Rookie Alessandro De Tullio Wins First Career INDY NXT By Firestone Pole Saturday At Austin

AJ Foyt Racing claims its first INDY NXT pole position in over 20 years.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 10:10pm

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Rookie driver Alessandro de Tullio secured his first career INDY NXT By Firestone pole position on Saturday evening at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. This marks the first INDY NXT pole for AJ Foyt Racing since 2003.

Why it matters

De Tullio's pole position is a significant achievement for the young driver and for the AJ Foyt Racing team, which has struggled to find success in recent years in the INDY NXT series. This result could signal a turnaround for the team and provide momentum for de Tullio's rookie season.

The details

De Tullio, driving for the legendary AJ Foyt Racing team, set the fastest lap time in Saturday's qualifying session, edging out the competition to claim the pole position for the INDY NXT race. This is the first INDY NXT pole position for AJ Foyt Racing since 2003 when Ed Carpenter took the top spot at Chicagoland Speedway.

  • De Tullio set the fastest lap time during Saturday evening's qualifying session at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.

The players

Alessandro de Tullio

A rookie driver competing in the INDY NXT series for the AJ Foyt Racing team.

AJ Foyt Racing

A legendary IndyCar team that has struggled in recent years to find success in the INDY NXT series, but has now claimed its first pole position since 2003.

Ed Carpenter

A former driver who secured the last INDY NXT pole position for AJ Foyt Racing in 2003 at Chicagoland Speedway.

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The takeaway

De Tullio's pole position is a promising start to his rookie season and could signal a resurgence for the AJ Foyt Racing team in the INDY NXT series. This result demonstrates the team's ability to develop young talent and compete at the highest levels of open-wheel racing.