Road America’s Next for INDY NXT

Photo Credit: James Black/Penske Entertainment

Momentum.

With two race wins in a row, British racer Louis Foster clearly has it. The Andretti Global driver followed up his win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course with a flag-to-flag win on the streets of Detroit.

With his win on Sunday, and mechanical woes for Nolan Siegel, Foster moved ahead of Siegel into second in the INDY NXT by Firestone season standings behind Jacob Abel heading into this weekend’s race at Elkhart Lake’s Road America.

“Yeah, obviously I think it's been a good two races, for sure. We’re second in points now. Obviously, a few unfortunate things with Nolan, he didn’t start the race. That’s a shame. But it’s good for us. Abel didn’t have a great race, either. We’re just continuing our pace throughout the season. Hopefully we just keep getting decent luck, not any more bad luck, and I’ll be happy.

“I think we're definitely in a good point for the championship, see what happens. Keep pushing forward and see what happens.”

Photo Credit: Paul Hurley/Penske Entertainment

Road America offers a much different challenge from the low-speed corners of Detroit’s street circuit. But there’s still plenty Foster can take from his win in the Motor City.

“Yeah, some things. Obviously we don't have any more street races this year. That's one thing that doesn't necessarily help.

“But no, we're at a point now, the drivers are at a point, doesn't matter what circuit you're going to, you are looking for the optimum in the car. Road America is completely opposite to this track (Detroit) in a way.

“We just take forward the things we've learned maybe about the tires and other stuff, more detailed stuff that I won't go into.

“Yeah, I don't see any reason why we can't move this momentum forward into the next round at Road America.”

Photo Credit: Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment

Brazilian Caio Collet also has momentum on his side with his second consecutive podium finish. The HMD Motorsports rookie credits his team for how quickly he’s adapted to the series.

“The team is doing a really great job to help me to get all the information, all the preparation I need to come into a track. Obviously I think 90% of the tracks are new for me. Every time we have quite a lot of discussions, information to prep.

“I think obviously having 10 cars, having a team that is really good like them, it helps a lot. You have all the data, all the information you need to be ready when you first arrive at the track.

“I think they've been doing a really good job with me to help me to understand the car and also the tracks.”

As far as what he needs to do to get to the top step on the podium, Collet isn’t sure.

“It's hard to say. I think just keep doing what we are doing and I think our time will come. I think today we were really quick. Obviously the street course, it's hard to pass when you obviously have the same pace as the guy in front.

“I think Louis did no mistakes today. I never had a clean opportunity to go for it. But just keep doing what we are doing. I think we are doing a good job. It will come naturally hopefully.”

While he kept him in his mirrors in Detroit, Foster believes Collet will be a factor the rest of the season.

“I think Caio is going to be the guy to beat for the rest of the year. That race he was very fast. I expect him to be up there a lot more against me, Jacob and Nolan.”

INDY NXT by Firestone driver Yuven Sundaramoorthy has the date circled on his calendar every year, looking forward to competing at the track he considers home.

Sundaramoorthy returns to Elkhart Lake’s Road America this weekend as the INDY NXT series competes as the lead-in to Sunday’s XPEL Grand Prix for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

The 21-year-old Sundaramoorthy figures that between June Sprints, F1600 Championship races, and 10 races in the USF Pro Championships, he has raced at Road America over 20 times. But he didn’t grow up in Wisconsin. Born in Oconomowoc, his family moved to China for his father’s work when he was three years old. The family moved near Albany, NY when he was 10, but Wisconsin still held a special place in his life.

“I grew up in New York, but I would always say that I was from Wisconsin. My parents always bought me Badger stuff growing up because I was into Wisconsin sports. It was a faint memory in the back of my mind, and I knew I wanted to go to college there.”

Sundaramoorthy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last year with a degree in computer science but came away from school with much more than just a degree. His time in Formula SAE gave him practice and real-world knowledge that he puts to use as a race car driver.

A week after the Road America race, Sundaramoorthy will go to Michigan International Speedway to drive the Formula SAE electric vehicle he helped build. The student team will compete for the electric vehicle championship title against as many as 119 university-based teams from all over the world. Wisconsin recently finished third in the combustion engine competition’s design category, though Sundaramoorthy had to miss that weekend as he was racing at Indianapolis.

“Working with the Formula SAE team gave me so much valuable experience, including ways to use my computer science knowledge with a connection to racing. Through the FSAE team, I got to understand more of the intricacies of a race car. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of the car!"

The INDY NXT by Firestone’s Grand Prix at Road America takes the green flag Sunday, at 12:05 p.m. (CDT)

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