The second round of the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone championship took place on the brand-new Streets of Arlington, where both Cusick Morgan Motorsports drivers showed strong pace and determination in a race that was shortened due to approaching weather.
Race officials converted the event to a 30-minute timed race as weather threatened later in the day, creating an intense sprint-style contest around the 2.73-mile, 14-turn Arlington street circuit, a fast layout highlighted by long straights and flowing high-speed sections.
Juan Manuel Correa capitalized on a hectic opening lap to gain three positions, quickly establishing himself inside the top-five. From there, Correa maintained a consistent pace and managed the race effectively to secure a strong fourth-place finish, earning valuable championship points for the team.
Nicolas Stati also showed strong determination at the start of the race with elbows out, moving forward three positions and running competitively through the field during the fast-paced contest. Unfortunately, a throttle issue on the final lap dropped him down the order, resulting in a 21st-place finish that did not reflect the progress he made throughout the race. Stati now looks ahead to the next event at Barber, where the team will aim to carry that pace into the first road course of the season.
“Don and I could not be more proud of how JM and Nicolas fought through this race,” explained Billy Morgan. “This was a brand-new track for everyone, and it was great to see our team working their way forward through the field. JM had the speed to get to the podium, and Nicolas just had some unfortunate luck that kept him from what could have been his first career top-ten.”
“I’m really looking forward to heading to Barber in a few weeks and building on the momentum we’ve been showing,” Morgan continued. “Our technical alliance with HMD Motorsports continues to prove how important partnerships are, and we believe this is just the beginning of a long and successful future.”
The team now turns its focus to the next round of the INDY NXT by Firestone championship at Barber Motorsports Park, March 27–29, looking to build on the pace shown throughout the Arlington weekend.
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