Overview
- During FOX’s grid walk, Winston told the 22-year-old Hauger “Age ain’t nothing but a number” and dubbed him the “Norwegian Nightmare.”
- The exchange aired on INDYCAR on FOX and spread widely on social media, with Winston briefly taking the microphone from reporter Jack Harvey.
- The Firestone Grand Prix officially named Winston the Honorary Starter, and he waved the green flag to open the NTT IndyCar Series season.
- Hauger, the 2025 Indy NXT champion driving Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 19 Ault Blockchain Honda, qualified third in his first IndyCar weekend.
- He finished tenth in his debut, which Yahoo Sports noted was the only top-10 result among the rookies at St. Petersburg.