Birmingham, Ala. (Monday, April 29, 2024) –  Having waited nearly two months since the season opener, Irish driver James Roe wasted no time in showing speed at Barber Motorsports Park for the second race of the 2024 INDY NXT™ by Firestone season. Strong from the first lap of practice to the last lap of the Grand Prix of Alabama, Roe turned pace and poise into a champagne shower as he piloted his No. 29 Topcon Dallara to a podium finish. 

Roe came out hot in practice on Friday, finishing the session in P2, and continued to improve his lap times as he closed Saturday’s practice in fifth position. He and his No. 29 team took that momentum into qualifying, as Roe posted the second fastest lap in group 2 – locking in a third place grid position for Sunday’s race on the Alabama roller coaster. 

“The car has been great since the minute we rolled off the trucks, just super, super strong, so now it’s just a matter of putting together a clean first lap and bringing it home,” noted Roe just after his qualifying effort. 

On race day, Roe kept his foot to the gas of his No. 29 Topcon machine, drawing on his experience at the picturesque road course to unwaveringly maintain third position from green flag to checkered flag. 

“It was a great race for us today,” Roe said. “Obviously a podium is always good in this Championship with how competitive it is. The No. 29 Topcon team did an awesome job and helped make today a good race and something I’m really happy about. On to the next!”

The top Andretti INDY NXT finisher, Roe’s strong drive earned 35 championship points for his team and his partners in Topcon, Ring Power Corporation, CES Power, Strong Roots, Trintech, Tourism Ireland, and The Ireland Funds. 

The INDY NXT by Firestone season rolls on to Indianapolis Motors Speedway – where Roe will proudly don a helmet paying homage to the University of Notre Dame’s iconic gold football helmets – for a doubleheader weekend on May 10 (6:10 PM ET) and May 11 (1:00 PM ET).  

ABOUT JAMES ROE

Hometown: Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland

Residence: Indianapolis

Age: 25

2024 Car: No. 29 Topcon Andretti Global Dallara

Points Position: T7

Social: X –@jamesroe_IE; FB – @JamesRoeJr, IG – @jamesroe_ie