Indianapolis, Indiana – It was a day of breakthrough moments, family pride, and relentless pace as Australian rookie Lochie Hughes powered to his first career INDY NXT by Firestone victory Friday during Race 1 of the Indianapolis Grand Prix weekend. Leading all 35 laps from the pole, Hughes took the checkered flag at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, fending off a field full of seasoned challengers in a dramatic race filled with incidents, strategy, and sheer determination.
Driving the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship entry for Andretti Global, Hughes crossed the line just .7229 seconds ahead of Brazilian veteran Caio Collet in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. The 2024 USF Pro 2000 champion’s victory was not only a personal milestone, but also a testament to the depth and competitiveness of the Andretti squad, which has now claimed 12 wins in the last 14 INDY NXT races.
“This is an awesome weekend so far,” Hughes said after the win. “I can’t thank the whole team enough. It’s been a tough jump to this series. It’s a big step from what I was in, so I’ve been playing catch-up for a while.”
For Hughes, the win was extra special with his parents in attendance—a rare treat for the young driver who typically competes thousands of miles from his home in Australia.
“It’s nice to finally get a win, especially around here,” he added. “My parents are here, as well, this weekend, and they’re not usually here, so I think it’s the first time they’ll see me win in a long time because they don’t come over (to America) much. Pretty cool.”
Hughes took control of the race early, building a lead of nearly 1.7 seconds before a Lap 10 caution was triggered when Juan Manuel Correa and Niels Koolen went off in Turn 1. On the Lap 12 restart, Hughes once again surged ahead, growing his advantage to over 2.3 seconds by the race’s midpoint. Another yellow on Lap 29—caused by a crash involving teammate James Roe and 16-year-old Nikita Johnson—bunched the field once more. But Hughes remained calm and focused, nailing the Lap 31 restart and keeping Collet behind him until the finish.
“I was pretty annoyed when I kept seeing the yellow come out,” Hughes admitted. “I was just trying to get a good jump off the last corner there and brake late into (Turn) 1 and make sure I don’t get passed.”
Behind Hughes and Collet, Myles Rowe delivered an impressive performance to earn his first career INDY NXT podium, finishing third in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy entry. Abel Motorsports teammate Callum Hedge came home fourth, followed by Salvador de Alba in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global.
The race was less fortunate for series leader Dennis Hauger, who entered Friday’s event with victories in the season’s opening two rounds. Starting second, Hauger’s day took a hit almost immediately after contact with Hedge in Turn 1 forced him off track and dropped him to last in the 21-car field. Hauger managed to work his way back to eighth place by the end, salvaging critical championship points.
With his victory, Hughes now sits just three points behind Hauger in the standings, setting up a high-stakes rivalry within the Andretti camp as the season progresses. The two teammates will line up on the front row again for Race 2 of the doubleheader on Saturday, with Hughes once more on pole.
That second 35-lap contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on FS1, the FOX Sports app, and the INDYCAR Radio Network. All eyes will be on Hughes and Hauger as the championship battle heats up on one of motorsport’s most iconic stages.
For Lochie Hughes, Friday’s win marked a new chapter in his young career—one defined by resilience, learning, and now, a taste of victory at the Racing Capital of the World.
