Salvador De Alba Makes History With First Indy NXT Win

After 27 attempts at glory, Salvador de Alba finally won an Indy NXT race. Only took him two seasons, but who’s counting, right? The Mexican driver dominated Sunday’s action at the Milwaukee Mile, leading from virtually start to finish while his teammate Dennis Hauger cruised to his first championship with all the pressure of someone ordering coffee.

You’ve got to hand it to Salvador de Alba, though. When the moment came, he didn’t choke. Starting second behind pole-sitter Hauger, the veteran made his move on the very first lap with an outside pass exiting Turn 2 that was so clean it looked rehearsed. From there, it was lights out, and away we went for the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine.

Salvador de Alba’s Masterclass in Patience Pays Off

Let’s be honest here. Watching Salvador de Alba struggle for nearly two full seasons to find victory lane was starting to get uncomfortable. But credit where credit’s due. When the stars finally aligned in Milwaukee, he didn’t waste the opportunity.

What made this performance special wasn’t just the breakthrough win – it was how utterly dominant it looked once he got his nose in front. The car was “on rails all race long,” according to the winner, and frankly, it showed. While everyone else was playing checkers, de Alba was playing chess, building a lead that would survive even a late restart.

Hauger’s Championship Run Felt Almost Too Easy

Meanwhile, Dennis Hauger was having the kind of day that championship contenders dream about – zero drama, maximum points. The Norwegian rookie entered Milwaukee with a 54-point cushion over Caio Collet, which in Indy NXT terms, is basically a mathematical lock. All he had to do was not completely embarrass himself, and even that bar seemed too low.

Hauger’s second-place finish sealed his first series championship, making him the first Norwegian driver to claim the crown. Six wins and seven poles in 13 races will do that for you, though one has to wonder if the competition was just that weak or if Hauger is genuinely that good. Time will tell when he inevitably moves up to IndyCar proper. The title gives Andretti Global its seventh Indy NXT championship, tying the series record.

When Everything Goes Right for Team Andretti

This wasn’t just a good day for Andretti Global – it was a perfect storm of success. With Lochie Hughes rounding out the podium in third, the team managed their first podium sweep of the season. That’s right, it took them until the penultimate race to pull off what should be routine for a team of their caliber, but hey, better late than never.

The only real drama came courtesy of a mid-race caution when Jack William Miller decided the Turn 2 wall looked lonely and gave it a hug on lap 47. The restart on lap 53 could have been de Alba’s moment of truth, but instead of folding under pressure, he launched into Turn 1 like a man possessed and promptly made the rest of the field look like they were driving in molasses.

What This All Means Moving Forward

With one race remaining at Nashville’s superspeedway, the championship fight is deader than last year’s Netflix password. Hauger has wrapped up the title with room to spare, Salvador de Alba has finally tasted victory, and Andretti Global is preparing to add another development series trophy to its already impressive collection. For Salvador de Alba specifically, this win represents more than just a breakthrough. It’s validation that persistence eventually pays off, even when it takes 27 tries.