Last time out, Salvador De Alba clinched his first Indy NXT victory in Milwaukee while Dennis Hauger secured the 2025 Championship in only his rookie season. With one round left, there was still plenty to fight for and drivers up and down the grid wanted to end their seasons on a high. It’s fair to say that none of them left anything on the table. Here are your key takeaways from Nashville.
Myles Rowe – On the Rise
Having broken through with his debut win back in Iowa, many wondered if Myles Rowe would be able to get a second win in 2025. Having qualified down in ninth for the final race of the season, winning was set to be a tall order. But you can never say never in Indy NXT and that’s just as well because go out and win was exactly what Myles Rowe did.
Slowly but surely moving his way forwards towards the front of the field, Rowe then went on an absolute charge to get past the likes of Collet, Hauger and de Alba. The win in Nashville took him within ten points of third place overall in the Championship and, should he return to Indy NXT in 2026, marks him as one of the favourites to win the title.
Two wins, four further podiums and only one race result where he finished outside of the top ten is what Myles Rowe has achieved in 2025. If he wasn’t on people’s radars before, he certainly is now.
Dennis Hauger – Rookie of the Year
In the final race of his rookie season, Dennis Hauger found himself once again on the podium, this time in P3. It caps off an incredibly impressive season that only saw him off the podium on three occasions. Six wins and a further five podiums along with eight pole positions had absolutely reignited Hauger’s racing career. Many, including himself, were hoping that Hauger would bounce back this year after three difficult years in Formula 2. It’s safe to say that he has.
The only question that remains is which team will he be racing for in IndyCar next year? Andretti Global looks set to be on the cards, as does Dayle Coyne, RHLL and maybe even Team Penske – you never know. Regardless of where he ends up in 2026, he’ll be an exciting driver to keep an eye on. One thing is certain though – Dennis Hauger is back.
Salvador de Alba – 2026 Championship Contender?
Fresh off his maiden win in Milwaukee, de Alba kept the momentum going in Nashville by claiming Pole Position for Sunday’s Season Finale. But in the end, the Mexican driver would have to settle for P2 come the end of the race. Still, he put on a solid performance and has gone from strength to strength in the second half of the season. P5 in the standings is where he finishes 2025 and quite comfortably in a little league of his own.
With Hauger at least moving up to IndyCar next year, de Alba will be one of the returning drivers gunning for the title. If he can keep this level of performance up, those behind him may struggle to contain him next year. Only time will tell.
Honourable Mentions
Bryce Aron had his second best result of the season in Nashville, straight after his best finish last time out in Milwaukee. P6 put him just outside of the top ten overall in the standings with Jack William Miller just six points ahead of him. Koolen and Missig in P7 and P8 also had respectable ends to their seasons after both struggled in the first half of the year.
What Next for Collet and Hughes?
Caio Collet and Lochie Hughes had solid ends to their seasons too, finishing in fourth and fifth respectively. Both looked like possible contenders for the Championship throughout the year but were ultimately left to battle each other for the remaining podium positions. Jacob Abel has shown in IndyCar this year that finishing second in Indy NXT might not be enough to prove that you’re capable of successfully taking on IndyCar. Both Collet and Hughes will now be doing their best to convince IndyCar teams of the opposite.
If either of them return to Indy NXT instead next year, there’ll be little excuses available to them should they not win the title.
Hope for Haillie?
Making the switch from the world of NASCAR to the world of IndyCar was never going to be as straightforward as Haillie Deegan hoped. That being said, her rookie year in Indy NXT is one that she can be proud of. While there were certainly points during the mid-part of the season where she struggled, Deegan did improve and finished just outside of the top ten on multiple occasions.
What’s more, Deegan finished the season in P14, level on points with Tommy Smith but higher overall thanks to countback. Smith is a driver who’s only ever really known single seater racing. From GB3 to Formula 3 and now Indy NXT. For Deegan to beat him and be within reach of the likes of Murray and Roe is no small feat. Hopefully she’ll return next year and be more in the mix. But for now, it’s not outrageous to say that Deegan has transitioned well into the world of IndyCar and stories like hers is why we enjoy motorsport so gosh darn much.
*
Feature Image: IndyCar Media Centre
Indy NXT returns in 2026.
Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.