Closing out the first half of the 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone season, Danial Frost returned with HMD Motorsports this past weekend to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the seventh round of the championship. Looking to get back on track and the podium, Danial came into Mid-Ohio weekend with high hopes.
In the opening two practice sessions, the Denjet-backed HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing driver finished 11th and eighth. After finding speed throughout the 90 minutes of practice time, Danial was feeling confident heading into qualifying. However, after just one lap, the third-year INDY NXT competitor suffered from a broken half shaft that resulted in him completing zero laps and forcing him to start the wheel-to-wheel racing from the back of the grid. Taking more than the allotted session time to change the broken part, there was no time for repair forcing Danial to start the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio from P17. While it is not ideal to start from the back, Danial knew he had a fast HMD Motorsports car and that he would be able to work his way up through the field.
Starting the race heading into turn four, the #68 immediately made up two positions on the start, but heading into the first turn of the race, he was hit from behind and sent spinning into the grass. While he was able to continue, Danial again found himself at the rear of the field through no fault of his own. After a caution period five laps later, Danial was able to again gain a position on the restart moving him up into 15th. Gaining yet another position ten laps later followed by an additional position six laps later, Danial was proving his speed throughout the race. After a second caution period, Danial gained two additional positions on the restart but ran out of time and finished the race in 11th.
While Danial is eager to return to fighting for podiums, he drove a strong race gaining six positions and was able to salvage valuable championship points. With so many strong competitors in this year’s field of drivers, the championship fight is still far from over as he sits in seventh in the title chase but within striking distance.
As the drivers now enter a two-week break, INDY NXT by Firestone will return July 21-22 to Iowa Speedway as the series takes on its first oval of the season.
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Photos: RTD Media