ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. — Jamie Chadwick made history by winning her first career INDY NXT by Firestone pole position Saturday for the Grand Prix at Road America.
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.”
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 at Road America in the split-session format used by the series on road and street courses. 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.
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.
