THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone. Wrapping up the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama with our podium finishers today, Dennis Hauger winning the race. Led all 35 laps this morning. First driver since Ed Jones in 2015 to win his first two INDY NXT by Firestone starts.
Evagoras Papasavvas, in his debut in the INDY NXT by Firestone series. Started third, came home second in his debut.
Lochie Hughes follows up a second-place finish at St. Pete with another podium here.
Dennis, congratulations. Another victory. You made it look easy. Was it?
DENNIS HAUGER: Yeah, we had a good start. I don't know what happened to Caio and the safety car. After that it was sort of just trying to take care of the rear tires, not push too much. I was not doing anything crazy. Towards the end I guess I started pushing a bit more just to see how we were looking tire-wise.
No, it was a good and a clean race. Happy with the weekend overall. The pace has been there all weekend, so big thanks to Andretti.
THE MODERATOR: How much anxiety on the restarts did you have?
DENNIS HAUGER: It was quite okay, to be honest. We got a good restart on both. Got a gap out of turn two. I was not really under pressure on any of the restarts. Yeah, it was nice.
THE MODERATOR: Evagoras Papasavvas, nice debut for you here in the series. Talk to us about how pleasing a second-place finish is for you.
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, second place, even if it's not my debut, it's still great. To be it on my debut is really amazing. Yeah, it's unbelievable really. I never expected anything like this on my debut. Coming from USF2000 is what I primarily race. Jump into the INDY NXT car, I only had one day of testing before this. It was really amazing to get this done.
I can't thank the team enough for supporting me, helping me through this, all my sponsors, Body Wise and Tiger. I have no words. It's just amazing.
THE MODERATOR: We were watching the battle for second at the very end. You lit up the brakes in turn five. Talk us through that.
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, those were the longest laps of my life with Lochie behind me, pressuring me.
Yeah, there came a point those last few laps I was just really holding on. It's a big step up into the INDY NXT car, especially on a track like this it's really crazy.
Yeah, I was trying my best to stay cool. Made a few mistakes here and there, but I was able to make up for it in the next few corners and hold on.
THE MODERATOR: Lochie, congratulations to you. Another podium finish in INDY NXT by Firestone. Tell us about how much pressure you were trying to put on Evagoras in the last few laps.
LOCHIE HUGHES: Yeah, I was doing everything I could. Unfortunately around this place the race is kind of won after qualifying. It's a pretty hard place to pass, especially in these cars, especially when we don't have pit stops and different strategies and everything.
Yeah, did everything I could. I'm still learning this car. I've never actually followed someone so closely in a race in this car yet. St. Pete is kind of a different sort of track. I learned a few things with the aero wash. Hadn't experienced that before.
But yeah, really difficult to pass around here. I was doing everything I could. Second race of the season still, so I didn't really want to go shunting the car yet. Yeah, just take the points (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Pulling double duty, too, trying to chase now Evagoras, but Myles right behind you. A four-car battle for second. How did you keep Myles behind you?
LOCHIE HUGHES: Yeah, he was staying back, I guess saving his tires, push to pass there for a while. I was trying to get past Evagoras as quick as I could because I knew we had more pace. Yeah, just following him the whole race.
Was difficult. Burnt the tires up. Myles was there. It kind of was harder, couldn't take as much risk. If I made a mistake, I'd lose third. Kind of had to be smart with how aggressive I was being.
Yeah, that's just part of racing.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.
Q. Evagoras, how much does a drive like this motivate you to eventually make this next step going into INDY NXT by Firestone?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, it motivates me a lot. To get a good result, especially on my debut, something I'm extremely proud of. Going into this race, after qualifying I was saying just a top five would be nice. To finish second is really motivating. Really boosts my confidence. To be able to continue racing, continue pushing, 'cause that's what this is all about, is confidence.
So yeah, just to get this result, it's even better to help pushing me to get better results in the future.
Q. Dennis, your new nickname is the Norwegian Nightmare. Where did this come from?
DENNIS HAUGER: I don't know. I'm driving the car while they're talking about it. I heard it yesterday. I guess it's a compliment for giving everyone else a hard time. That means we're doing something right.
