Overview
- Hughes took the lead with a decisive outside pass on a restart into Turn 1 and held the advantage to win the Road America opener.
- The 20-lap race was repeatedly interrupted by incidents and cautions, with multiple early collisions shaping restarts and track position.
- Josh Pierson finished second and pole-sitter Alessandro de Tullio finished third after late-race position changes.
- The victory was Hughes’ first of 2026, his third career INDY NXT win, and marked Andretti Global’s 100th win in the series.
- Hughes moved back into the top five in the standings, about 55 points behind the leader, and a second race later in the weekend can further alter the tight title fight.