcing the No. 27 driver to veer and make contact with teammate Pierson, forcing him off track and causing a Full Course Yellow.
- Murray received a Stop and Hold penalty for avoidable contact, and after he served it, he was shuffled to the back of the field, where he ultimately took the checkered.
“It was a really disappointing Race 1 here in Barber. The team put out a really good race car, and we were hoping to go forward. We definitely had the pace to do so. After a really strong start, we made up a few positions and then were involved in a collision in Turn 5. I don’t think it was my fault, but unfortunately, we were given a penalty for it, and that was the end of our race day today. We’ll reset for it tomorrow and push forward.”
Max Taylor
No. 28 Susan G. Komen Dallara
P19
| Started | P2 |
| Standings | P3 (104 points) |
- Leading the Andretti stable this afternoon, Taylor started on the front row following a standout performance in Group 1 qualifying. This P2 start marks a large improvement from his Barber debut last year, where he took the green flag from P17.
- Taylor held onto second for the majority of the race, and closed the gap to the leader (No. 14) to successfully overtake with less than 10 laps to go.
- Taylor lost the lead shortly after, and in an intense battle for the front, the No. 14 car made contact with Taylor, which spun them both out.
- While Taylor was able to continue the race, he was issued a Stop and Hold Penalty for avoidable contact, sending him to the back of the field, where he finished the race.
“That was a really disappointing end to the race. I just want to apologize to the team. I haven’t looked at the video yet to see whose fault it really was, but at the end of the day, it’s a move that I probably shouldn’t have made. I should have just thought more long-term. We have a really fast race car. We were the fastest on track, without a doubt. And we have another shot at it tomorrow, so we’ll learn from these mistakes and go again.”
Josh Pierson
No. 29 Starchive Dallara
P24
| Started | P11 |
| Standings | P19 (39 points) |
- After battling through a competitive Group 2 qualifying session this morning, Pierson secured a Row 6 starting spot, lining up alongside teammate Murray.
- Pierson was sent off the track after colliding with teammate Murray in the opening lap of the race, and was unfortunately forced to retire from the race due to extensive damage to the car.
“I just had nowhere to go coming into Turn 5. There was a big stack up, and I felt like I saw a gap in the middle, so I tried to take it. Then, unfortunately, Correa (No. 68) got tangled on the apex, which tripped up Seb, and then I just was left with nowhere to go. So, it was just one of those unfortunate incidents where everyone is trying to get to the same apex, and that created a bit of a domino effect, which spilled over to me. It was a wrong place, wrong time situation, and I didn’t really have anywhere to go.”
Don Lambert
INDY NXT Team Manager
“The day started pretty good with Max in the front row, but it seems like he just got a little overanxious there at the end, I think. He probably should have just held his position. Max got around the leader, but struggled a bit going through the next turns immediately after, and it was just a bad situation from there. Then, we got a penalty for that, which is pretty harsh when you have to stop for 30 seconds. As a team, these are obviously not the results we want, especially when all of our cars have to pace to do more than how we did today. We’ll just need to come back ready to fight tomorrow.”
