MADISON, Ill. (Saturday, June 6, 2026) – Lochie Hughes needed this.
Series veteran Hughes earned his third career pole and first this season for the INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, turning a two-lap average of 162.578 mph in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry. It was his first pole on an oval track.
Australian Hughes entered the season as the top returnee to the INDYCAR development series after finishing third as a rookie with Andretti Global, with two victories and two poles. But he has struggled in his sophomore season, with a second-place finish at the Indianapolis Grand Prix his sole podium finish. He is fifth in the standings entering this event, 90 points behind leader Enzo Fittipaldi.
“I think I just left the tiniest bit of margin out there, so I was a little bit nervous because I knew probably could have gone a bit quicker. But it was a really good two laps. It’s so easy to overdo it, as well.
“I’m happy. It’s been a rough start to the year. My mind has been a bit like a pretzel, so I’m relieved to have a pole position. Hopefully we can back it up with a win. That’s what we need. But this is nice. It’s some momentum going the right way.”
Live coverage of the 75-lap race on the asymmetrical, 1.25-mile oval – the first oval event of the season for the series – starts at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.
Rookie Alessandro de Tullio continued his strong qualifying performance this season by taking the outside spot on the front row at 162.363 in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing machine. De Tullio has five poles and two second-place qualifying performances in eight starts this season.
Andretti Global drivers swept the second row to give the team three of the top four qualifying spots. Max Taylor qualified third with his run of 162.212 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen entry, while Josh Pierson was fourth at 161.676 in the No. 29 Starchive Andretti car.
Rookie Nikita Johnson qualified fifth at 161.652 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR car, while fellow rookie Tymek Kucharczyk completed the third row at 161.494 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports machine.
The race could feature plenty of drama and action due to the series leader and arguably its fastest driver on ovals starting from the back.
Series leader Enzo Fittipaldi forfeited his guaranteed qualifying attempt due to a mechanical problem while rolling out for qualifying that prevented the No. 67 HMD Motorsports entry from going through pre-qualifying technical inspection. He will start 23rd in the 24-car field after leading pre-qualifying practice earlier today.
Myles Rowe, winner of two oval races last season, will start 24th after he lost his qualifying run in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy car for failure to follow the direction of INDYCAR. Rowe continued on a third flying lap after taking the checkered for his two-lap run of 162.560, which would have placed him second on the starting grid Sunday.
“We’ve been having radio issues for a good portion of the season,” Rowe said. “I just didn’t hear the call for the checkered. I’m obviously not trying to do anything to put anybody in danger or anything like that.”
