INDY NXT RACE REPORT: Grand Prix of Monterey Race 2
Race Results
| Grand Prix of Monterey Race 2 |
| Lochie Hughes | P3 |
| Seb Murray | P11 |
| Max Taylor | P14 |
| Josh Pierson | P24 |
Race Notes
- Fresh off yesterday’s Grand Prix of Monterey Race 1 victory captured by Josh Pierson, the Andretti Global INDY NXT team hit the track for the final time in the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
- Following a multi-car incident in the opening laps of the race that took Pierson out of contention, Lochie Hughes emerged as the team’s top finisher in third place, taking home his 12th INDY NXT career podium finish and best result at Laguna Seca.
- The 2026 INDY NXT season saw Andretti earn a total of three wins, 12 podiums, 36 top-10 finishes and 171 laps led.
Lochie Hughes
No. 26 Andretti Global Dallara
P3
| Started | P7 |
| Standings | P5 (453 points) |
- Following a challenging Race 1 yesterday, where Lochie Hughes’ hard-earned progress up the field was derailed by hectic traffic ahead of him, the Australian took on Race 2 at Laguna Seca from seventh on the grid.
- Hughes managed to avoid the on-track chaos ahead of him, moving him up into third place after the track returned to green on Lap 5.
- While he kept pressure on second place the remainder of the race, Hughes took the checkered in third place, securing his 12th INDY NXT podium and best finish at Laguna Seca.
“It was a good race today. It’s nice to end the year on the podium. It’s a tough track to pass around here, but we were battling for second all race long. Unfortunately, he [Johnson] had so much clean air, so that made it very difficult to get past him. But I brought it home with another podium. So, I just want to thank everyone at Andretti for the last two years, and I look forward to seeing everyone around the paddock.”
Seb Murray
No. 27 Megatron Dallara
P11
| Started | P15 |
| Standings | P13 (306 points) |
- Seb Murray lined up on the grid this morning in 15th, looking for redemption after an on-track incident cut yesterday’s race short for the No. 27 driver.
- Far enough separated from the on-track incident at the front of the field, Murray managed to capitalize on the Lap 5 restart to vault up to 11th place. He maintained a clean remainder of the race and finished the day just outside the top 10.
“Just like that, we’ve finished the final race of the year. It was a pretty chaotic race, honestly. The opening laps were crazy with that big crash at the start. Luckily, we managed to avoid it. We got some minor damage in the rear from getting hit from behind, but besides that, we managed to stay out of trouble. We took advantage of our pace on the opening laps and made up a few spots, and then from there on, it was just a procession, really. It was super hard to pass into the dirty air. I think it’s a shame. We came into this weekend expecting to be on the podium, if not a win. It’s one of my favorite tracks, and I’ve always been fast here. But tire deg definitely changed our weekend. It’s unfortunate, but a massive thank you to the team. I’ve loved being a part of the Andretti family, and hopefully continue this into next year.”
Max Taylor
No. 28 Susan G. Komen Dallara
P14
| Started | P14 |
| Standings | P4 (470 points) |
- After an impressive comeback yesterday afternoon that saw Max Taylor gain 10 positions to capture his 16th INDY NXT top-10 finish, Taylor took on Race 2 from 14th, starting just ahead of teammate Murray.
- Although he vaulted up to 11th at the start of the race, Taylor’s tires were quickly degrading, forcing him to continue to fall back as the race went on. Taylor ultimately crossed the finish line where he started.
“We had no grip today in Race 2 after using the tires from qualifying. I was just able to hold on and do what I could, but I had absolutely no grip. So, I’m not really sure what happened, but I’m proud of this season and what Andretti and the No. 28 guys have done. I can’t thank them enough.”
Josh Pierson
No. 29 Starchive Dallara
P24
| Started | P2 |
| Standings | P11 (364 points) |
- Coming off a dominant performance to secure his career-first INDY NXT victory in Race 1 at Laguna Seca yesterday, Josh Pierson started from the front row once again for Race 2, lining up in second.
- As the green flag waved, the No. 29 car immediately had issues with the limiter and the No. 12 car made contact with the back of Pierson. This forced Pierson and the No. 10 car to be collected into the barrier just after the start finish line, ending his race before he had the chance to turn a lap.
“The jump I got at the start wasn’t bad. I mean, it wasn’t good, but it was okay. Then, I went to shift from fourth to fifth gear, and it went straight to the limiter. It was so weird. We’ve had that issue in practice, and it happened in quali a few times. The guys and AER have looked at it, but I don’t know what that is. The only way to get into my spot is to lift, so I lifted, and that’s when I think Garcia had gotten into the back of me. So, I just lifted the rear axle, and then I was just a passenger at that point. Not how we wanted to end the season.”
Don Lambert
INDY NXT Team Manager
“It was a good day for Lochie to get up there on the podium; I’m happy for him and the 26 guys. But it was also a really rough day for Josh, getting taken out in the first lap after such a strong weekend. Max and Seb had a tough time with their tires, which is unfortunate. Yeah, I didn’t really want to go out on this note here at Laguna, but it is what it is. Our focus now in the offseason is to regroup and come back even stronger next year.”
