Reece Gold takes dramatic first career win in Indy NXT Detroit
Reece Gold took his first career victory in Detroit on Saturday as leader Nolan Siegel suffered a mechanical failure in the last lap of the Indy NXT weekend opener.
Reece Gold took his maiden career victory on the streets of Detroit. (James Black / Penske Entertainment)
Gold had fallen five-seconds behind Siegel but was in position to take the lead around the final corner to win ahead of Jagger Jones and Ernie Francis Jr.
“I don’t know what happened to Nolan,” said Gold.
“That sucks. They ran a great race.”
“I’m super happy to get my first win. Thank you to the team. Everyone at HMD has done an amazing job.”
“Never give up. That was a crazy ending.”
It was a dramatic race in Detroit, with the first race of the Indy NXT double-header as curtain-raiser around a new street circuit on the Indycar calendar.
Polesitter Louis Foster was collected by teammate Hunter McElrea off the start, with Gold and Siegel controlling the lead of the field from the opening lap.
Siegel caught up to the leader, passing for the lead on lap 39 and building a gap to his fellow rookie, but it was not enough when he suffered a heart-breaking gearbox failure on the final lap.
Jagger Jones followed Gold through for second, with Ernie Francis Jr. completing the podium after returning from surgery for a broken wrist.
Reece Gold on the streets of Detroit. (Joe Skibinski / Penske Entertainment)
Kiwi Hunter McElrea was slapped with a stop-go penalty for his contact with Foster at the start but recovered to seventh by the chequered flag, with championship leader Christian Rasmussen holding the lead of the standings. Rasmussen recovered to ninth after a lap 1 pit stop after damaging his front wing while trying to avoid the McElrea/Foster collision ahead.
The Indy NXT field returns to the streets of Detroit at 2.40am Sunday (AEST).
Indy NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix - Race 1 Result
- Reece Gold
- Jagger Jones
- Ernie Francis Jr.
- Jacob Abel
- Enaam Ahmed
- Christian Bogle
- Hunter McElrea (NZ)
- Nola Siegel
- Christian Rasmussen
- James Roe
- Jamie Chadwick
- Rasmus Lindh
- Kyffin Simpson
- Matteo Nannini
- Josh Green - DNF
- Colin Kaminsky - DNF
- Toby Sowery - DNF
- Danial Frost - DNF
- Louis Foster - DNF
