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INDYCAR SERIESNXT SERIES

INDYCAR SERIES

 

www.indycar.com

photos courtesy INDYCAR SERIES

The IndyCar Series, officially known as the NTT IndyCar Series for sponsorship reasons, is the highest class of American open-wheel car racing in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies since 1920. The series is self-sanctioned by its parent company, IndyCar, LLC, which began in 1996 as the Indy Racing League (IRL) and was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George as a competitor to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). In 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with CART's successor, the Champ Car World Series, unifying the history and statistics of both series (as well as those from their predecessors).

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Saturday, July 4, 2026) – Christian Lundgaard made another statement about his worthiness as a top driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Two weeks ago, the driver, expected to soon be a free agent, won at Road America despite being in last place after the first lap. Now, he is the No. 1 qualifier for Sunday’s race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, leading an Arrow McLaren sweep of the front row.

Lundgaard edged teammate Pato O’Ward for the fourth NTT P1 Award of his career, the most recent coming in 2023 when he won the Toronto street race. Last year at Portland International Raceway, Lundgaard grabbed the top spot in qualifying, but he had to serve a six-grid starting position penalty for an unapproved engine change.

SEE: Qualifying Results

The combination of the above has the still-young Dane, who turns 25 on July 23, brimming with optimism as his future remains unsettled.

“I think everybody knows the abilities,” he told FOX after posting the pace-setting lap of 1 minute, 4.8396 seconds in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. “I don’t need to say anymore than that.”

Lundgaard will be aiming for his third road course victory of the season in Sunday’s The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (12:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls). He also won the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in May and finished second in the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix presented by AMR at Barber Motorsports Park in March.

Lundgaard is one of three drivers still with a reasonable chance of catching four-time series champion Alex Palou in the standings. Palou leads Team Penske’s David Malukas by 60 points, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood by 61 points and Lundgaard by 77. No other driver is within 100 points of the Chip Ganassi Racing driver.

Lundgaard said the goal now is to capitalize on the opportunity.

“We’ve got two wins now and we’re going to carry that momentum,” he said. “It’s just awesome to have a 1-2 (for the team in qualifying). We’ve got to go finish the job tomorrow and that’s the most important.”

O’Ward’s lap of 1:04.8649 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet earned him a front-row start for the second time this season. He also held that position for the Detroit street race.

The performances of Lundgaard and O'Ward weren't the only noteworthy developments in a qualifying session delayed nearly three hours by thunderstorms. Palou's streak of five consecutive NTT P1 Awards ended when he qualified eighth in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Palou's best lap of 1:04.865 was the fourth-fastest of the qualifying session, but it came in the opening round. He was unable to improve in the second round, leaving him eighth on the starting grid. His streak of five consecutive poles is tied for the fourth longest in series history with Mario Andretti (1984) and Danny Sullivan (1988).
 

Still, Palou can build on his hefty series points lead in the season’s 11th race. He has finished in the top two each of the past four years – a win in 2023 and three second-place finishes.

Joining the Arrow McLaren drivers as Firestone Fast Six qualifiers were Andretti Global’s Will Power (No. 26 TWG AI Honda), Malukas (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet), ECR’s Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet) and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay (No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet). Rasmussen reached the final round of knockout qualifying for the first time this season. VeeKay earned JHR its fourth career top-six starting position.

Chevrolet placed five drivers in the top six. Power was the lone Honda driver in that group.

Scott Dixon has won a record seven INDYCAR SERIES races at this track, one of them in 2014 when he drove from the 22nd and last starting position. If he is to win Sunday in his final Mid-Ohio race with Chip Ganassi Racing, he must do it after starting 23rd. The driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was penalized for interference on Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean (No. 18 BMax Honda) approaching Turn 5 in the first round of qualifying.

Warmup will be held Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on FS1.

 

Andretti Global Drivers Turn Up the Heat on Day 1 at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Friday, July 3, 2026) – On a hot day in the heartland, Andretti Global had cars that were the hottest.

Specifically, teammates Will Power and Kyle Kirkwood were 1-2 on the speed chart as the Fourth of July holiday weekend began with a 95-degree afternoon at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Power turned a lap of 1 minute, 5.5540 seconds in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda as the 25-car field opened preparations for Sunday’s The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (12:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls). Kirkwood’s best lap in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda was 1:05.6674.

