Dennis Hauger continues to build an impressive rookie INDY NXT by Firestone season. The Norwegian driver, fresh off his Detroit Grand Prix victory on June 1, holds a 38-point lead over fellow rookie and Andretti Global teammate Lochie Hughes.

A strong finish in Sunday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway, airing at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network, could strengthen his grip on the championship.

SEE: Event Details

Here are some storylines ahead of Sunday’s 75-lap race.

Hauger, Hughes Make INDY NXT Oval Debuts

World Wide Technology Raceway is one of four ovals on the 2025 INDY NXT calendar, joining Iowa Speedway (July 12), Milwaukee Mile (Aug. 24) and Nashville Superspeedway (Aug. 31). Ovals demand different skills than the street courses and road circuits which made up the opening five rounds of the season.

Hauger and Hughes have combined to win all five races this season, four for Hauger and one for Hughes. However, neither has any INDY NXT by Firestone oval experience outside of Open Tests at Nashville Superspeedway on April 1 and Iowa Speedway on June 9. Hauger has never raced on an oval in any series.

Hauger was quickest in Nashville and second in Iowa. Hughes was third quickest in both test sessions.

That potentially leads to the oval part of the championship equation not being as big of a question mark as initially thought.

Plus, Hughes competed on the short oval at Indianapolis Raceway Park in USF 2000 and USF Pro 2000 competition.

Andretti Global Veteran Teammates Could Pick Up Slack

Testing speed reduces the oval inexperience concern for Hauger and Hughes, but race craft under pressure on an oval remains a question. If Hauger and Hughes’ oval inexperience leads to any trouble at World Wide Technology Raceway, maybe their two experienced teammates can pick up the slack.

Andretti Global has 14 wins in the last 16 INDY NXT races, dating to Race 2 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course weekend in 2024.

Also, Andretti Global has four wins at the 1.25-mile track near St. Louis since 2018, including Louis Foster’s victory last season. Foster swept all four ovals last season en route to a commanding series championship.

That could spell a breakout performance for Salvador de Alba, who has a strong oval resume with 11 wins in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series. The Andretti Global second-year driver also finished fourth last year at WWTR, third at Iowa Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile, and fifth at Nashville Superspeedway. De Alba is fifth in points this season, with three top-five finishes and was on his way to another in Detroit before a broken front wing forced an unscheduled stop while running second.

De Alba was fourth fastest in both the Nashville and Iowa tests.

James Roe was seventh fastest in the Nashville test and eighth at Iowa and needs a rebound. His best result this season is 10th at Barber Motorsports Park. Roe did earn pole last year at Iowa and finished second. He was 10th at World Wide Technology Raceway, sixth in Milwaukee and fourth in Nashville.

Collet Time?

The next six races could define Caio Collet’s championship push. The HMD Motorsports sophomore has quietly become a model of consistency and enters a critical part of the schedule where his form, familiarity and team history could align.

Collet is third in points, trailing Hauger by 84.

He finished third in the 2024 season finale on the Nashville oval and boasts three podium finishes, including a pair of runner-ups in the last three races.

Backed by a proven oval-winning team that won both WWTR races in 2020 with David Malukas and won again in 2023 with Christian Rasmussen, Collet has the pedigree to earn his first circle-track victory Sunday.

While Hauger is expected to be strong at the two tracks between World Wide Technology Raceway and Iowa Speedway, Collet should be in the mix.

He finished fifth as a rookie at Road America, the site of the June 22 race in two weeks, then earned his maiden INDY NXT pole and victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the July 6 event following Road America.

After Iowa Speedway (July 12), the series has a doubleheader at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (July 26-27). Collet finished runner-up in both races last year, marking this a pivotal stretch.

If Collet can capitalize on the ovals and continue his podium form through Road America, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca, he could slice into his deficit and make a run on tracks where he’s already proven.

WWTR could be a launching pad for a late-season surge.

Can Rowe, ABEL Motorsports Contend for Win?

After a tough outing in Detroit that ended Myles Rowe’s streak of four straight top-four finishes with an 18th-place finish, he enters WWTR looking to reignite this title campaign.

Rowe is fourth in points, trailing Hauger by 95.

Rowe struggled on ovals in 2024, but the two oval tests tell a different story and noticeable improvement in raw pace.

Driving the No. 99 ABEL Motorsports/Force Indy entry, Rowe was second fastest in the Nashville test and fifth at Iowa.

With Andretti and HMD dominating at WWTR historically, combining to win the last seven INDY NXT races at the 1.25-mile track, a strong performance by Rowe on Sunday could vault him back into podium contention and convert testing speed into oval results.

His ABEL Motorsports teammates could challenge for spots up front, too. Callum Hedge finished fourth at Iowa and fifth at World Wide Technology Raceway last season. Teammate Jack William Miller has three top-10 finishes in the last four races, including a career-best seventh in Detroit.

Pierson Set Up for Career Weekend?

With oval experience in short supply for the heavyweights, WWTR is a perfect setting for HMD Motorsports driver Josh Pierson to emerge.

Oregon native Pierson has finished ninth, fifth, sixth, ninth and fourth, respectively, this season. He vaulted to sixth in points and has two WWTR starts. He was also the fastest in Monday’s Iowa Speedway Open Test.

Track Specs: 1.25-mile oval

Qualifying Record (One Lap): Louis Foster, 27.3986 (164.242 mph), Aug. 16, 2024

Qualifying Record (Two Laps): Juan Piedrahita, 54.8416 (164.109 mph), Aug. 16, 2024