2026 Indy NXT Gateway | Qualifying results

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Qualifying for round 8 of the 2026 Indy NXT season at Gateway is complete. See the full results here.

The field entered qualifying after a competitive practice session that saw Enzo Fittipaldi lead the way for HMD Motorsports. Myles Rowe and Salvador de Alba completed the top three, while the top seven drivers all broke into the 160 mph range. With speeds increasing throughout the session and several championship contenders showing strong pace, the stage was set for a closely contested qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Qualifying took place under sunny skies, with ambient temperatures reaching 87 degrees. As is standard for Indy NXT oval qualifying, drivers ran individually, with the average speed from two laps determining the starting order.

Carson Etter was the first driver onto the track, posting a two-lap average speed of 155.350 mph.

Nick Monteiro followed and moved to the top of the timing sheets with a 159.060 mph average. Both Monteiro and Etter recorded faster second laps than their opening tours.

Alexander Koreiba was next and slotted into second with a 158.850 mph average.

Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, Irish driver James Roe became the first to break into the 160 mph range. Despite finishing 22nd in practice, Roe’s average speed of 160.660 mph moved him to the top of the order.

Chip Ganassi Racing continued its strong run when Dutch driver Niels Koolen recorded a 161.263 mph average. After ending practice in 17th, Koolen’s run suggested the team had found additional speed ahead of qualifying.

Colin Kaminsky placed his Abel Motorsports entry fifth with a 158.292 mph average.

Mexican driver Ricardo Escotto then moved into third for Juncos Hollinger Racing with a 159.424 mph average. Escotto had completed just 33 laps during practice.

Cusick Morgan Motorsports driver Yuven Sundaramoorthy split the Ganassi teammates with a 161.131 mph average, moving into second place.

Italian driver Matteo Nannini put his Cape Motorsports-powered-by-ECR machine fourth with a 159.985 mph average.

Salvador de Alba continued HMD Motorsports’ strong weekend, moving into third at 161.033 mph.

Australian driver Jack Beeton then edged ahead of de Alba, slotting into second with a 161.151 mph average.

Josh Pierson became the first driver to top 161.6 mph, jumping to the head of the field with a 161.676 mph average, the fastest run of the weekend to that point.

Bryce Aron moved into sixth with a 161.020 mph average, narrowly ahead of teammate Roe.

Max Garcia briefly placed eighth with a 160.417 mph average before fellow Abel Motorsports driver Jordan Missig immediately displaced him with a 160.539 mph run.

Seb Murray moved into fifth with a 161.071 mph average. The Scottish Andretti Global driver showed significant improvement between his first and second qualifying laps.

JM Correa then placed his Cusick Motorsports entry eighth with a 160.803 mph average.

Practice runner-up Myles Rowe appeared to lay down a statement run for Abel Motorsports, recording a 162.560 mph average. His second lap reached 163.2 mph, the fastest single lap seen in qualifying. However, Rowe’s run was disqualified by race control after he completed a third lap, which is prohibited under WWTR oval qualifying procedures.

Argentinian driver Alessandro de Tullio was next onto the track and immediately challenged for the top spot. The AJ Foyt Racing driver recorded a 162.363 mph average to move onto provisional pole. Entering the weekend, de Tullio had already claimed five poles during the 2026 season.

That benchmark stood only briefly, as defending Gateway winner Lochie Hughes edged ahead with a 162.578 mph average to take over provisional pole.

Andretti Global’s Max Taylor slotted into third with a 162.212 mph average, putting him ahead of teammate Josh Pierson.

Polish driver Tymek Kucharczyk followed with a 161.494 mph average, moving into fifth. However, the HMD Motorsports driver was immediately displaced by Nikita Johnson, who recorded a 161.652 mph average.

Practice pacesetter Enzo Fittipaldi did not take part in qualifying for HMD Motorsports. A mechanical issue prevented the Brazilian driver’s car from completing technical inspection, meaning the top two drivers from practice, Fittipaldi and Rowe, will start from the back of the grid.