SEE: Practice Results

If this practice was an indication, the 90-lap main event will tax the drivers. Temperatures are expected to remain in the low 90s at least through Saturday’s qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (2:30 p.m. on FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

Power is always one to watch in NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying sessions. His mark of 71 career poles is handily the sport’s all-time best, and he will be seeking his first pole of the season. Kirkwood also has yet to start a race in the No. 1 position this season; he has won three poles in his career.

Rounding out the top five on Day 1 were series points leader Alex Palou in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (1:05.7557) followed by Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard (1:05.8924) and Pato O’Ward (1:06.0340). Lundgaard has won two of the three road course races this season; Palou won the other.

Power (2020), Palou (2023) and O’Ward (2024) are former Mid-Ohio race winners.

Through 10 of 18 races, Palou holds a 60-point lead over Team Penske’s David Malukas, whose best lap on this day (1:06.2534) ranked 10th. Kirkwood sits third in the standings (61 points out of the lead) with Lundgaard fourth (77 points in arrears).

This practice followed Meyer Shank Racing’s announcement that Marcus Armstrong had signed a multiyear extension beginning in 2027. Armstrong is in his second season with the Ohio-based organization, and he will move from the team’s No. 66 entry to its No. 60 driven by Felix Rosenqvist each of the past three seasons.

Rosenqvist, this year’s winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, recently was confirmed to be leaving MSR for 2027. Armstrong finished fifth in that race after leading with one lap remaining.

But Armstrong’s Mid-Ohio weekend did not get off to a good start, as what appeared to be a mechanical failure in the rear of the Honda-powered car sent him into the Turn 2 barrier.

“What I felt was when I was braking there was one half of the car was just sliding across the ground,” Armstrong said. “From my (seat), one of the corners was hanging off on the rear, and I was just trying to decelerate quick enough. From what I was hearing, it was making a scraping sound so the floor was dragging.

“It’s a shame. I think we only did one push lap and the car felt really good. Fingers crossed that the tub’s all good and we can repair it without any major concerns for (the second practice).”

Armstrong’s best lap in the abbreviated session (1:07.3433) left him 24th. Rosenqvist, who was runner-up in 2019 at this 13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course, had the seventh-quickest lap.

Seven-time Mid-Ohio winner Scott Dixon is also having an interesting weekend. He and Chip Ganassi Racing are working together for the first time since it was announced that he would be leaving the organization after 25 seasons, the longest partnership in the sport.

Dixon, who won last year’s race when Palou drifted wide in Turn 9 with six laps to go, posted the 15th-fastest lap (1:06.5372).

Turn 9 was problematic for Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean in this session. He lost control of the back end of the No. 18 BMax Honda late in the session, sliding off track and hitting the tire barrier with the rear. He, like Armstrong, was not injured.

Saturday’s action begins with the weekend’s second practice at 10 a.m. ET on FS1.

 

INDYCAR Officiating Announces Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Grid Penalty

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, July 3, 2026) – INDYCAR Officiating has announced a six-position starting grid penalty for the entry of No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing for an unapproved engine change following a team test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Tuesday, June 23.

The entry was in violation of:

Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Approved Engine Change-Out if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine Change-Out.

According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid July 5 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

 

 

Race weekend: Friday, July 3-Sunday, July 5

Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course in Lexington, Ohio

Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid: 90 laps / 203.22 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1: 35 laps / 79.03 miles / 55 minutes; INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2: 30 laps / 67.74 miles / 50 minutes

Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF) | Weekend Event Schedule (PDF)

Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation | INDY NXT by Firestone: 65 seconds of total time.

Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 310 kilojoules (kj) per lap.

Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend. A carryover set from the Detroit event may be used during pre-qualifying practice session on Friday.

