LEXINGTON, Ohio (Saturday, July 4, 2026) – Enzo Fittipaldi completed a dominant Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, leading all 35 laps from the pole to earn his third career INDY NXT by Firestone victory and cap a historic day for HMD Motorsports.
Driving the No. 67 HMD Motorsports entry, Fittipaldi controlled three restarts before pulling away to victory while helping HMD Motorsports record the first 1-2-3-4 finish in series history. Tymek Kucharczyk finished second, 1.9003 seconds behind, followed by Jack Beeton and Salvador de Alba.
The last team to sweep a podium was Andretti Global at the Milwaukee Mile last season. HMD Motorsports last finished 1-2-3 in 2024 at Barber Motorsports Park, with Christian Rasmussen leading Nolan Siegel and Toby Sowery.
Lochie Hughes completed the top five on a hot and humid Ohio afternoon in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry.
The race featured 133 on-track passes, 124 for position. Both were the most for this series at this track.
Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 1989 INDYCAR SERIES champion Emerson Fittipaldi, added another family milestone at Mid-Ohio. Emerson won three INDYCAR SERIES races at the 2.258-mile road course.
“This was absolutely amazing,” Fittipaldi said. “We had a great drive out there. Just super happy. The car was really quick, and it’s a 1-2-3-4 for HMD, that’s absolutely amazing. So happy for them; they deserve it. They’re honestly an amazing team to work with and just super happy about the race today.”
Fittipaldi’s biggest test came after the final restart on Lap 25 following JM Correa’s trip into the Turn 12 tire barriers four laps earlier. He quickly opened a comfortable advantage, remaining unbeaten this weekend after leading Friday’s practice and earning both poles in track-record fashion.
The first caution flew on Lap 5 when Nicolas Stati stalled exiting Turn 2. On the Lap 8 restart, Kucharczyk charged from fourth to second, where he remained to earn his seventh podium in 11 starts this season and his second consecutive runner-up finish.
Beeton earned his career-best finish with third after previously placing fourth in Race 1 at Barber Motorsports Park. De Alba recorded his best finish of the season in fourth.
The race’s only other caution came on Lap 12 when Nolan Allaer stalled the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing entry in Turn 6.
Championship leader Nikita Johnson entered the race with a 26-point lead over Fittipaldi but finished seventh in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry. Combined with Kucharczyk’s runner-up finish, the result reshuffled the championship standings.
Kucharczyk now leads the standings by seven points over Fittipaldi and eight over Johnson entering Sunday’s 30-lap Race 2. It marks the first time this season Kucharczyk has led the championship and the first time since after the May 31 race at Detroit that Johnson has not occupied the top spot. Fittipaldi was the championship leader after Detroit.
Fittipaldi will have an opportunity to complete the weekend sweep in Race 2 at 10 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
