Solid INDY NXT oval debut for Cape Motorsports
Jagger Jones earns a top 12 finish in Iowa
NEWTON, Iowa (July 26, 2023) – The priority for Cape Motorsports at Iowa Speedway was
simple: learn as much as possible in the team’s INDY NXT by Firestone oval debut, adding
to the databanks in their rookie season in the revamped series.
Scottsdale, Ariz. native Jagger Jones, driving the No. 98 Total Sim/Mecum Auctions Dallara,
had one aim on the weekend: “Be smooth, learn as much as I can, and bring the car home
in one piece.”
“Overall, it was a good weekend for our first oval,” said Nicholas and Dominic Cape. “The
new right-side tires for the race proved to be a second quicker, and much more durable
than the tires we tested on.
“Jagger and the team did a really good job considering we only had 45 minutes before we
went into qualifying. The car was mostly set up for the race, with similar downforce to a
couple of cars that finished in the top five. Unfortunately for us, found an issue with the
back of the car post-race, which would have made it difficult to drive – we can only assume
it happened during the race. Overall, I would say as a team we have improved in every area
for the oval.”
Heat and tire management was the name of the game, with ambient temperatures hovering
in the low 80sF and track temperatures reaching 120. The field had a single 45-minute
practice session to confirm the information teams had gleaned in last month’s INDY NXT
test session on the .875-mile variable banking tri-oval. Jones took his time getting up to
speed, pacing both in race trim in traffic and qualifying simulations on his own, working to
find grip with the Firestone tires over the bumps. At the checkered flag, Jones had set the
14th fastest time with a lap at 156.910mph.
Jones headed out to qualify just after 6:00 p.m. with slightly lower ambient and track
temps. Fifth off the line for single car qualifying, Jones used every inch of the oval to try to
find speed. His 1:57.741 put him P16 on the starting grid.
“I was flat out so I think we were too much on the downforce,” said Jones. ““Compared to
what we had at the test, we had a better car on the race weekend, but with only 45 minutes
in practice, it was just about getting the basic handling down. We wanted to go a bit more
conservative for the race, so we leaned more toward the downforce we knew would help us
in the race.”
At the drop of the green, Jones was on the move, taking 12th position by lap four with a
combination of smart passes and two competitors running into each other. Once into clear
air, he had former W Series champion Jamie Chadwick. Jones managed traffic but was
unable to keep race leader Christian Rasmussen from putting him a lap down at the midway
point.
When points leader Nolan Siegel and Hunter McElrea tangled late in the race, a full course
caution brought the field back together. On the restart, Chadwick was able to make the
pass, and at the checkered flag, Jones had taken 12th – a solid first effort in the INDY NXT
Dallara.
“I knew that my best chance to make up spots was at the start,” said Jones. “I balanced
being aggressive and not doing anything crazy. I made up four spots on my own and from
guys running into each other – and that was the plan, to make up as much as I could at the
start, then see what our pace was. I put myself in a good spot but the speed just wasn’t
there. I didn’t feel confident running by myself, just searching for grip over the bumps, and
that was even harder in traffic. But we learned a lot, and that’s what this season is all
about.”
Next up for Cape Motorsports will be Round 9 of the INDY NXT by Firestone season, as part
of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Big Machine Music City Grand Prix weekend. Practice and
qualifying sessions will be broadcast on INDYCAR LIVE and INDYCAR Radio, with both races
live on Peacock.