Idolizing Lewis Hamilton, Myles Rowe becomes first Black driver to win race in IndyCar's junior series Indy NXT

Abel Motorsports' Myles Rowe, who has idolized the seven-time F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton, for a long time, has just created history in Indy NXT. With his win in the 2025 Indy NXT By Firestone at Iowa Speedway, he has become the first Black driver to score a victory in the series.

Moreover, in the process of doing so, he pulled off a sensational overtake over Andretti Global's Dennis Hauger in the oval race.

During the recent 75-lap Grand Prix, Myles Rowe was on it from the get-go, and despite Dennis Hauger leading 61 of the 75 laps, the former was able to get the overtake done with 14 laps remaining of the race.

In line with this, the commentators also jumped onto their microphones and said the following on the FOX broadcast:

"Lost all that track position, just trying to hang on right now. Dennis goes high here, Myles Rowe with the run. He's got a chance, looking to the outside, side-by-side, Myles Rowe leads at the Iowa Speedway."

The 25-year-old Rowe is competing in his second Indy NXT season this year. The 2023 USF Pro Champion joined Abel Motorsports with the Force Indy pilot program of Penske Entertainment’s Race for Equality and Change.

Interestingly, he was advised to join Force Indy by the two-time IndyCar champion, Will Power. In the same, the former had successful seasons in USF2000 (2021-22) and USF Pro 2000 (2023). Moreover, in August 2021, he became the first Black driver to triumph in an INDYCAR-sanctioned race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in his maiden campaign in the USF2000.

Myles Rowe's take on Lewis Hamilton's impact on his racing career

While Myles Rowe has created history in Indy NXT, back in September 2023, he talked about the impact of the seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton on his racing career.

In line with this, he added the following via a conversation with Motorsport Magazine back in the day:

"I think it is extremely important that we represent, in a very positive way, people like us around the world, for young people to see it and think: I can do this. Certainly, Lewis Hamilton has had that impact. Even here in this country, when a lot of kids – especially black kids – don’t know anything about racing, when they see Myles, it means something. It’s extremely important for me, because when I was a kid, looking at Lewis, he was breaking all the records."

Myles Rowe, with his Indy NXT Grand Prix at the Iowa Speedway, has become the talk of the town in the world of motorsports. Taking this into consideration, it is going to be fascinating to see how his racing career develops going ahead into the future.