X: @Mid_Ohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #Honda200, #INDYCAR

Instagram: @officialmidohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #Honda200, #INDYCAR

Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT

Facebook: @MidOhioSportsCarCourse, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR

TikTok: @INDYCAR, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR

YouTube: @INDYCAR

Event website: www.midohio.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com

2025 race winners:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)

INDY NXT by Firestone

Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global)

2025 NTT P1 Award winner:

Alex Palou (No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 1:05.0215, 125.027 mph

2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:

Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global), 1:09.7431, 116.553 mph

Qualifying lap record:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Simon Pagenaud, 1:03.8700, 127.271 mph, July 30, 2016

INDY NXT by Firestone

Dennis Hauger, 1:09.7431, 116.553 mph, July 5, 2025

FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 9 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live); Race, 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. A Spanish-language telecast will be available on FOX Deportes. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice, 2 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 9 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race 1, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Race 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey and guest analyst Conor Daly. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter.

INDYCAR Radio Powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf, Ryan Myrehn and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid race (noon ET Sunday), INDY NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio doubleheader (12:55 p.m. Saturday and 9:55 a.m. Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):

FRIDAY, JULY 3

2-2:45 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, FS2 (live)

3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, FS2 (live)

SATURDAY, JULY 4

9-9:30 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Two groups, 10 minutes each), FS1 (live)

10:05-11:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 , FS1 (live)

1:01 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1 command to start engines

1:08 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (live)

2:35-4 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (live)

SUNDAY, JULY 5

9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 (live)

10:01 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2 command to start engines

10:08 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2 (30 laps/50 minutes), FS1 (live)

11:57 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions

12:30 p.m. – FOX on air

12:45 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid command to start engines

12:52 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (90 laps/203.22 miles), FOX (live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:

  • The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid is the 11th race of the 2026 season. There have been five winners in the first 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Arlington), Christian Lundgaard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Road America) and Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500).
  • The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid will be the 43rd INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Scott Dixon won the race in 2025. Johnny Rutherford won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio in 1980.
  • Scott Dixon is the winningest INDYCAR SERIES driver at Mid-Ohio with seven victories (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2025). Emerson Fittipaldi won at Mid-Ohio three times, while Michael Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Teo Fabi, Josef Newgarden, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr. and Alex Zanardi all won at Mid-Ohio twice. Past winners Dixon, Newgarden (2017 and 2021), Graham Rahal (2015), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race-1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2), Scott McLaughlin (2022), Alex Palou (2023) and Pato O’Ward (2024) are entered this year.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Scott Dixon 7 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2025
Josef Newgarden 2 2017, 2021
Graham Rahal 1 2015
Alexander Rossi 1 2018
Will Power 1 2020 Race 1
Scott McLaughlin 1 2022
Alex Palou 1 2023
Pato O’Ward 1 2024
  • Fifteen drivers have won the race from the pole – Mario Andretti (1984), Bobby Rahal (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1987), Teo Fabi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990, 1991), Al Unser Jr. (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Patrick Carpentier (2002), Paul Tracy (2003), Scott Dixon (2011), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race 1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2) and Josef Newgarden (2021). Power has won five poles at Mid-Ohio, the most of any driver.
ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS
Will Power 5 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020 Race 1
Scott Dixon 2 2011, 2015
Alex Palou 2 2024, 2025
Alexander Rossi 1 2018
Josef Newgarden 1 2021
Pato O’Ward 1 2022
  • Twenty-two drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Mid-Ohio. Scott Dixon (22) has made the most starts at Mid-Ohio among the entered drivers. Twelve drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 276, Will Power 206, Alex Palou 176, Josef Newgarden 162, Alexander Rossi 71, Pato O’Ward 52, Scott McLaughlin 48, Graham Rahal 30, Felix Rosenqvist 15, Marcus Ericsson 3 and Kyffin Simpson 1).
  • Chip Ganassi Racing has won 13 times at Mid-Ohio, including 10 of the 20 races sanctioned by INDYCAR. Ganassi’s winning drivers are Alex Zanardi (1996, 1997), Juan Pablo Montoya (1999), Scott Dixon (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2025), Dario Franchitti (2010), Charlie Kimball (2013) and Alex Palou (2023).
  • Team Penske also has 12 wins at the track with Emerson Fittipaldi (1992, 1993), Al Unser Jr. (1994, 1995), Helio Castroneves (2000, 2001), Ryan Briscoe (2008), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2021), Will Power (2020-Race 1) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).
  • Scott Dixon has finished in the top five in 15 of his 22 starts at Mid-Ohio, including seven wins between 2007 and 2025 … Will Power has finished in the top five in 11 of his 18 starts at Mid-Ohio … Kyle Kirkwood won eight of nine development series starts from 2018-21.
  • Rookies Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time this weekend. Both Hauger and Collet won INDY NXT by Firestone races at the track. Collet won in 2024, while Hauger won in 2025.
  • Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 367th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 267th consecutive start…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 230th consecutive start…Dixon will extend his record to 430 with a start Sunday…Will Power will attempt to make his 330th INDYCAR SERIES start, passing Al Unser Jr. for sixth on the all-time list.

