Highest Andretti Global finisher  |  8th career INDY NXT top-5  •  Winner: Matteo Nannini, Cape Motorsports (led 64 of 65 laps)

The INDY NXT by Firestone series returned to Nashville Superspeedway on July 19 for the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix a 65-lap oval event that delivered exciting side-by-side racing and one of the most dramatic and heroic recovery drives of Max Taylor's 2026 campaign. Racing the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car for Andretti Global, Taylor lined up twelfth on the grid for his Music City Grand Prix debut after opting to strategically gamble a higher qualifying position in exchange for a better race-day setup.

Taylor made an immediate impact from the drop of the green flag, surging from P12 to P8 in the opening laps, a testament to his car's pace and his technical talents in the high and hot banks of Nashville. The run came to a difficult moment on the Lap 14 restart where the No. 28 car got loose entering Turn 1. Taylor made a masterful save, one of the best of his career, to keep the car out of the wall. In the midst of his save, the loss of momentum dropped him towards the back of the field, effectively resetting his entire race.

What followed was a methodical, determined, and successful charge. Taylor picked his way through traffic one position at a time, managing tire wear in 130 degree track temperatures and well-timed moves with the teamwork of his spotter and engineer. With 12 laps to go, he broke into the top five and held P5 to the checkered flag, the highest finisher across the entire four-car Andretti Global effort. Teammates Josh Pierson and Lochie Hughes crossed in sixth and seventh, respectively, giving Andretti three cars inside the top seven. Taylor was pleased with his car's pace and happy to cross the line with so many passes under his belt.

The result marks Taylor's eighth career INDY NXT top-five finish and matches his career-best oval performance. Race winner Matteo Nannini (Cape Motorsports) led 64 of 65 laps from pole to complete a dominant run, with Nikita Johnson taking second, a 1-2 for Cape Motorsports that reshuffled the championship standings again. Johnson reclaimed his championship lead and bumped HMD Motorsport's Enzo Fittipaldi to second place in the championship standings by only 1 point.

Max's Takeaways

Championship Standings

90 points behind the lead through 13 rounds. Standings approximate pending official confirmation.

To Our Sponsors and Partners —

I told the team before the race that I was going to pass some cars today. I meant it. We had a strong start and moved up to eighth from twelfth in the opening laps, our car was fast and we were in the right place. On the restart at Lap 14, I had a big moment and nearly lost the car in the wall. I managed to save it, but that dropped us back to the rear of the field and reset the whole race.

From there, it was simply about picking them off one by one. It was really exciting to see that we could continue passing so many and weave our way back up. That's not an easy feat especially when hot track temperatures and a short amount of laps are at play. My spotters and the Andretti team really helped me stay grounded and rely on what I do best - drive. I learned a lot throughout the weekend, as we all do each time we sit in the seat. Fifth place and the highest Andretti finisher. That's something to be proud of on this drive. But if I'm also honest: we left something on the table. Having that much pace tells me that we could have that car on the podium today, and maybe even contended for the win.

That's the standard I hold myself and this program to. Every bit of your support, every logo and supportive partner on the No. 28 car, on my suit, and in my messages, is part of that standard. Portland is next. We have time to prepare, data to study, and every reason to believe we can go there and have a great result. I am grateful for this opportunity and I do not take a single lap for granted. I can't imagine my life without it. We are coming.

Max Taylor