Graham Rahal knew exactly how Indianapolis 500 rookie driver Nolan Siegel was feeling May 19.
One year prior, Rahal was the lone driver bumped from the field of 33 for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. This time around, Rahal was the last driver into the starting lineup, rolling off 33rd in last Sunday’s 108th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Siegel was the lone driver out. He didn’t make the show on the final day of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on Sunday, May 19 while driving for Dale Coyne Racing.
“Nolan is a young kid,” Rahal said. “He has a bright future. I expect to see him back here and doing great things.”
While few doubt Siegel will be a future star of the Indianapolis 500, now his focus shifts back to his full-time drive in INDY NXT by Firestone with HMD Motorsports.
2023 INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year Siegel is second in the championship, 25 points behind leader Jacob Abel. Siegel won the season-opening race at St. Petersburg and was runner-up to Abel at Barber Motorsports Park and the first leg of the doubleheader weekend (May 10-11) on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Siegel finished fifth in the second race of the twin bill.
The next race is the Detroit Grand Prix on Sunday, June 2 on the streets of Detroit (10:20 a.m. ET, Peacock, INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Entering June, can Siegel turn the disappointment of not qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 after crashing two race cars, including a wreck on his last-ditch qualifying run, and not that affect his psyche as he chases an INDY NXT by Firestone championship?
“I was going to go home because I went flat and did everything I could do,” Siegel said of his valiant final qualifying attempt. “I wasn't going to go home because I lifted, so here I am.
“Those were the best four laps I think I've done. It felt pretty maximized, and ultimately it wasn't fast.”
Giving everything he had and not being good enough can spiral drivers backward. They could begin to question themselves and their abilities.
Siegel, 19, should bounce back. After all, we saw his mental toughness last year at Detroit when he was an INDY NXT by Firestone rookie.
In the opening race of the INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader, Siegel led by more than five seconds on the last of the 45 laps around the nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street circuit. Then, his No. 39 HMD Motorsports car slowed suddenly with two turns to go due to an apparent broken driveshaft.
Siegel guided the wounded machine through Turns 8 and 9 in the lead with the checkered flag in the air, but the podium finishers and a host of other cars passed him on the short straightaway to the flag stand. Siegel ended up eighth.
A day later on the same track, Siegel responded by scoring his first career victory.
Siegel has the capability to flash his talent and possibly gain ground on Abel this weekend, as he excels on street circuits. In five INDY NXT by Firestone street course starts, Siegel has two wins, a runner-up finish and fifth-place effort.