Rowe Rises to Top of Pre-Qualifying Practice at St. Pete

Myles Rowe will aim for his first INDY NXT by Firestone pole today after leading pre-qualifying practice this morning for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Second-year INDY NXT driver Rowe led with a top lap of 1 minute, 4.2496 seconds – the quickest lap of the two sessions so far this weekend – in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports/Force Indy car on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile temporary street circuit. He was third in Friday’s practice at 1:05.9760.

SEE: Practice Results

“Abel Motorsports has really put a machine under me,” Rowe said. “So, I’m really happy with that session. The track is really gripping up, which is nice. I’m excited for the rest of the day.”

Up next is qualifying at 1:30 p.m. ET for the first race of the season for the INDYCAR development series, with live coverage on FS2, FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The 45-lap race starts at 10 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Rookie Dennis Hauger, who led Friday’s opening practice, was second today at 1:04.3543 in the No. 28 Rental Group car fielded by Andretti Global. His fellow rookie teammate, Lochie Hughes, improved from a disappointing 10th Friday to third at 1:04.6025 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car.

Caio Collet, the top returning driver from the series last season, was fourth at 1:04.7168 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Jonathan Browne rounded out the top five at 1:04.7658 in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car.