Jamie Chadwick

Indy NXT: Can Chadwick beat all the boys at Road America today?

Jamie Chadwick made history by winning her first career INDY NXT by Firestone pole position Saturday for the Grand Prix at Road America. It begs the question – Will a girl beat all the boys in today’s race?

Chadwick, from England, turned a top lap of 1 minute, 51.0333 seconds in the No. 28 VEXT car of Andretti Global to become the first female driver to earn a pole on a road or street course in the history of INDYCAR’s development series. She also became just the third female driver to win an INDY NXT pole and the first since Pippa Mann in October 2010 on the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval.

“I’m so happy,” Chadwick said. “We struggled a little bit this weekend chasing balance. When (teammate) Louis (Foster) did the lap he did, I knew we would have a good car. Track conditions improving, this is our shot in our group, as well. I really thought we could make the most of this opportunity.

“It’s going to be a tough day tomorrow, but I’m confident in what we can do.”

Live coverage of the 20-lap race starts at 1:05 p.m. ET Sunday on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Chadwick’s previous best starting spot was fourth last Sunday on the streets of Detroit, as her speed continues to accelerate in her second INDY NXT season. She was a member of the second qualifying group today at Road America in the split-session format used by the series on road and street courses, and drivers in that group benefited from the rapidly drying 14-turn, 4.014-mile circuit as all-afternoon rain gave way to clearing skies about 30 minutes before qualifying began.

Foster locked out the front row for Andretti Global, as he will start second after his best lap of 1:51.0541 in the No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies car. Foster will try to become the first driver since Linus Lundqvist – who won his first career pole earlier in the day for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race – in 2022 to win three consecutive INDY NXT races.

Josh Pierson recorded a career-best starting spot of third at 1:51.1621 in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports machine. His previous best was sixth in May 2023 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Championship leader Jacob Abel will start fourth at 1:51.2702 in the No. 51 Abel Construction entry of Abel Motorsports.

Jamie Chadwick leads Jack William Miller Elkhart Lake, WI – during the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)

HMD Motorsports teammates Reece Gold and Caio Collet will occupy the third row. Gold qualified fifth at 1:51.5069 in the No. 10 machine, with Collet as the top-qualifying rookie in sixth at 1:51.4054 in the No. 18 car.

Starting Lineup

Rank

No.

Driver Name

Time

Speed

Session

1

28

Chadwick, Jamie

1m51.0333s

130.145

Qualifications / Group 2

2

26

Foster, Louis

1m51.0541s

130.120

Qualifications / Group 1

3

14

Pierson, Josh

1m51.1621s

129.994

Qualifications / Group 2

4

51

Abel, Jacob

1m51.2702s

129.868

Qualifications / Group 1

5

10

Gold, Reece

1m51.5069s

129.592

Qualifications / Group 2

6

18

Collet, Caio (R)

1m51.4054s

129.710

Qualifications / Group 1

7

27

Aron, Bryce (R)

1m51.7496s

129.311

Qualifications / Group 2

8

17

Hedge, Callum (R)

1m51.8581s

129.185

Qualifications / Group 1

9

3

d’Orlando, Michael (R)

1m51.9552s

129.073

Qualifications / Group 2

10

99

Rowe, Myles (R)

1m51.8633s

129.179

Qualifications / Group 1

11

22

Sundaramoorthy, Yuven

1m52.5452s

128.396

Qualifications / Group 2

12

23

Browne, Jonathan (R)

1m51.9195s

129.114

Qualifications / Group 1

13

11

Allaer, Nolan (R)

1m53.0420s

127.832

Qualifications / Group 2

14

2

de Alba Jr, Salvador (R)

1m52.1282s

128.874

Qualifications / Group 1

15

21

Missig, Jordan (R)

1m53.7226s

127.067

Qualifications / Group 2

16

7

Bogle, Christian

1m52.3571s

128.611

Qualifications / Group 1

17

29

Roe, James

2m18.1654s

104.588

Qualifications / Group 2

18

39

Porto, Kiko (R)

1m52.5580s

128.382

Qualifications / Group 1

19

40

Miller, Jack William (R)

05:57.2232s

40.452

Qualifications / Group 2

20

33

Koolen, Niels (R)

1m53.4771s

127.342

Qualifications / Group 1

21

76

Brewer, Lindsay (R)

No Time

No Speed

Qualifications / Group 2

(R) Rookie