Myles Rowe revs up WWT Raceway with historic run

Myles Rowe shifted shattering disappointment into historic success during his weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

While he posted the fastest qualifying time for Sunday’s Indy NXT Firestone race late Saturday afternoon, he missed a track steward’s order to slow his pace and leave the course after two laps.

“It was a chess game out there. There were times you need to be aggressive, times you need to be calculating,” he said.

The radio mishap led to a third “flying” lap, which sent him from pole position to a 24th-place starting position — dead last — in Sunday’s race.

Undaunted, the 25-year-old Rowe immediately began maneuvering his way up through the web of cars in front of him. He quickly reached 10th by lap 19 of the 75-lap sprint and took the lead for good on lap 47.

The miraculous run was becoming reality.

“It was hard for me to accept (Saturday),” Rowe said in a postrace press conference.

“(With) the pace of the car, with the right technique and execution, I knew it could happen.”

Rowe made it happen, leading more laps than any other driver. He survived hitting debris on the track with 22 laps to go, telling his race team via radio, “It’s all good, guys.”

A second caution flag followed with 15 laps remaining, but Rowe held off challengers to become the first driver to win an Indy NXT race when starting last in the field. He also set a mark for passing the most cars during a race (23) while heading to victory.

“It was a chess game out there. There were times you need to be aggressive, times you need to be calculating,” he said.

After completing the greatest comeback in Indy NXT history, Rowe praised the Abel Motorsports/Force Indy team.

“They really gave me the car to have the kind of confidence to win. They really put a (great) machine under me. I’m so thrilled I could give this to them, especially after Saturday’s disappointment,” he said.

“It’s an honor to drive for them. They were down on Saturday. We all want to win, to start up front. Then it was ‘man, we’re starting from the back.’”

Rowe said team owner Bill Abel inspired him before the race by saying, “Let’s put a good end to this story.”

Seconds after taking the checkered flag, Abel told Rowe via radio, “That’s the way to do it. That was awesome. I love you.”

Force Indy founder Rod Reid hugged Rowe after he climbed from his victorious vehicle and told the driver, “Checkmate.”

Reid was beaming with a wide smile and obvious pride when he entered the media center after the race.

“Myles was hoping to be in the top 10 late in the race to give himself a chance,” Reid said.

“I told him — and I don’t know why, maybe divine intervention — ‘you’re going to be sixth’ halfway through the race.”

Rowe was indeed sixth and positioned to pull off a historic run.

Reid, a former advertising executive, founded Force Indy in 2020. Roger Penske sought Reid’s help in developing more minority drivers through the Race for Equality & Change diversity initiative created by IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Rowe became the first Black driver to win an IndyCar-sanctioned race on Aug. 29, 2021, during the Cooper Tires USF2000 Grand Prix tripleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The move up to Indy NXT required a larger investment, which is where Abel Motorsports stepped in and helped pave a path to a possible jump to IndyCar.

After a second-place finish in the Detroit Grand Prix and Sunday’s win, Rowe climbed to within 76 points of Indy NXT points leader Fittipaldi.

It was the third victory for Rowe in two Indy NXT seasons, all on oval tracks, and could help position him for an IndyCar ride in 2027.

He said it was “no doubt” a statement to IndyCar, adding that “I have the skill to run in the IndyCar series.”

“I plan to keep doing what I got to do,” he said.