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:

  • The ultra-competitive INDY NXT by Firestone season continues with a doubleheader visit to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR’s Nikita Johnson leads the point standings by just six points over HMD Motorsports’ Tymek Kucharczyk with HMD’s Enzo Fittipaldi 27 points back. The 2026 season has seen eight winners in 10 races.
  • The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio doubleheader will be the series’ 38th and 39th races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, dating to the American Racing Series race in 1986. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Mid-Ohio include Paul Tracy, Bryan Herta, Townsend Bell, Raphael Matos, Jack Harvey, Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, Linus Lundqvist, Louis Foster, Caio Collet and Dennis Hauger.
  • Group qualifying will decide the starting grid for both races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying sessions. With 10 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded Race 1 pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). A driver’s second best lap will be determine the pole position for Race 2. One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group for each race.
 

 

NXT SERIES

 

www.indynxt.com

photos courtesy INDYCAR SERIES

Indy NXT (pronounced "Indy Next"), previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as INDY NXT by Firestone for sponsorship reasons. Indy NXT is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program of racing series leading up to the IndyCar Series.

 

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Saturday, July 4, 2026) – Enzo Fittipaldi completed a dominant Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, leading all 35 laps from the pole to earn his third career INDY NXT by Firestone victory and cap a historic day for HMD Motorsports.

Driving the No. 67 HMD Motorsports entry, Fittipaldi controlled three restarts before pulling away to victory while helping HMD Motorsports record the first 1-2-3-4 finish in series history. Tymek Kucharczyk finished second, 1.9003 seconds behind, followed by Jack Beeton and Salvador de Alba.

SEE: Race 1 Results

The last team to sweep a podium was Andretti Global at the Milwaukee Mile last season. HMD Motorsports last finished 1-2-3 in 2024 at Barber Motorsports Park, with Christian Rasmussen leading Nolan Siegel and Toby Sowery.

Lochie Hughes completed the top five on a hot and humid Ohio afternoon in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry.

The race featured 133 on-track passes, 124 for position. Both were the most for this series at this track.

Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 1989 INDYCAR SERIES champion Emerson Fittipaldi, added another family milestone at Mid-Ohio. Emerson won three INDYCAR SERIES races at the 2.258-mile road course.

“This was absolutely amazing,” Fittipaldi said. “We had a great drive out there. Just super happy. The car was really quick, and it's a 1-2-3-4 for HMD, that's absolutely amazing. So happy for them; they deserve it. They’re honestly an amazing team to work with and just super happy about the race today.”

Fittipaldi's biggest test came after the final restart on Lap 25 following JM Correa's trip into the Turn 12 tire barriers four laps earlier. He quickly opened a comfortable advantage, remaining unbeaten this weekend after leading Friday's practice and earning both poles in track-record fashion.

The first caution flew on Lap 5 when Nicolas Stati stalled exiting Turn 2. On the Lap 8 restart, Kucharczyk charged from fourth to second, where he remained to earn his seventh podium in 11 starts this season and his second consecutive runner-up finish.

Beeton earned his career-best finish with third after previously placing fourth in Race 1 at Barber Motorsports Park. De Alba recorded his best finish of the season in fourth.

The race's only other caution came on Lap 12 when Nolan Allaer stalled the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing entry in Turn 6.

Championship leader Nikita Johnson entered the race with a 26-point lead over Fittipaldi but finished seventh in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry. Combined with Kucharczyk's runner-up finish, the result reshuffled the championship standings.

