MONTEREY, Calif. — Myles Rowe is climbing the ladder toward the NTT IndyCar Series as this year’s USF Pro 2000 champion is moving up to HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT by Firestone Series.
Rowe made history during the 2023 season, as the first African American to win a race in the USF Pro 2000 Championship’s history and the first African American driver to win a North American open-wheel championship.
“I’m super excited to announce my next step to HMD Motorsports with Force Indy and be part of their family,” Rowe said. “I am extremely excited to grow and progress with them as a team and fight for many more race wins.”
Rowe will drive the No. 99 Force Indy entry with continued support from Penske Entertainment’s Race for Equality & Change initiative, an ongoing effort to support, grow and sustain diverse representation in motorsports.
Race for Equality & Change was launched in summer of 2020 with a focus on generating impactful programming and opportunities across both the IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway ecosystems.
Next season will be Rowe’s fourth as part of the Force Indy program and the second year Force Indy has partnered with HMD Motorsports in Indy NXT by Firestone.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with Force Indy and have Myles as part of the HMD Motorsports program in 2024,” said General Manager Mike Maurini. “He has been a treat to follow through the ladder programs, and we are anxious to help him continue his goals to ascend to the NTT IndyCar Series.
“Myles is a great talent, and we have had our eye on him for quite some time and are confident that he will have success not only in 2024 but for years to come.”
Moving up through the ranks over the past three seasons, Rowe quickly became a standout talent in the junior series.
Rowe earned an impressive five wins and four additional podium results on his way to a commanding championship win in the USF Pro 2000 Championship in his rookie season. In 2022, Rowe just missed out on the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship by six points after garnering five wins and five additional podium results.
“Force Indy is really looking forward to continuing the relationship with HMD Motorsports,” Force Indy’s Rod Reid said. “We have a season working together under our belt, and our goals in and out of the pits align.”
As a data-driven driver with the raw talent to apply it, Rowe will benefit greatly from HMD Motorsports’ expansive field of drivers and the abundance of data the team provides. With just three seasons of Indy NXT by Firestone competition since the team’s inception, HMD Motorsports has accumulated 25 wins and earned back-to-back team championships and the 2023 driver championship.
This weekend, the team will look to continue its championship streak as the season concludes at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as Christian Rasmussen enters the doubleheader with a 65-point lead while teammate Nolan Siegel leads the Rookie of the Year standings.