Q. Two in a row really helps you out going into the rest of the season in confidence?
DENNIS HAUGER: Yeah, it's going to be a couple of intense months now with a lot of races. It's important to keep the rhythm up. Definitely a confidence boost, a good way to step into an intense season ahead.
Q. Dennis, can you tell us a little bit more technical informations as possible about the car. Is there any secret in suspension setup? Why were you so dominant? To my knowledge, Norway is not represented in road racing. You think that brings more attention and more drivers here to America from Norway for road racing?
DENNIS HAUGER: First question, obviously not going to say what the team is doing (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Can't give up any secrets?
DENNIS HAUGER: No. They know what they're doing. They've been in the championship for a long time. They have all Andretti cars set up in the right way.
I think we maximized so far this weekend. So really happy with that. I think Andretti is really on top of the game, especially in INDY NXT. I'm just happy I'm able to maximize it.
On the second question, definitely I think it's bringing more audience from Norway now. I've seen interest so far this year. It's super cool to see.
Yeah, just to have that kind of support from my home country is really important.
Q. (No microphone.)
DENNIS HAUGER: We have (indiscernible) Motor Center. It's actually a really cool track. I would say that's probably one of the better ones in Scandinavia I've been to.
Q. Evagoras, throughout this weekend you said you only had one hour of testing. Mixed conditions yesterday. Started third, finished second. How do you adjust to the INDY NXT car so quickly?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: I think the biggest thing with this car, just going up the ranks through open-wheel racing, is being able to trust that the car will stick, being able to trust the downforce, especially at a track like this where the downforce levels are so high, the corner speeds are so high. That's the biggest thing to send it and trust that the car is going to stick.
Use all of my techniques that I've learned with driving cars with lower downforce where the mechanical grip is more important. I think that really helped out a lot. Just being able to trust that the car will stick and having that connection with the car is very important.
Q. Dennis, you continue to prove that you can dominate at the road courses. How have you been able to prepare for the upcoming ovals?
DENNIS HAUGER: Yeah, I mean, we had the test in Nashville, which was my first time on an oval ever. Was a very different experience, but really cool, really fun. Learned a lot in that day.
Hopefully we're having one more test day on an oval. Just trying to experience as much as I can both, like, in terms of racing and qualifying simulations. I think the team is trying to prepare all of the cars as well as they can and the drivers for it.
Do what we've been doing so far. I think it's worked out well. Yeah, looking forward to see how we go once we get in the race weekend.
Q. Dennis, F3 championship, F2 race wins. Did that past formula experience help you adapt quicker or have you had to forget everything you used to know and start over again?
DENNIS HAUGER: A bit of both I think. For sure coming over from F2 especially I think just having the experience with tire degradation, that sort of stuff especially, has helped me.
But I'm still coming over here, it's a new car, it's a new tire compound, new tracks. It's all new. Definitely I think it helped me get up to speed quickly.
But at the end of the day it's also only for me. I have to prepare as much as I can for the weekends and do the job to make sure I'm there.
But really happy. It feels natural with the INDY NXT car. Yeah, clicks well so far. So I'm really happy we're able to maximize that.
Q. Evagoras, in your radio interview you said you didn't even really have this race in the plans. What was the spark that put this opportunity together for you?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, it all started my first test in this car at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. I have a lot of experience at that track in other series like I mentioned, primarily USF2000.
Once I did that test, we had some good results there. It was a strong test. The team wanted me to do this race with the goal in mind to get more points. I'd say pretty confident that we did do that.
So, yeah, it was just all that one test day at Mid-Ohio is really what sparked it all.
Q. Lochie, how do you beat the guy next to you? He's been so fast the first two races. Almost feels like the rest of the field has to dig their heels in and play catch-up.
LOCHIE HUGHES: Yeah, I mean, I think just gaining more experience throughout the season. I'm still very fresh to these bigger cars and everything.
Yeah, just taking it one race at a time. I think once I get to tracks that I've actually raced before, like Road America, Mid-Ohio, it will be a bit better.
Yeah, taking it one step at a time.
Q. Dennis, this is obviously your first race on a road course in the U.S. What more do you feel you've actually learnt this weekend? People think you've cracked it if you're winning by 10 seconds. What more do you feel you have to learn?
DENNIS HAUGER: Feeling pretty good obviously. It's just a few different things that's different here that I'm still sort of just getting properly into my mindset.
But honestly it's felt pretty natural since day one. I think through the test days in the off-season I really built up confidence with the car. I think that showed when we went there in the off-season for the test day. I actually crashed and I got half a day. It was probably not my best test.
Since then I think we're really growing, built confidence in the car, feeling super comfortable now. I think we showed that this weekend. So I'm really looking forward to see how we get on for the rest of the seasons. Still a lot of races left.
Definitely I think Andretti has helped me to get up to speed quickly, especially with my engineer, to just get comfortable in it. I think that's definitely been a key point. Yeah, looking forward to the rest.
Q. Evagoras, why did you feel you could make this jump? How have you found that adjustment this weekend?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, I mean, the plan wasn't actually to come to INDY NXT this year. The plan was to do USF Pro 2000, which is the next logical step from USF2000. Then thinking about it, considering everything when it comes to sponsors, money, team deals and all that, we found it was better to move up into INDY NXT, but not for a full season, just a partial season to do a few events here and there, to gain experience, hopefully do a full season next year.
With the test day I had at Mid-Ohio, all the laps I've had here, I'm feel like so far I am adjusting pretty well. I feel pretty comfortable in the car. I really do love driving this car. I like the higher downforce than what I'm used to.
So far I feel pretty confident and I'm loving every second of it.
Q. Did you set any expectations for this week? Have you exceeded your expectations getting a podium?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, of course, I exceeded my expectations. Like I said on the grid before, starting third, I just wanted to get a top-five finish. A top-five finish would be nice considering my starting position.
To get this is something I couldn't even imagine. It's really great to get this podium here on debut. It like I said just build as bunch of confidence in me to keep getting results like this in the future.
Q. You have dominated this championship until now. How long do you think you can keep this streak going? What are your thoughts ahead now with another race week incoming in a few days?
DENNIS HAUGER: No, I mean, it's been a great start to the season, for sure. But as I said, it's going to be an intense few months now with a lot of races. We're going to a new race week already tomorrow. Have to prepare for that, reset.
But definitely feeling comfortable and confident. We never know how it's going to be the next week, how to work with the balance to try to optimize it like we have. It's just going to be about staying on top of things and really keep working weekend by weekend.
Q. In Norway we are hyped about how good it is going. How is it in the U.S.? Do you feel it's being noticed when doing so well in a new series?
DENNIS HAUGER: Definitely it's been a great support. People following me my whole career so far. Keep following me. That's really great.
Obviously I think the interest in Norway with INDYCAR, INDY NXT, hasn't been the biggest in the past, but hopefully we can bring that back up again, bring sponsors and supporters. So far it's been incredible. Super happy with that.
Q. Evagoras, if you learned one thing from your time in USF is that you love Mid-Ohio. Going to Barber and having that be your first race, do you see some similarities between those two tracks? Do you think that played to your advantage?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: Yeah, I think a little bit considering I did do some testing in the INDY NXT car at Mid-Ohio. Obviously racing here this weekend, getting to compare the both, I think there are some similarities. There's a couple fast corners. Obviously more here at Barber than at Mid-Ohio. But I still think testing at Mid-Ohio was great 'cause I'm already really comfortable at that track. It was one less thing to worry about.
Coming here, yeah, it's very similar. I was able to transfer a lot of what I know from Mid-Ohio over here to Barber. I think that definitely helped a lot.
Q. From USF2000, a lot of guys had great runs today. Can you speak to in what ways does that program prepare you for stepping up to the next level?
EVAGORAS PAPASAVVAS: I think it's really helpful. The way that they structured it from USF Juniors and USF2000 where it's a car more relying on mechanical grip than aero grip. Then you move up to USF Pro to where now you start of have to think about what it's like driving with more downforce.
Hopping to an INDY NXT car after that, it still is a big jump for sure. I think the way they structure it is very helpful. It makes our lives a little bit easier jumping into an INDY NXT car versus going straight from an F1600 into INDY NXT.
THE MODERATOR: Guys, we'll see you in a couple days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports