FROST TAKES THE PODIUM IN PORTLAND
Since winning the season opener in St. Petersburg, Danial Frost had gone ten races without a podium finish. However, that all changed this past weekend as he drove his #68 DenJet entry up through the field for a third-place result at the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland.
Finishing eighth and seventh in the two practice sessions, Frost continued on to qualify eighth for the 35-lap race this past Sunday. Known for the mayhem that ensues during the start in turn one, Danial avoided trouble while several others collided. Moving up into second, Danial remained in a tight battle for the entirety of the race with his HMD Motorsports teammate, Nolan Siegel, in third. With just one lap remaining, Siegel was able to pass Danial as he had to settle for third.
Going into the weekend, Danial sat a distant eighth in the championship, but after a strong weekend, the talented driver closed the nearly 20-point gap and is now in the midst of a three-way tie for sixth with Reece Gold and James Roe.
With only two races remaining in the season, Danial will now head to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the final event. A double-header weekend, INDY NXT by Firestone will race on both Saturday and Sunday to finish out the year. Last season, Frost finished seventh in both races, but with 2.238 miles of fresh pavement, racing conditions will change for the 2023 finale event and Frost will look to carry the momentum from his podium over to this weekend.
Joining the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, both series will conclude their seasons in an action-packed weekend in California. Practice begins on Friday with qualifying taking place on Saturday afternoon. With only one qualifying session and two races, the thirty-minute time-block will be divided into two twelve-minute sessions to set the grid for each race.
Weekend Schedule · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca *All times ET
Friday, September 8
4:15 PM – 5:05 PM INDY NXT by Firestone Practice
Saturday, September 9
12:05 PM – 12:35 PM INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying
3:25 PM -4:35 PM INDY NXT by Firestone Race 1, 35 Laps
Sunday, September 10
12:50 PM – 2:00 PM INDY NXT by Firestone Race 2, 35 Laps
Photo Credit: RTD Media / Penske Entertainment