Polish Rookie Comes to Grips With INDY NXT Quickly

Tymek Kucharczyk says his hero is himself -- five years from now.

That’s a bold statement for an INDY NXT by Firestone rookie who made his series debut last weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg.

“I’m trying to be as close to what I want to become as possible,” he said.

Kucharczyk (photo, above), 20, is off to a strong start. He qualified fifth in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry and finished third to earn a podium in his first race in the INDYCAR development series.

“I think we’ve done a pretty decent job, executed well,” Kucharczyk said. “The weekend was not the easiest one for my debut.”

HMD Motorsports team president Mike Maurini said he was proud of Kucharczyk’s progression from the opening practice Friday to Sunday’s podium finish. Maurini admitted he didn’t expect Kucharczyk to finish on the podium if the race was Friday, as he noticed nerves and rookie mistakes from his driver while navigating a new track, a car that had Push to Pass, a feature he’s never used before, and a race weekend of this magnitude.

“I had to sort it out myself,” Kucharczyk said. “I did my maximum. I knew the start would be the only opportunity, pretty much, to make up some places, so I just sent it. It turned out pretty good because I made up two spots.

“Then the rest of the race, I was trying to manage the tires, execute good restarts and hold my position.”

Kucharczyk became the first Polish driver to compete in the INDYCAR development series and was greeted by a strong contingent of Polish fans in St. Petersburg (photo, above). He noticed the surge of support throughout the weekend.

The Polish driver arrived in the United States after a dominant 2025 season in the Euroformula Open Championship, where he secured the title with BVM Racing. He also competed in the 2025 Macau Grand Prix, part of the FIA Formula Regional World Cup, with Van Amersfoort Racing.

Kucharczyk began karting at age 5 and quickly emerged as a standout. He finished third in the 2022 F4 Spanish Championship with one win and 12 podiums. He then advanced to the GB3 Championship, where over two seasons he earned four wins, three pole positions and finished third in the standings.

“I’m just really grateful because I got the opportunity to race here,” Kucharczyk said. “The team behind me, the HMD crew for car 71, did an amazing job. They gave me a happy place, a safe zone where I can develop and work on myself. Every session was better.

“This trophy is a great feeling, and jumping straight to the podium is nice for me personally.”

Kucharczyk admitted racing in the United States has required adjustments, but believes he is in a good position entering the second race of the season, March 15 at the Grand Prix of Arlington.

“The racing here is very much different from Europe,” he said. “We’re still new to this series, so it’s nice to jump into a new car, new series and be straight away on pace.

“Coming to America has been very enjoyable so far. It’s my second time in America, so there’s still a lot I need to learn. I don’t have much experience in quicker cars than INDY NXT, so it’s all about learning. This year is a learning process.

“There are still a lot of things we can improve.”