The second year for Myles Rowe in INDY NXT by Firestone is turning into a breakout season of consistency, determination and growth.
Those traits have catapulted him from a mid-pack rookie to a legitimate contender for victories.
The progress is evident. 2023 USF Pro 2000 champion Rowe delivered his best career INDY NXT finish by placing second last Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.
“Grateful to be on the podium,” Rowe said. “For sure, I wanted a little bit more, but Lochie (Hughes) came on quite surprisingly in the end.”
Starting fourth in the No. 99 ABEL/Force Indy machine, Rowe wasted no time asserting himself, moving into third on Lap 1. The Georgia native maintained third position for the first 59 laps before eventual race winner Lochie Hughes passed him when his No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car came alive while racing on a higher line on the 1.25-mile oval than the front-runners.
As Hughes climbed toward the lead, pole winner Caio Collet and points leader Dennis Hauger faded. The duo leaped out to a wide advantage but used too much of their Firestone Firehawk Racing Tires in that effort.
Hughes pounced. Rowe followed.
Rowe passed Hauger for third on Lap 65, then Collet for second three laps later.
He chased Hughes for the final seven laps but couldn’t catch him, finishing 4.3521 seconds back.
“He (Hughes) could make the high line work, especially in (Turns) 3-4, which was the hardest part of the track to make that high line work,” Rowe said. “With it naturally being a flat-out corner, being able to stay up there and keep your foot in it is very important. We were struggling with that.
“Looked like Lochie could do a bit better. He deservedly had the win. I’m so pleased.”
Rowe’s ability to adapt and capitalize on the missteps of front-runners like Hauger and Collet shows a level of racecraft that signals he’s ready for the next step – victory lane.
He emerged as a serious contender this season after a solid rookie season with HMD Motorsports in which he finished 11th in points. His move to ABEL Motorsports this offseason sparked a upswing in form. He is fourth in the standings, 87 points behind leader Hauger.
Rowe has recorded five top-four finishes in six starts, including three podiums in the last four. His consistency marks a sharp contrast to 2024, when his best result was fourth on the streets of Detroit, with just one additional top-five finish coming in Race 1 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course weekend.
He opened 2025 by tying his career-best fourth-place result in St. Petersburg and repeating it the next race at Barber Motorsports Park. Rowe then broke new ground with back-to-back third-place finishes during the IMS road course doubleheader in May.
Adversity struck June 1 at Detroit with a first-lap incident, leaving him with an 18th-place result. His ability to rebound from the Detroit setback with a podium at WWTR is a testament to the mental fortitude that separates elite drivers from good ones.
Rowe gained seven points on Hauger last weekend, and his measured driving approach and increasing confidence make him a top candidate to become the next new winner in INDY NXT by Firestone. The next race is this Sunday, June 22 at Road America (11 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network).
He already made history by becoming the first African American driver to win a race in the USF2000 Championship, reaching victory lane at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2021. Rowe climbed to USF Pro 2000 with Pabst Racing in 2023 and renewed support from Force Indy. He became the first African American driver to win a North American open-wheel championship.
The strong start to the 2025 season adds to his intense desire of becoming the first African American INDY NXT winner.
“Pressure makes diamonds, and I'm sure we'll shine,” he said.