Alessandro de Tullio navigated tire degradation challenges to secure a commanding victory in round six of the Indy NXT series at Portland International Raceway. The Argentine driver led all 35 laps in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry, finishing 2.169 seconds ahead of Andretti Global’s Lochie Hughes to claim his second win of the season.
“Tire management was critical, especially as degradation increased toward the end,” de Tullio explained. “I pushed for the fastest lap in the closing stages but just missed it by a fraction. The start was intense with Hughes making a strong move into Turn 1, but we maintained our position through the restart. The team’s support was exceptional.”
Hughes (2nd) and Max Taylor (3rd) completed the podium for Andretti Global, while HMD Motorsports’ Tymek Kucharczyk finished fourth and Jacob Abel—returning after the 2024 championship runner-up spot—rounded out the top five.
The race reshaped the championship standings. Enzo Fittipaldi (HMD Motorsports) and Nikita Johnson (Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR), who finished seventh and eighth respectively, saw Fittipaldi reclaim the series lead by one point (476-475) with three rounds remaining. Kucharczyk remained in third place, 18 points adrift.
The Race
De Tullio’s start from pole position was uninterrupted until contact occurred between Andretti teammates Hughes and Taylor. HMD Motorsports’ Jack Beeton, starting 14th, spun after the incident but rejoined the race. On lap 3, Carson Etter (Chip Ganassi Racing) spun on Turn 12’s exit, prompting the first caution.
The restart on lap 5 saw de Tullio draw a clear gap. Championship rivals Fittipaldi (10th) and Johnson (11th) engaged in a close battle throughout, while Myles Rowe (Abel Motorsports) and Niels Koolen (Chip Ganassi Racing) clashed in Turn 1, resulting in a drive-through penalty for Koolen after causing Rowe to drop to 15th.
By lap 15, de Tullio’s lead expanded to 1.8785 seconds over Hughes. The margin grew to 2.5 seconds by lap 20. With five laps remaining, Hughes closed the gap to 2.6 seconds, trimming it further to 2.3 seconds on the final lap. De Tullio ultimately controlled the conclusion, securing a 2.169-second victory to extend his championship push.
