The extended break is in the rearview mirror with the second INDY NXT by Firestone race of the 2024 season set to commence at 11:15 a.m. ET Sunday, April 28 (live, Peacock, INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network) at Barber Motorsports Park.
Nolan Siegel turned his maiden pole into his third career victory for HMD Motorsports at the season opener March 10 at St. Petersburg, Florida. Abel Motorsports’ Jacob Abel and Andretti Global’s Louis Foster joined Siegel on the podium in the 45-lap event.
SEE: Race Details
Who can come away victorious this weekend at the 17-turn, 2.3-mile circuit in Birmingham, Alabama?
Can Andretti Global Regain Top Podium Spot?
Riding into the 2021 INDY NXT by Firestone season, Andretti Global had four straight victories at Barber Motorsports Park. HMD Motorsports has muscled away the top step of the podium with its four-race win streak at the circuit.
David Malukas and Linus Lundqvist swept the doubleheader weekend in 2021 for HMD. Lundqvist won the single race in 2022. Christian Rasmussen was victorious last year.
Can one of HMD’s 10 drivers win Sunday? Siegel, winner of the season opener at St. Petersburg, was runner-up to Rasmussen in 2023. In theory, he’s the favorite.
But can any of the Andretti Global drivers challenge?
Last season, Andretti drivers finished fifth (James Roe), 11th (Jamie Chadwick) 13th (Hunter McElrea) and 14th (Louis Foster). That’s before the tide turned.
Foster won both of his races on natural, free-flowing road courses (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Portland International Raceway) and was third in the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Following a runner-up finish to open this season at St. Petersburg, Foster could be Siegel’s main challenger.
Another Early-Season Win Coming for Rowe?
Myles Rowe has driven into victory lane in the second race of the season in each of the last two years.
In USF2000 in 2022, Rowe won the second race of the St. Petersburg doubleheader weekend. He then won at the second track of the year at Barber Motorsports Park.
In his USF Pro 2000 championship-winning season last year, Rowe won the second race of the St. Petersburg season-opening weekend again to follow with a sweep at the second venue of the year – Sebring International Raceway.
Can Rowe continue this trend?
He finished eighth in his INDY NXT by Firestone debut last month on the streets of St. Petersburg in the No. 99 HMD Motorsports with Force Indy entry.
Don’t Sleep on Another HMD Rookie
HMD Motorsports could easily carry forward a fifth consecutive victory at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, as Rowe and Siegel are among the favorites. But Brazilian rookie teammate Caio Collet could turn some heads.
In only his second opportunity to strap into INDY NXY by Firestone machinery, Collet found pace at Barber Motorsports Park last November in a test, finishing second overall.
Collet, driver of the No. 18 HMD Motorsports entry, had a strong debut weekend in St. Petersburg, finishing seventh.
D’Orlando Back in Action
Fresh off an impressive fourth-place finish in the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Michael d’Orlando wasn’t sure he would be racing at Barber Motorsports Park due to budget restraints.
While some drivers like to jump back behind the wheel after a strong result, d’Orlando was OK with the extended break between races. It gave him and his partners time to line up funding, and D’Orlando returns to his No. 3 Priority RSR Andretti Cape entry this weekend.
Large Field
The 21-car field for Sunday’s 35-lap race is the largest INDY NXT by Firestone field at Barber Motorsports Park. The previous high was 19 last season.
While none of the current field of drivers has won an INDY NXT by Firestone race at Barber, four drivers – Reece Gold, Rowe, Siegel and Yuven Sundaramoorthy – have visited victory lane at the picturesque road course in development series.
Starting Position Vital
Revamped group qualifying at 2:35 p.m. ET Saturday on INDYCAR LIVE and the INDYCAR Radio Network could play a massive role in who’s celebrating Sunday in victory lane. This is the second race of the group format, which is used for all road and street races this season.
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 12 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded 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.).
One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group.
Among the 17 INDY NXT by Firestone races at Barber Motorsports Park, the pole winner won 14. A front-row starter has won 15 of 17. All 17 were won by a top-three starter.
Track Specs: 2.3-mile, 17-turn natural road course
Qualifying Record: Christian Rasmussen (1:10.7371, 117.053 mph, April 29, 2023)
Push To Pass Parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation.