All indications are that Myles Rowe will return to Indy NXT for a second time in 2025, slightly than the IndyAutomotive Series season.
Rowe has been within the highlight since being chosen by Force Indy, a pilot program of Penske Entertainment’s Race for Equality and Change created in July 2020 to offer more opportunities for minorities and ladies to take part in the game.
After winning the USF Pro 2000 Championship in 2023, there was plenty of hype surrounding Rowe, who was set to compete in Indy NXT earlier this yr.
Myles Rowe
Photo: Penske Entertainment
The No. 99 HMD Motorsports automobile’s run with Force Indy brought much more excitement because the team began the race with five consecutive top-10 finishes, including a season-best fourth place (Detroit).
But random incidents like a throttle sensor failure at Mid-Ohio and a puncture through a rival's front wing at Laguna Seca have seen the 24-year-old finish seventeenth or worse in his last five races. He sits ninth within the championship standings after 10 rounds, but only 37 points behind fourth-placed Callum Hedge (252-215).
“The speed was there,” Rowe told Motorsport.com. “In terms of the package we now have, just having the automobile under us made us perform even higher; just getting that package in the fitting time for qualifying.
“But I feel the yr was really good. I learned so much when it comes to driving. This yr I learned so much more in practice and qualifying than within the races, to be honest.
“Just learning the techniques, especially being on such a big team that has access to a lot data, whether you’re the fastest or the slowest, you’ve all these different styles at your disposal that actually enable you understand in every nook and cranny all different things you may do.
“Even if you’ve someone who has an analogous time in a corner, but you’ve eight, nine other drivers who can check it, they may have a rather faster time in that exact corner, but a slower lap time overall, something like that. Having that massive amount of data to essentially break down my driving in practice has worked very well.
“Looking forward, I'll probably be competing in Indy NXT next year. I think that'll be a big benefit.”
Myles Rowe, HMD Motorsports
Photo: Penske Entertainment
The recent random issues that derailed a successful start have only intensified Rowe’s focus as he prepares for the primary of the ultimate 4 races of the season, which is able to happen this weekend on the 1.25-mile oval track formerly generally known as Gateway in Madison, Illinois.
“I’m just hungrier, and the desire is stronger,” Rowe said. “Unfortunately, this yr hasn’t been a glad yr within the automobile, but like the whole lot, there’s a balance.
“It's going to turn around soon. We thought it was going to be Iowa, so we'll see at Gateway. But yeah, it sucks because it could have been a sign that something different could happen next year.”
Team Penske President Tim Cindric has been closely monitoring Rowe's progress and believes it is just not appropriate to rush his start in North America's premier open-wheel racing championship too soon.
“Well, I think as a rookie, and with 19 cars in the competition, the worst thing you can do is set anyone up for failure,” Cindric told Motorsport.com.
“So I feel crucial thing is to achieve success where you’re and to learn. As long as he learns, he'll get to where he must be, so long as he's making progress.
“With the rush to get to the next level, I've always said you focus on the level you're at and the rest will take care of itself. He's doing well in this series, but in IndyCar you have to be elite, so he's got to keep working on being elite.”
Myles Rowe, HMD Motorsports
Photo: Penske Entertainment
For Rowe, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, returning for a second season in IndyAutomotive’s top development category will give him more time to hone his skills each out and in of the automobile.
“We know that if I didn’t have those results holding me back, there would be a lot of pressure to pick up the pace a little bit, but now it’s like the universe is just telling everyone on the show to just slow down and let me develop a little bit more,” Rowe said.
“So that's how I'm going to take it and that's how I take it now. And I appreciate that because there's so many things; there's a vision that I actually have for myself once I'm officially in IndyAutomotive.
“I think it will take another year. I don't mean in terms of driving skills, I mean just as a person.”
Myles Rowe, HMD Motorsports
Photo: Penske Entertainment
It also gives Rowe the chance to pursue his many interests, each racing and non-racing.
“I would like to have a charity that deals with motorsports and things like that, a manufacturing company to help advertise that charity, and another company, a clothing brand, that I will have,” Rowe said.
“I want time for this. I don't have three or 4 individuals who communicate with me, how they assist me, I'm alone now.
“So it gives me time to do what I need to do. I think the universe took that into its own hands, because without it the program would try to do something really quickly.”
