Indy NXT | Barber | FP2 | Hauger pips Collet to top spot in mixed conditions - Motorsport

Spread the love

The second session of the Indy NXT weekend is in the books at Barber Motorsports Park, view the full report and results of FP2 below.

Rain had fallen in Birmingham, leaving the track in a wet condition as the 20 drivers took to the track on Saturday morning.

Inside the opening five minutes, a 1:27.078 from Caio Collet saw the Brazilian lead Papasavvas, Smith, Rowe, Aron and Roe. The Australian was having adventures once again at turn 1 as he pushed hard in the early stages.

After Caio Collet did a 1:26.836 to lower his benchmark, Dennis Hauger appeared and found P1 very quickly. A 1:25.046 10 minutes in put him over a second clear of de Alba, with Roe, Koolen and Collet completing the top 5.

Myles Rowe had a spin at turn 5 but carried on without damage. Nolan Allaer was wide at turn 2 and took a trip through the grass. Salvador de Alba had a moment as he got wide in turn 14 and ended up on the grass. Luckily for him he did not lose the car on the wet grass.

Behind the Norwegian, Bryce Aron closed the gap big time has a 1:25.155 put him just a tenth behind the championship leader. Hughes and Koolen almost got into the 1:25s.

Irishman James Roe then put in a rapid lap as he logged a 1:23.930 to go 1.1s clear of the field. Hauger, Aron, Hughes, Koolen, Papasavvas, de Alba, Pierson, Escotto and Collet completed the top 10 with 25 minutes to go. Moments later the Brazilian did a 1:23.512 to jump from P10 to P1.

Rookie Max Taylor displayed good pace again as a 1:23.869 moved him into P2, with Bryce Aron vaulting up to 3rd.

Tommy Smith was stuck in the pits for a considerable amount of time as he damaged a cooling area on the car after going off earlier.

With 18 minutes remaining, Niels Koolen appeared on dry tyres as the racing line started to get drier and drier.

A 1:23.417 from James Roe saw the Irish driver lead Collet, Hughes, Taylor and Aron before more drivers came out on slicks. Dennis Hauger was P7.

Collet immediately had a lot of confidence, clocking a 1:17.924 to be over 2s clear of Pierson with 10 minutes remaining. Papasavvas and Koolen were in the 1:20s alongside Pearson as they were the first drivers to get some good markers in on slicks.

Down at the hairpin, Escotto had a spin but continued as his dry tyres were still too cold. James Roe did the same a couple of minutes later.

In turn 2, Salvador de Alba had a moment as well as he recovered from a moment through the grass.

After Hauger logged a 1:16.125 with the track getting drier all the time, Caio Collet smashed in a 1:14.720 to put 1.4s into the field. The Brazilian would end up lowering that to a 1:12.875.

However, Dennis Hauger would lead the way once again as a 1:12.774 at the chequered flag saw him end up a tenth clear of his former fellow F3 rival. They were the only drivers in the 1:12s.

de Alba, Hughes, Rowe and Hedge were covered by a tenth from P3-P6. Escotto, Missig, Taylor and Murray completed the top 10. Papasavvas was the other driver within a second of Hauger.

Roe, Pierson, Aron, Koolen, Smith, Sceats, Allaer, Miller and Deegan completed the full order.