Indy NXT Champion Hauger Tops IndyCar Series Test at Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Dennis Hauger, the reigning Indy NXT champion, showcased his prowess during Monday’s IndyCar Series test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. Hauger, driving the No. 18 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing, recorded the fastest lap with an unofficial best time of 1m10.768s.
Following Hauger, Alexander Rossi of Ed Carpenter Racing secured second place with a lap of 1m10.858s in the No. 20 Chevy. Mick Schumacher, representing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, rounded out the top three with a time of 1m10.980s in the No. 75 Honda.
The results continued with Caio Collet, the NXT runner-up driving the No. 4 Chevy for AJ Foyt Racing, finishing fourth with a time of 1m11.048s. Lochie Hughes from Andretti Global placed fifth in the No. 98 Honda at 1m11.354s, followed by Christian Rasmussen of ECR in the No. 21 Chevy, whose 1m11.493s effort was curtailed to just 31 laps due to technical issues. James Roe of Juncos Hollinger Racing completed the grouping in seventh with a best time of 1m11.600s.
Despite challenges in the morning session with timing and scoring beacon issues, teams were able to regain momentum during the afternoon, taking advantage of ideal conditions with temperatures reaching 70 degrees.
Collet proved to be the endurance star of the day, completing an impressive 83 laps, while Rasmussen faced limitations due to his earlier struggles. This test marked Hauger’s second recent IndyCar outing, but for newcomers Hughes, Roe, and Schumacher, no additional test dates are scheduled for the 2025 season.
