Andretti INDYCAR and INDY NXT Head Home to Indy to Take on IMS Road Course
It’s May in Indianapolis, and the Andretti INDYCAR and INDY NXT teams are eager to get back on track with a road course race at one of racing’s most iconic venues this weekend. The 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course incorporates portions of Turns 1 and 2 and the frontstraight of the famed oval, with the remainder of the circuit weaving through the infield. All the on-track action of the weekend will be packed into two full days of racing, with INDYCAR’s Sonsio Grand Prix late Saturday afternoon and INDY NXT taking on their first doubleheader race weekend of the season. With Dennis Hauger and the INDY NXT team coming off another race weekend sweep to victory and a new primary partner for Marcus Ericsson and the No. 28, this weekend will be a great way to start the Month of May at the Racing Capital of the World.
Race Details
| INDYCAR Sonsio Grand Prix – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course |
| Round | 5/17 |
| Track Type | Road Course |
| Turns | 14 |
| Laps | 85 Laps |
| Track Length | 2.439 Miles |
| INDY NXT Indianapolis Grand Prix – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course |
| Round(s) | 3 and 4/14 |
| Track Type | Road Course |
| Turns | 14 |
| Laps | 35 Laps |
| Track Length | 2.439 Miles |
Notes
Andretti INDYCAR
- Throughout Andretti INDYCAR’s 10 appearances at the Sonsio Grand Prix, the team has secured one win (C. Herta – 2022), finished on the podium three times, recorded 10 top-10 finishes and led a total of 75 laps.
Colton Herta
- As the only Andretti INDYCAR driver to win the Sonsio Grand Prix (2022), Colton Herta has collected four top-10 finishes and led 50 laps in his six starts on the IMS Road Course.
- Last year’s Sonsio Grand Prix saw Herta take the start from the back of the field after a fueling error in Qualifying forced the Gainbridge Honda to stop on track, hindering his chances to fight for the pole. Herta then narrowly avoided a multi-car incident on the opening lap of the race before going on to lead the field in on-track passes with 31, slowly working his way up 17 spots from his starting position and earning him the title of ‘Josten’s Biggest Mover’ of the race.
- In addition to his 2022 win, Herta is most well-known for this incredible save in the wet conditions on his way to victory, as well as his weekend sweep of the 2018 INDY NXT doubleheader weekend on the IMS Road Course.
Kyle Kirkwood
- Kyle Kirkwood will make his fourth start at the Sonsio Grand Prix this weekend. Despite leading the Andretti INDYCAR trio to green, the 2024 May-opening race saw the No. 27 PreFab Honda driver get caught up in a multi-car incident in the first turn of Lap 1, dropping him to the back of the field. Kirkwood steadily worked himself forward to midfield, ranking fourth in on-track passes for the race with 17, to take the checkered just outside the top 10.
- In 2021, while competing in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, Kirkwood secured a pair of P4 finishes on the Indianapolis road course.
Marcus Ericsson
- Andretti Global announced today that Fresh Connect Central will be the primary partner for Marcus Ericsson’s No. 28 Fresh Connect Central Honda at this weekend’s race.
- Ericsson will make his seventh INDYCAR start at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course this weekend. Previously, Ericsson has managed to finish in the top 10 four times.
- Last year, Ericsson was able to avoid the Lap 1 Turn 1 multi-car incident but ran into misfortune later in the lap in Turn 4, where the Swede was issued a five-position penalty for avoidable contact, causing him to fall back and finish the race in P16.
| NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS |
| Driver Championship Standings |
| Colton Herta | 99 points | 8th |
| Kyle Kirkwood | 127 points | 3rd |
| Marcus Ericsson | 65 points | 13th |
Andretti INDY NXT
- The Andretti INDY NXT team has made 13 Indianapolis Grand Prix appearances dating back to 2005 when Marco Andretti won the inaugural race on the famed road course from the pole. The team has scored eight wins (Marco Andretti – 2005, Brabham – 2014, Stoneman – 2016, Jamin – 2017, C. Herta – 2018 – Race 1 + 2, Megennis – 2019, Foster – 2024), six poles (Marco Andretti – 2005, Brabham – 2014, Jamin – 2017, O’Ward – 2018 – Race 1 + 2, Megennis – 2019), 19 podiums, 33 top-five finishes and led 180 laps.
Lochie Hughes
- Coming off an INDY NXT career-first road course podium last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, Lochie Hughes will make his INDY NXT debut at the Indianapolis Grand Prix this weekend. Although, it’s not his first time competing on the iconic road course. While racing in the USF Pro 2000 Series last year, Hughes captured three straight podium finishes during the tripleheader race weekend.
Salvador de Alba
- This weekend will be Salvador de Alba’s second time competing in the Indianapolis Grand Prix after last year saw him walk away with a top-10 finish in Race 2.
- In addition to last season’s INDY NXT start, de Alba competed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in the USF Pro 2000 Series in 2023. During the doubleheader weekend, the Mexican driver captured a top-10 finish in Race 1 and a podium in Race 2.
Dennis Hauger
- After scoring his first INDY NXT road course victory last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, and his second career INDY NXT win in as many races, Dennis Hauger will compete in the Indianapolis Grand Prix for the first time this weekend.
