Jack Beeton Overshadows Title Trio To Lead Milwaukee Practice

Rookie Jack Beeton stole the spotlight from the three INDY NXT by Firestone title contenders by leading the first practice Saturday at the Milwaukee Mile.

Beeton (photo, top), from Australia, turned a top lap of 152.149 mph in the No. 45 HMD Motorsports car on with less than a minute left in the 50-minute session. Beeton’s best finish in two prior oval starts this season was eighth at Nashville, but his speed around this 1.015-mile oval wasn’t that surprising considering he was fifth fastest in the Open Test here in late June.

SEE: Practice Results

“Definitely helps me have some good confidence for the rest of the weekend,” Beeton said. “We’re going to have a good weekend. I’m confident; the team is confident. We’ve been working really well all year, and hopefully we can put together a good result and end the season strong.”

JM Correa ended up second today at 152.097 in the No. 68 Cusick Morgan Motorsports machine.

The title race in the INDYCAR development series is extremely tight among three series rookies with three races remaining this season. Enzo Fittipaldi leads Nikita Johnson by one point and Tymek Kucharczyk by 18.

Kucharczyk (photo, above) was the fastest of the three main title contenders, third at 152.006 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry. Johnson was right behind in fourth at 151.724 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR car.

“We’re feeling really racy, especially on the long runs,” Johnson said. “So far, we’re one of the best out there. Practice doesn’t really matter. It all comes down to qualifying and whoever has the biggest cojones over the two-lap run.”

Rookie Max Garcia rounded out the top five at 151.548 in the No. 12 Abel Motorsports car.

Fittipaldi was ninth at 150.870 in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports machine.

There was one accident in the session. Myles Rowe, winner earlier this season on the World Wide Technology Raceway oval, was unhurt in a crash in Turn 2 with about seven minutes remaining.

Rowe did a quarter-spin to the left in Turn 2 and backed into the SAFER Barrier in his No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy car, which suffered moderate damage.

The Abel team will have work to complete before qualifying, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET today. The 90-lap race is set for 11 a.m. ET Sunday. FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls will broadcast both sessions live.