Kucharczyk now leads the standings by seven points over Fittipaldi and eight over Johnson entering Sunday's 30-lap Race 2. It marks the first time this season Kucharczyk has led the championship and the first time since after the May 31 race at Detroit that Johnson has not occupied the top spot. Fittipaldi was the championship leader after Detroit.

Fittipaldi will have an opportunity to complete the weekend sweep in Race 2 at 10 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

 

 
LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 3, 2026) – Enzo Fittipaldi waited until the closing minutes of INDY NXT by Firestone practice Friday to top the speed chart, turning the fastest lap to kick off this weekend’s doubleheader at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The HMD Motorsports rookie posted a lap of 1 minute, 10.7286 seconds in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports entry with less than two minutes remaining in the 45-minute session. Temperatures reached 94 degrees during the afternoon practice, the hottest session of the season.

“It's very hot out there -- super hot,” Fittipaldi said. “I think it was a good practice. We had a good session there. We made some good changes throughout the session, and we made very good progress throughout the whole session. Very happy about it.”

SEE: Practice Results

Fittipaldi edged HMD Motorsports teammate Tymek Kucharczyk, who led much of the session before settling for second at 1:10.7736.

Andretti Global’s Lochie Hughes was third at 1:10.8710, followed by AJ Foyt Racing’s Alessandro de Tullio (1:10.9097) and championship leader Nikita Johnson of Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR (1:11.0264). Four teams were represented in the top five.

Johnson entered the weekend with a six-point lead over Kucharczyk in the championship standings, while Fittipaldi sits 27 points behind in third.

Qualifying for both races is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by Race 1 at 1 p.m. Both sessions will air live on FS1 and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

“The track's going to be quite a lot colder in the morning,” Fittipaldi said. “It’s quite early in the morning, so it could change a bit the balance of the cars. It's just making sure we get the car in in the right window and where we want it to be for tomorrow morning, in which is the day that counts, which is qualifying.”

De Tullio will aim to continue his remarkable qualifying form. The AJ Foyt Racing driver enters the weekend with seven poles in 10 races, including three of the last four and has claimed five of the six available poles during road course doubleheader weekends this season at Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Road America.

The INDY NXT by Firestone single-season record is nine poles, set by Pato O'Ward in 2018. Ed Jones (2016) and Thiago Medeiros (2004) each earned eight.

The No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing driver has started from the front row in every race this season except the opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, where he qualified eighth.

  

 

INDYCAR SERIESNXT SERIES

 

2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE

DateVenue
Sunday, March 1Streets of St. Petersburg
Saturday, March 7Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, March 15Streets of Arlington
Sunday, March 29Barber Motorsports Park
Sunday, April 19Streets of Long Beach
Saturday, May 9Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Sunday, May 24The 110th Indianapolis 500
Sunday, May 31Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 7World Wide Technology Raceway
Sunday, June 21Road America
Sunday, July 5Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, July 19Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday, Aug. 9Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 16Streets of Markham
Saturday, Aug. 29Milwaukee Mile Race 1
Sunday, Aug. 30Milwaukee Mile Race 2
Sunday, Sept. 6WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
 

2026 INDY NXT BY FIRESTONE SCHEDULE

DateVenue
Sunday, March 1Streets of St. Petersburg
Sunday, March 15Streets of Arlington
Saturday, March 28Barber Motorsports Park Race 1
Sunday, March 29Barber Motorsports Park Race 2
Friday, May 8Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 1
Saturday, May 9Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 2
Sunday, May 31Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 7World Wide Technology Raceway
Saturday, June 20Road America Race 1
Sunday, June 21Road America Race 2
Saturday, July 4Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Race 1
Sunday, July 5Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Race 2
Sunday, July 19Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday, Aug. 9Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 30Milwaukee Mile
Saturday, Sept. 5WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 1
Sunday, Sept. 6WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 2

 

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This site is dedicated to my father " hoot " who introduced me to the Great sport of auto racing when I was a very young child

Thru the years I have befriended several people Thru Racing that have passed on and I honor them here

Larrt Criss. Charlie Patterson. Carrol Horton, Todd shaffer, gary lee and Judy Morris