The phrase “just send it” is common among drivers. But not many have the bravery to go full throttle at nearly 240mph without lifting, even when something doesn’t feel right.
Nolan Siegel, just 19 years old, faced this challenge in his first attempt to qualify for the Indy 500. Despite crashing during practice, he remained calm and focused. His primary car was damaged, so the team had to prepare a backup car, which was slower by almost four miles per hour.
Siegel faced tough competition in the final qualifying round. Although he initially qualified, he was bumped out of the field by another driver. With only a few minutes left, he had one last chance to make the race.
“I wasn’t going to go home because I lifted,” Siegel said. “I was going to go home because I went flat and did everything I could do.”
Siegel’s determination and courage were noticed by his fellow drivers, including Graham Rahal.
“I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for Nolan,” Rahal said. “He may be a new name to a lot of people, but he’s a name that you are going to become familiar with.”
Charlie Kimball, a veteran driver, also praised Siegel’s mental strength and composure under pressure.
“I have heard from a lot of different corners of the series — from broadcast to tech, to other teams, other drivers, engineers, how impressive he was in not only his approach, but then also how he handled the pressure and then also how he handled the disappointment,” Kimball said.
Despite not qualifying, Siegel’s performance was remarkable. He remains focused on his future in racing, with many believing he has a bright one ahead.
“I wish we could have shown that we deserve to be in the 500,” Siegel said. “Really the whole event has been difficult, but we’ve had a difficult couple of days, and we pulled through it as a team. We did everything we possibly could. I feel like we maximized the runs today. Yeah, I mean, that’s all you can do.”
Everyone witnessed Siegel’s determination and skill, leaving us eager to see what the future holds for this promising young driver.
