Myles Rowe becomes first Black driver to win Indy NXT race; Pato O’Ward victorious at Synk 275 at Iowa Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday was a historic day for IndyCar, as Myles Row became the first Black driver to win an Indy NXT race.

Rowe crossed the finish line before the likes of Dennis Hauger, Salvador de Alba and Caio Collet at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Rowe grabbed the lead during Lap 62 and held it through the end of the 75-lap race.

Hauger led the first 61 laps of the race. He also posted the fastest lap of the race at 19.4382 seconds. His registered speed during the lap was 165.571.

According to IndyCar’s website, Rowe is in the midst of his second Indy NXT season. Hauger is a rookie, and Saturday’s race at Iowa Speedway marked just the second time he has raced on an oval, per IndyCar.

In the NTT series race — the Synk 275 at Iowa Speedway — Pato O’Ward finished first ahead of the likes of Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Scott McLaughlin and Alex Palou.

Saturday’s NTT series race featured five different leaders — Newgarden, O’Ward, Power, Palou and Armstrong. Newgarden led the first 232 laps of the race. All subsequent lead changes happened in the final 43 laps of the race.

The win marked O’Ward’s first of the season. O’Ward is just the third driver to win an NTT series race this season.

Palou and Kyle Kirkwood won the first nine races of the season. Palou was victorious in seven of those races, including the Indianapolis 500.

Scott Dixon broke Palou and Kirkwood’s run of dominance with a win at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on July 6.

Palou and Kirkwood are in first and second, respectively, in the NTT series standings. O’Ward is currently in third, though he and Kirkwood both trail Palou by more than 100 points each in the standings.

A second NTT series race — the Farm to Finish 275 — will close out IndyCar’s stint at Iowa Speedway on Sunday. The race will begin at 1 p.m. and air on FOX59.