INDY NXT SERIES: GRAND PRIX OF ROAD AMERICA

June 22, 2025

Caio Collet

Dennis Hauger

Lochie Hughes

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joined now by the podium finishers today. Caio Collet, led five of the 20 laps, his first win of season, second of his career. It's his fifth podium of the season.

Dennis Hauger finished second today, led 15 laps. Fifth podium of the season, first since Detroit.

Finishing third, Lochie Hughes, sixth podium of the season, back-to-back podium finishes after the win at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Caio, congratulations. The big question, tell us about that pass around the outside in turn one.

CAIO COLLET: Yeah, thank you first of all.

We had a great car all weekend. Yesterday I was quite frustrated to not get the pole. Dennis did a mega lap. I think I left a bit in the tank. I my had a great car.

At the start I tried, it didn't happen. After that I kept the pressure and I was praying for a mistake, to be honest. For 14 laps he didn't put the wheel off. At one point in turn 14, he had a little slide, I got a run. In my mind I was like it's now or never. I glad it worked.

When I saw my lap time on the dash, how is it possible that I'm not pole. He did a mega lap in group one. I think I was confident for the race. Since practice one, we had a good pace. I think I just kept it calm and pushed him to the mistake.

THE MODERATOR: Long time coming after the win at Mid-Ohio.

CAIO COLLET: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Dennis, for you, a great start. What did you see as Caio was making the run in turn one?

DENNIS HAUGER: Yeah, he's been strong all week, to be honest. I was quicker than him one lap when I was qualifying. But honestly, we started a bit on the back foot this weekend. The team did an amazing job to get back in the win after qualifying. They were just a bit stronger today. I was struggling a bit more and more towards the last half of the race.

Yeah, Caio was really strong from turn 12 to 14 all race. I tried to hold on. Got a bit of a slide after 14. That just gave him a bit of a run. So it was more or less pass before turn one. I tried to brake deep and keep him on the outside to see.

No, he had really good pace. Once he got past, we tried to sort of stick with him. Yeah, it's good points. Obviously we're here to win, race for the win. It was close, but just not enough.

THE MODERATOR: Tire management is everything for this series, correct?

DENNIS HAUGER: Yeah. I'm a bit surprised with the tires this weekend. It's a bit different experience than what I'm used to in these cars. It was learning from the experience, for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Lochie, for you, congratulations. Another podium. Tell us about your day. Certainly that pass to get on the podium for you in turn five...

LOCHIE HUGHES: Yeah, I mean, we've been struggling all weekend. Track just seemed, like, strange. I've never felt the feelings I felt here before. I've raced here in a few different cars.

Then yeah, on the back foot. We went the wrong way with the setup. So yeah, the weekend just started off a bit rough.

Yeah, in the race we made some changes that I think were good. Got Pierson at the start. Got greedy in six, he got by. Just after that it was pretty hard to pass without the push to pass. Just getting aero wash, then you'd suck back up down the straight. It was pretty difficult.

Found something through three, which I was able to keep close. Had a big crack at him on the last lap.

THE MODERATOR: The beauty of this championship, you win on an oval one weekend, back on a road course like this. Pretty cool, right?

LOCHIE HUGHES: For sure, for sure. In this series, with INDYCAR and everything, it's the coolest championship in the world, getting to race ovals, road courses and street tracks.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Caio, talk about the experience. We've seen races on big road courses like this where the tires drop off towards the end of the race. Talk about saving the tires and patiently waiting for the move.

CAIO COLLET: Yeah, I think last year I knew what not to do because, like, I did a big (indiscernible) and I was struggling with my front lap the whole race. I had for sure the experience of last year in mind.

I think at the beginning of the race when I tried in the start and it didn't work, I said let's take a step down, keep the pressure up, saving the corners that I needed to, pushing the corners that I had to push to keep the pressure up. We did very well. I had a great car to do that. Kept him under pressure the whole race.

At the end I had an opportunity with his mistake. I went for it. I think we prepared well the race and this weekend they did a really good job coming up with the car here. Hopefully we can keep it up for the rest of the season.

Q. Caio, I think a lot of people expected you to be in the title fight this year. Halfway through the season, how do you evaluate how it's gone? Do you feel you can still win the championship this year?

CAIO COLLET: Yeah, I think the early part of the season was dominated by them, the two guys here. To be honest, was quite tough. Obviously when you come in a second year, you expect to be at the front. We were there, but not quite.

I think they really dominated everything up to this weekend. I think we were able to be in the fight this weekend. Hopefully we can gain the momentum throughout the rest of the season. For sure will be a long fight and difficult one. Hopefully we can win a couple more races, and we never know what can happen.

So far I think our focus is to win races and see what happens.

Q. Obviously, you were following closely behind Dennis for quite a while today. Speak about the challenge of following that closely and the patience it takes not to get frustrated.

CAIO COLLET: Yeah, I think for 12 laps, as I said before, he didn't put a wheel off. Was quite frustrating because I was pushing behind him to keep the pressure. He was driving very well, not doing any mistake.

I think was a tough race for all of us. Again, with his mistake I was able to get a run. Finally made the pass. No, I'm glad it worked. I'm happy with the weekend so far.

Q. There were issues with push to pass throughout the race for all cars. How does that alter your approach, if at all?

CAIO COLLET: Yeah, was quite weird. When I took the last car, I pushed the button, nothing came up. I was catching Dennis on the straight. I am like maybe he didn't use, maybe it's not working. I went on the radio. They said the push to pass wasn't working. I had to make the move. If I wanted to go for the win, I had to make the move on track.

I think I just take the push to pass out of my mind and just focus really on the race, what I had to do on track. Yeah, was quite strange.

THE MODERATOR: Sounds like it was a car-side signal processing issue. Clean it up for the next race.

Q. Caio, what was the difference on lap 13? Was it slipstream or more pace that you were keeping in reserve ready for that moment?

CAIO COLLET: No, not really. I think for sure when I was closer out of the car, I was trying to push a little bit more the brakes out of 12. The last corner, was maybe seeing the distance, trying to match that with my lap time.

But I think I did the best lap because he did a mistake and I got a massive slipstream to the line. That for sure helped me with the lap time.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, guys. Have a great weekend off. We'll see you at Mid-Ohio.