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Enzo Fittipaldi Triumphs in Motor City Thriller, Claims Series Lead
Highlights
- Enzo Fittipaldi won INDY NXT Detroit race from seventh position
- Fittipaldi leads championship by seven points over Nikita Johnson
- Fittipaldi’s victory first Fittipaldi win in Detroit in 35 years
- Myles Rowe finished second, Tymek Kucharczyk took third place
- Race featured record 141 on-track passes and intense competition
- Next race: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on June 7
Enzo Fittipaldi wins the INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix after starting seventh, claiming HMD Motorsports’ second victory of the season and moving into the points lead.
The timed race on Detroit’s 1.645-mile street circuit ends under caution, capping an event defined by relentless attack and decisive restarts.
The field produces an INDY NXT record 141 on-track passes and 124 for position, underscoring the series’ competitiveness on the tight layout.
INDY NXT sets a record with 141 on-track passes, 124 for position, in a bruising Detroit street fight.
Early contact shapes the contest. Lochie Hughes triggers a Turn 3 incident with pole-sitter Alessandro de Tullio and takes a penalty for avoidable contact.
Fittipaldi suffers right-front wing damage and a hole in the nose cone in the lap-one chaos, yet stabilizes pace and remains in contention.
The event, scheduled for 45 laps, converts to a time-certain race amid multiple cautions and debris interruptions, including a lap-26 yellow.
Tymek Kucharczyk controls the middle phase after the early restart. Myles Rowe advances to second and erodes the lead as traffic compresses the pack.
The decisive move arrives at the Turn 3 hairpin on a restart. Rowe and Kucharczyk run deep, and Fittipaldi dives inside both to snatch the lead.
The pass for the win comes at Turn 3 as Rowe and Kucharczyk go wide; Fittipaldi slices inside to lead.
Despite aero damage, Fittipaldi manages pace through the final stint. “I just pushed as hard as I could,” he says. “I found pace. I was really, really fast.”
Rowe finishes second for Abel Motorsports, his best result of the season in the No. 99. Kucharczyk completes the podium after leading significant laps.
Max Garcia matches his season best in fourth for Abel. Seb Murray rounds out the top five for Andretti Global in the No. 27 Megatron entry.
The win is the first for the Fittipaldi name in Detroit in 35 years, echoing Emerson Fittipaldi’s successes on the city’s previous downtown street circuit in 1989 and 1991.
The wider Detroit weekend also features NTT IndyCar Series action, where Alex Palou takes pole and sets the tone for Sunday.
Fittipaldi’s victory yields a seven-point championship lead over Nikita Johnson and an eight-point margin over teammate Kucharczyk, emphasizing HMD’s current strength.
Fittipaldi leads the standings by seven points over Nikita Johnson, with Kucharczyk a further point back.
The final caution arrives with just over four minutes left after Max Taylor hits the Turn 1 barrier. The race ends under yellow, locking in the order.
Attention now turns to the first oval of the season, the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 7, demanding a sharp setup pivot.
Detroit’s chaotic, time-certain race ends under yellow after Max Taylor’s Turn 1 incident.
Visual Summary
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1
1
Enzo Fittipaldi
Claims Wild Detroit Victory with a Wounded Car
Claims Wild Detroit Victory with a Wounded Car
Championship Now:
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Fittipaldi +7
Fittipaldi +7
Johnson
Kucharczyk
Fittipaldi leads INDY NXT by 7 points
INDY NXT Records Shattered:
141
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124 for position
Most competitive Detroit race ever
First Fittipaldi win in Detroit since 1989 🏁
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Wild mid-race leap from P7 to P1
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Passed 2 rivals in one hairpin
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Won despite front wing & nose cone damage
Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.
