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Hughes gets key win on path to Indy NXT

Hughes road america

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: June 11, 2024

To say there’s a lot on the line in the USF Pro 2000 series for Aussie youngster Lochie Hughes would be an understatement.

A storming weekend-sweep at Road America in Wisconsin has seen the Gold Coast talent leap to the top of the standings after five rounds, placing himself in hot pursuit of the $681,500 USD scholarship to graduate into INDY NXT – the top rung of the Road to Indy ladder.

After an impressive oval podium at Indianapolis Raceway Park the round prior, Hughes guided his #44 Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22 machine to an impressive scoop of wins.

After erasing the one point championship deficit to American Nikita Johnson by claiming the pole award, he went on to snatch a double-win day to kick off the three race weekend, following it up for another in Race 3.

“It was two really tough races,” he said after Race 2, “It’s hard going around here with the big slipstreams. You need to be disciplined and not make errors.

Backing it up in the third after taking the lead in lap 6 of 15 after a restart, he now enjoys a 50 point buffer with three rounds to go.

“After my troubles at NOLA, to bounce back in the championship like this and be on the run we are on is great … I am over the moon and hopefully we can just keep this momentum going to Mid-Ohio and the rest of the season.”

The former USF4 champion and USF2000 third place getter will head to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 4-7, with the season set to finish on the streets of Toronto and the Portland Raceway.

Does a tantalising seat in INDY NXT await Hughes in 2025?

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