Indy NXT went racing last weekend at the infamous Laguna Seca Circuit for a double header weekend. With Dennis Hauger stretching his legs in the Championship coming into these next two rounds, would anyone be able to take the fight to him? As it happened, there was – and they timed it for the weekend where Hauger’s Championship ambitions began to unravel. Here are the key takeaways from Laguna Seca.
Caio Collet Dominates the Weekend
Caio Collet had a perfect weekend in Laguna Seca. The Brazilian driver got a clean sweep in both races. He claimed Pole Position, the race victory and led the most laps. This collection of achievements meant that Collet had racked up a massive 105 points across the weekend. This put him up into P2 ahead of Lochie Hughes. It also decimated the gap to Championship Leader Dennis Hauger from 94 points to just 42. Collet drove faultlessly this weekend and looked supremely in command throughout.
With three rounds left to go this season, Collet has suddenly turned things around and put himself firmly into Championship contention. After a year dominated almost exclusively by Hauger, could Collet mount a successful end of season campaign and topple the presumptive Champion?
Hauger’s House of Cards
Initially, it appeared that Dennis Hauger was once again in damage limitation mode. Having come in second place to Myles Rowe last time out in Iowa, many believed that Hauger wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks that could compromise his Championship. This was evident in the first of the two races last weekend at Laguna Seca. Unable to get past the Brazilian, the Norwegian finished in second place behind Collet instead. A steady stream of points like this all but guarantees a controlled walk to clinching the 2025 Championship.
But in the second race, Hauger struggled to make an impression on Collet out front. He was caught instead having to defend from those behind. One of those that he was caught fighting was none other than his teammate, Lochie Hughes. Following one of the many caution restarts, Hughes appeared to jump ahead of Hauger before racing had officially resumed. Now this was a move that would surely have been investigated and the place handed back to Hauger. For reasons that are not entirely clear, Hauger’s usual calm and methodical approach was thrown out of the window here by the Norwegian. Diving down the inside of Hughes into T2, the pair collided and rumbled off into the gravel and out of the race.
Classified in P16, Hauger just punched a massive dent into his own Championship ambitions. With both he and Hughes barely scoring any points and their main rival, Collet maximising his points haul, it’s put them both in a lot of danger. The worst part of all – the overtake wasn’t necessary and Hauger has done this all to himself.
Josh Pierson’s Double Podium
Coming into this weekend at Laguna Seca, Josh Pierson’s best result this season has been P4. He’s achieved that twice, first in Detroit and then at Road America. Many wondered when that first inevitable podium would materialise for the American driver. Few expected for two to show up on the same race weekend. But that’s exactly what happened.
Pierson finished third in the first race of the weekend, just behind Hauger. He was then able to take advantage of all the chaos that ensued in the second race of the double header. He found himself crossing the line in second place behind Collet. Pierson thus beat his new best result of the season that he’d just achieved the day before. These back-to-back podiums have now brought him into striking distance of Myles Rowe in the Championship. The two are now competing for the title of best of the rest for the 2025 Indy NXT Season.
Callum Hedge’s First Podium
It wasn’t just Josh Pierson who had a phenomenal weekend. New Zealander Callum Hedge finished in P5 during Saturday’s race – his best result since Indy NXT went racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He too, then weaved in and out of all of the drama during Sunday’s race at Laguna Seca. By finishing in P3, he not only had his best result of the season but also took his maiden podium. Less than ten points now separate him from Salvador De Alba ahead of him in the Championship.
Best of the Rest
Laguna Seca marked Max Taylor’s fifth outing in the 2025 Indy NXT Season. He’s had intermittent appearances so far this year but this weekend marked his second and third consecutive appearances in the Championship. While things didn’t go his way in the first race, the American found himself in P4 by the end of the second race at Laguna Seca. When chaotic races happen, it’s always fascinating to see who can make hay while the sun shines and add an extra helping of spice to the proceedings. This result puts Taylor into triple figures in his points tally and gets him a lot closer to the likes of Correa, Deegan and Smith in the Championship. With three races left, there’s suddenly a lot more to play for for Max Taylor.
British driver Sebastian Murray also made the most of things last weekend in that second race. He finished just behind Taylor in fifth, bringing him rather close indeed to Aron and Missig in the Championship standings. It was also his best finish of the season so far.
Chaos Everywhere
When you have a double header weekend in any series, let alone Indy NXT, you’re inviting a certain level of chaos to the proceedings. That’s exactly what transpired across both races at Laguna Seca. While the first race was calmer than the second, that didn’t turn out to be a particularly large hurdle to scramble over. Cautions bred cautions aplenty in the second race. As mentioned, Hauger and Hughes came together but at the same time, Rowe also span and was forced to settle for P8 at the end of the race.
On one of the caution restarts, Deegan got caught out and drove into the back of Correa. He then collected Allaer who himself drove into Smith who finally drove into the back of Missig. It really was a perfect display of the immediate domino effect in motorsport. But probably not one any of these drivers wants to repeat.
Later on, as Rowe was attempting to fight back through the field, he drove perhaps a little more aggressively than he would have normally. De Alba was to fall victim to this driving style as a result as Rowe collided with him and drove him off the track. De Alba would finish just behind him in ninth.
Aron and Sceats would also collide on the opening lap. Sceats would continue, only to plough into the barriers by himself later on.
What’s Next?
Dennis Hauger still leads the Championship – but now by only 42 points with Collet having dialled up the pressure here at Laguna Seca. Hughes, Rowe and Pierson round out the top five in the standings.
Will Hauger’s mistake breed more of the same in Portland and derail his Championship hopes further? Will Collet be able to capitalise on the battle between the two teammates? Can anyone else get in on the action and find some glory of their own? We’ll have to tune in and find out.
Feature Image: IndyCar Media Centre
Indy NXT returns August 10th at Portland.
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