De Tullio Earns First Career Pole as Rookies Rule Arlington Qualifying

Five of the top six drivers in INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying are series newcomers

Mar. 15, 2026 at 4:23am

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Alessandro de Tullio, driving the famous No. 14 car for AJ Foyt Racing, captured his first career INDY NXT by Firestone pole Saturday for the Grand Prix of Arlington. De Tullio was the leader among the rookies who dominated qualifying, as five of the top six drivers are series newcomers.

Why it matters

The strong performance by rookie drivers in qualifying highlights the influx of new talent entering the INDY NXT series, which serves as a developmental league for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. De Tullio's pole position for the legendary Foyt team also marks a return to the series for the iconic racing organization.

The details

De Tullio's best lap was 1 minute, 38.8841 seconds in the No. 14 car. Rookie Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, will start second, with fellow rookie Tymek Kucharczyk in third. Series points leader Nikita Johnson, who won the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, qualified sixth.

  • The qualifying session took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
  • The 30-minute race is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. ET.

The players

Alessandro de Tullio

A 19-year-old rookie driver who captured his first career INDY NXT by Firestone pole position for the Grand Prix of Arlington.

AJ Foyt Racing

The legendary racing organization founded by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, which has returned to the INDY NXT development series this season.

Enzo Fittipaldi

A rookie driver who will start second, and is the grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi.

Tymek Kucharczyk

A rookie driver who will start third in the race.

Nikita Johnson

The series points leader who won the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, and qualified sixth for the Grand Prix of Arlington.

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What they’re saying

“It's an incredible feeling to be here on pole in Arlington. We struggled at the start of the session with a switch issue and didn't have full power, but we got it sorted. And from there, I was able to put in a few good laps. We executed. The car was great. I want to thank the whole 14 crew.”

— Alessandro de Tullio

What’s next

The 30-minute INDY NXT by Firestone race at the Grand Prix of Arlington is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. ET, with live coverage on FS1, FOX One, the FOX Sports App and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

The takeaway

The strong performance by rookie drivers in INDY NXT qualifying, including Alessandro de Tullio earning his first career pole, highlights the influx of new talent entering the developmental series and the potential for the next generation of INDYCAR stars to emerge from this competitive field.