Caio Collet thrust himself into contention for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone championship with a commanding win June 22 at Road America.
That was Collet’s first victory of the season and second of his career in the INDYCAR development series.
HMD Motorsports driver Collet capitalized on a rare error by Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger, who had led the opening 15 laps from pole. Hauger slid wide in the final corner on the 4.014-mile track, allowing Collet to pounce and take the lead, one he never relinquished.
“For 14 laps, he didn’t put a wheel wrong,” Collet said. “At one point in Turn 14, he had a little slide. I got a run. In my mind, I thought, ‘It’s now or never.’”
Collet topped both practice sessions during the weekend and converted his pace into a statement win, leading all five remaining laps after Hauger’s mistake.
The win capped Collet’s third consecutive podium finish, building on a second-place result on the streets of Detroit on June 1 and a third at World Wide Technology Raceway, where he led a race-high 58 of 75 laps June 15. Despite losing out late in that race to rookie Lochie Hughes and second-year driver Myles Rowe, Collet found consistency at a critical stage in the championship, reaching the midway mark of the season.
Entering WWTR, Collet trailed championship leader Hauger by 84, but his form has begun to shift momentum. He sits 70 points back heading into the next round Sunday, July 6 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the site of his first pole and victory last season.
This moment could catapult him to preseason expectations.
Collet, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, was a title favorite entering this season – with good reason. He was the top returning points scorer, placing third last year. And 2024 champion Louis Foster and runner-up Jacob Abel each graduated to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
However, early dominance by Andretti Global rookies Hauger and Hughes, who won the season’s first six races, left Collet playing catch-up. A third-place finish behind Hauger and Hughes in the season opener at St. Petersburg was followed by a mechanical DNF at Barber Motorsports Park.
“To be honest, it was quite tough,” Collet said. “When you come in a second year, you expect to be at the front. We were there, but not to their level.”
Road America proved he has leveled the playing field.
With four of the remaining seven races on natural road courses – where Collet has a strong record – and three ovals where he holds experience over the rookies, the championship picture has shifted.
Even Hauger acknowledged the potential turning of the tide.
“We’ve been on the back foot compared to Collet all weekend (at Road America),” Hauger said. “We did everything right, but they were just a bit stronger.”
With momentum now on his side and tracks ahead that suit his style, Collet’s resurgence sets up a thrilling second half of the season.
“Hopefully, we can gain the momentum throughout the rest of the season,” Collet said. “For sure will be a long fight and a difficult one. Hopefully, we can win a couple more races, and we never know what can happen. I think our focus is to win races and see what happens.”