- The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course is special for Hauger as this is where he ran his first-ever laps in an INDY NXT car while at the Chris Griffis Memorial test late last year. Hauger came out strong at the test by leading the first session of the day.
James Roe
- James Roe will make his fourth appearance at the Indianapolis Grand Prix this weekend. Last year saw Roe capture his best finish at the springtime race, where he took the checkered flag in fourth.
Seb Murray
- Scottish Andretti Cape INDY NXT driver Seb Murray is set to make his Indianapolis Grand Prix race debut this weekend.
- Murray’s first time in an INDY NXT car was in the fall of 2024 at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test, where he finished Sessions 3 and 4 just outside of the top 10.
Ricardo Escotto
- Rookie Andretti Cape INDY NXT driver Ricardo Escotto will make his first INDY NXT start at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, although he has a successful history there in USF Pro 2000. In 2023, Escotto scored a victory in Race 1, and last year, he landed a top-five finish in Race 1.
| INDY NXT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS |
| Andretti INDY NXT Driver Championship Standings |
| Lochie Hughes | 76 points | 2nd |
| Salvador de Alba | 49 points | 5th |
| Dennis Hauger | 108 points | 1st |
| James Roe | 30 points | 15th |
| Andretti Cape INDY NXT Driver Championship Standings |
| Seb Murray | 27 points | 17th |
| Ricardo Escotto | 42 points | 8th |
Team Quotes
Colton Herta
No. 26 Gainbridge Honda
“The Sonsio Grand Prix is always a great way to kick off the Month of May. It’s a track that’s favored us well in the past, and winning there back in 2022 was definitely a highlight for me. The Gainbridge Honda has been quick on road courses this year, so I’m feeling good about going after a win this weekend.”
Kyle Kirkwood
No. 27 PreFab Honda
“I’m looking forward to racing again this weekend on the IMS Road Course. The track is always changing—whether it’s the tires or the wind. So, it requires a certain strategy to put together a perfect race. Our team has had some strong runs there in the past, and while the last couple of years haven’t been our best, I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend.”
Marcus Ericsson
No. 28 Fresh Connect Central Honda
“The Sonsio Grand Prix is always a fun race, but it is also an intense one. With just two days of track time, everything’s condensed, so you have to come out strong right in the beginning. The IMS Road Course is a track everyone on the grid knows really well since we test there often. The margins are incredibly tight – we’re usually talking hundredths of a second, especially in qualifying. The Month of May has always been special for me, and I’m looking forward to kicking off the weekend with Fresh Connect Central.”
Rob Edwards
Chief Operating Officer
“After a frustrating weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, we are looking forward to the opportunity to rebound at the Indy GP as we open the Month of May.”
Lochie Hughes
No. 26 McGinley Clinic / USF Pro Championship Dallara
Andretti INDY NXT
“We’re in Rounds three and four of the Championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. Racing around Indy is always cool – it’s a fun track that produces some good racing. Every single time you get to race at the IMS Road Course, it’s always a fun time. It’s a doubleheader weekend, so it’s going to be extra important to come away with some good points.”
Salvador de Alba
No. 27 Grupo Indi Dallara
Andretti INDY NXT
“We go to IMS this weekend, and it’s obviously super impressive to be here. Just being the beginning of the Month of May and the start of the 500 is fun energy to be around. The track itself is just super clean with no elevation change, and the curbs are flat and nice to run on. Then on the front stretch, the draft makes it extra important to carry that speed through the last corner to try to have a tow and put a good lap together.”
Dennis Hauger
No. 28 Rental Group Dallara
Andretti INDY NXT
“I’m looking forward to going back to the IMS Road Course, it’s a great track. I had my first test in INDY NXT on that track, and we were pretty fast, so it’ll be fun to actually get out there to race. Just going out to IMS to race in general is a dream, so hopefully, we’ll have a good weekend. We have two races this weekend, so that’s going to be a new thing for me. Definitely more intense, but it’s going to be more fun.”
James Roe
No. 29 Topcon Dallara
Andretti INDY NXT
“The Indy GP is my home race here in North America. We had a great qualifying here last year, and again look forward to replicating that this year. It’s a doubleheader, so big points weekend and very important for the Championship. This track is also the home of one of my favorite podiums, so it’s our goal to do that again this weekend.”
Seb Murray
No. 2 Dream Racing Dubai Dallara
Andretti Cape INDY NXT
“I can’t wait to race in Indianapolis this weekend. The track itself just holds so much history, so I’m excited to get out there and experience it for myself. We ran our first road course of the season last weekend in Barber, and it was definitely a good experience for this weekend. So, I’m hoping we can collect some good points at IMS.”
Ricardo Escotto
No. 3 Frank’s RedHot Dallara
Andretti Cape INDY NXT
“We’re coming back to Indianapolis for the third and fourth races of the season. Indy is a track that I love and a race that I’m always looking forward to. I’m just really excited about getting to race another week and looking forward to making some good steps forward, especially in qualifying, which has been a bit of a tough break for us in St. Pete and Barber. I’m hoping that this weekend we can turn things around.”
Don Lambert
Team Manager
“The team is excited to be racing at the IMS Road Course this weekend. Coming off a double podium finish at Barber, we plan to keep the momentum rolling. Being a doubleheader weekend for INDY NXT means double the points to capitalize on, so the team needs to keep focus and continue executing across the board.”
