Dennis Hauger Wins WWTR Pole in Oval Debut
If anyone thought Dennis Hauger might struggle to find speed in the first oval race of his life, think again.
INDY NXT by Firestone championship leader Hauger won the pole Saturday for his oval racing debut, taking the top spot for the INDYCAR development series race at World Wide Technology with a two-lap average speed of 166.162 mph in the No. 26 Nammo car fielded by Andretti Global. Hauger's run to his fourth pole of the season was a track record, breaking the previous two-lap average mark of 164.242 set last year by series champion Louis Foster.
SEE: Qualifying Results
The pole performance for rookie Hauger, who has won four of the first five races this season, came after he looked mortal for nearly the first time this season in the opening practice earlier today on the 1.25-mile oval. He was fifth in that session, more than 1.6 mph slower than leader Caio Collet, as he learned the intricacies of this unique, egg-shaped oval.
'First time on an oval, and we got the pole,' Hauger said. 'Super happy about that. Didn't really know what to expect, but we got up to speed in practice, and we really made improvements for qualifying.
'Looking forward to seeing how we get on tomorrow. It's going to be a bit of a different game.'
The 75-lap race starts at 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). It's the first oval race of the season.
2024 series Rookie of the Year Collet qualified second at 165.735 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car. His second lap of 166.341 is the one-lap record for INDY NXT at WWTR.
Salvador de Alba will start third after his qualifying performance of 165.223 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine of Andretti Global, joined in Row 2 by fellow veteran Myles Rowe, who qualified fourth at 165.082 in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car.
Rookie Lochie Hughes, the only race winner this season besides Hauger, qualified fifth at 164.350 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car of Andretti Global. Josh Pierson will fill out Row 3 after qualifying sixth at 163.993 in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports car.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
34 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Take our IndyStar Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter survey
The Indiana Fever are in the hunt for the playoffs this season. Caitlin Clark has missed games due to several injuries, but Indiana is still in the thick of things. Last year, we launched the Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter, which is dedicated to everything happening with the Fever and its reigning Rookie of the Year. Our dedicated reporter, Chloe Peterson, leads the Indiana Fever and WNBA coverage for the IndyStar. Now we want to hear from you on how we can improve the newsletter.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
IndyCar odds: Favorites to win in Laguna Seca in July 2025
The NTT IndyCar Series is ready to compete in the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey for the 14th race of the 2025 season. In 2024, Laguna Seca represented the eighth race of the campaign, marking a significant difference as IndyCar moved it down the schedule. Alex Palou entered victory lane in last year's race in Laguna Seca, with Colton Herta and Alexander Rossi rounding out the top three spots. It was Palou's second and final victory during the 2024 season. However, who are the favorites to win this weekend? Below, you can check out the IndyCar odds via BetMGM for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey as of Wednesday, July 23! IndyCar odds for Laguna Seca (July 2025) Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
Indianapolis Star
2 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Arrow McLaren details plans for revamped shop purchased from Andretti Global
INDIANAPOLIS — A couple weeks after getting the keys to their new home and already a ways into the demolition process, Arrow McLaren unveiled Thursday additional details to their reimagination of what was once Andretti Global's longtime race shop that the McLaren Racing-owned team took ownership of earlier this month. The shop at 7615 Zionsville Rd. on Indianapolis's northwest side will nearly triple the space that Arrow McLaren has long worked out of in a shop owned by original team owner Sam Schmidt, expanding from 33,000 square-feet to 86,000 by the time Arrow McLaren adds an additional 12,000 square-feet to Andretti's old space. Dillon Construction Group, the original builder of the shop ahead of what is now Andretti Global moving in in 1997, will manage the transformation project on both the interior and exterior of Arrow McLaren's new shop. Among the significant changes, Arrow McLaren will add an expanded lobby to "showcase the team's success and heritage," as well as a new second-floor mezzanine, an in-house fitness center and a new elevator to enhance accessibility. The larger space will help improve the team's workflow after having to operate out of a main shop with additional storage spaces elsewhere, with the team's gym and vinyl shop in a third location. What is a stone-colored exterior will also get a similar facelift with a black-and-papaya paint job to "align with McLaren Racing's brand identity," and the team plans to add additional windows and various architectural elements to modernize the space. "We're proud to begin the renovation and grow our footprint right here in Indianapolis," McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said. "The investment is a big step in our long-term growth, and this new facility will provide our team with state-of-the-art tools, equipment and space to keep pushing forward." At last week's Toronto IndyCar race weekend, Brown told IndyStar he views the team's new much-expanded space to be the final step in Arrow McLaren's several-year process of upgrading what had long been a midfield team capable of challenging for a win or two each season but never truly making a push for a championship. After linking up in a strategic alliance with Schmidt and Ric Peterson's IndyCar team months after the end of the 2019 IndyCar season, McLaren Racing took 75% ownership ahead of the 2022 campaign. Ahead of this season, the U.K.-based race program, headed by its storied Formula 1 team, took full ownership of the IndyCar team. On Arrow McLaren's growth: CEO Zak Brown says IndyCar must remain 'commercially viable' despite team's growth "This is a lot of little things just all coming together. I think the shop is going to do a lot for us, beyond just being a nice, shiny new shop," Brown told IndyStar. "People are going to be able to operate better. It'll bring everyone more energy, better communication. The car is what it is, but we have some technology we can bring in that the Penskes of the world have that we just don't have the space for. "I don't think there's a silver bullet, but it's just about continuing to move forward. I think we've got all the ingredients and have it stirred up, and we just haven't put it in the oven yet." Added team principal Tony Kanaan: "This is about being more efficient and it's going to gain us a lot more time where we can focus on things we need to fix. Right now, if we need a gearbox, we have to send two guys over to Brownsburg. Just logistics wise, there's a lot of wasting time because not everything's here. We're not building a wind tunnel in the shop, but the fact we can do everything inside that shop, rather than sending some stuff out and having to wait for it to come back; there's a lot of disruption. "That's actually more important to me than how are we going to try and reinvent the wheel to try and beat these other guys." Arrow McLaren plans to have its employees take their traditional winter break around the holidays and then return working out of the revamped new shop in early January 2026. Brown told IndyStar that if McLaren Racing were to decide to launch an IMSA sportscar program, such a team could operate out of its new location, though no team has been announced. Earlier this year, McLaren Racing announced its plans to pull out of Formula E at the end of this year and pursue a prototype World Endurance Championship program for 2027. Insider: How Andretti Global is making a midseason shop switch into IndyStar's old printing center In that vein, he says McLaren Racing is committed to IndyCar long-term as long as the sport continues to grow in ways and at a pace where Brown can continue to paint a picture of commercial viability to the company's board. "I'm in the offense, not defense mindset, so I'm going to do everything I can to make sure the sport grows and be vocal about it and be constructive and positive," Brown said of IndyCar 's need to continue to push boundaries and pursue growth over cost containment, one of his biggest criticisms of the sport in recent years. "If scenarios change and IndyCar didn't remain commercially viable because you've got bad races or you lose your TV partner, those questions will be asked."
