PLYMOUTH, Wisc — Nolan Siegel is starting to take a stranglehold on the INDY NXT championship. The HMD driver got by teammate Reece Gold on Lap 7 and never looked back en route to scoring his second straight win. As a result of his victory on Sunday morning at Road America, he went from second to the lead after six races and now has a path to score his first series title in his first year in the series.
“I’ve now done a few races in this car, and it’s all starting to come together,” Siegel said. “I’m comfortable in the lead now. There’s no stress when we see people catching up, and I think we’ve got the strategy down. Super, super happy with the job everyone did.”
Siegel became the first two-time winner this season in the INDYCAR development series. He entered the weekend two points down on Christian Rasmussen in the standings. Rasmussen, the defending race winner here, crashed in Turn 11 on Lap 10 which took him to a last place (19th place) finish.
The Denmark native had four top five finishes in five races including a win in Barber and runner-up in the second Detroit race. Now, he finishes outside the top 10 for just the sixth time of his career and by doing so, it was a costly one.
He went from +2 on Siegel to -40 as Siegel not only led the final 13 laps of the race, but he had to hold off the field on the lone restart on Lap 13. If not for a mechanical failure while leading on the final lap in Detroit, this would have been three consecutive wins for Siegel now.
The Palo Alto, California native bested second place finisher Jacob Abel by 1.2695-seconds for his fourth top two result in six races run this season.
“I like that,” Siegel said of seizing the championship lead. “I’d like to keep it like that.”
Abel got his second career podium in 20 starts but first since the season opener on the streets of St. Pete for which he finished third. This runner-up is his best career INDY NXT result.
Andretti Autosport’s Hunter McElrea charged from 13th to finish third to score his eighth career podium in 20 starts but first on the season. The Aussie was third a year ago here too and has scored a top seven finish in all but one race now run this season.
Gold faded to fourth for just his second top five of the season while James Roe came from 10th to finish fifth.
The front row each had early issues for which caused both Kyffin Simpson (pole) and Colin Kaminsy (2nd place starter) to not snag top fives.
Simpson got too wide in Turn 1 on the opening lap and got airborne in the process. He’d continue on, but lose several spots in the process which handed the early lead to third place starter Reece Gold.
Then while battling for fifth on that opening lap, Simpson forced Kaminsky off track and him falling down to 14th. Simpson would fall to 10th. He’d rebound to finish eighth a day after scoring his first career pole. Kaminsky came back to finish 10th.
Up front, Gold led the first seven laps and Siegel went from fourth to second. Foster passed Siegel for second on that first lap, then Siegel getting back by on Lap 5. 2 laps later, Siegel got Gold for the lead and would never relinquish it the rest of the way in the 20 lap event.
Next up is Mid-Ohio in two weeks.
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Results Sunday of the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America INDY NXT by Firestone event on the 4.014-mile Road America, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (4) Nolan Siegel, 20, Running
2. (6) Jacob Abel, 20, Running
3. (13) Hunter McElrea, 20, Running
4. (3) Reece Gold, 20, Running
5. (10) James Roe, 20, Running
6. (5) Louis Foster, 20, Running
7. (8) Danial Frost, 20, Running
8. (1) Kyffin Simpson, 20, Running
9. (18) Jagger Jones, 20, Running
10. (2) Colin Kaminsky, 20, Running
11. (11) Josh Pierson, 20, Running
12. (15) Ernie Francis Jr., 20, Running
13. (16) Christian Bogle, 20, Running
14. (14) Josh Green, 20, Running
15. (9) Jamie Chadwick, 20, Running
16. (12) Matteo Nannini, 20, Running
17. (17) Enaam Ahmed, 20, Running
18. (19) Rasmus Lindh, 17, Off Course
19. (7) Christian Rasmussen, 9, Contact
Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 118.581 mph
Time of Race: 40:37.2277
Margin of victory: 1.2695 seconds
Cautions: 1 for 3 laps
Lead changes: 1 among 2 drivers
Lap Leaders:
Gold, Reece 1 – 7
Siegel, Nolan 8 – 20
Race Review Online 