18-year-old phenom Nolan Siegel is back in the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship paddock this weekend as a substitute driver at LMP3 team Jr III Racing.
After completing his rookie season in Indy NXT (formerly Indy Lights) where he finished third in the standings and won the Rookie of the Year award, Siegel will drive the #30 Ligier JS P320 in the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Siegel will replace Ari Balogh, who is tending to a private family matter and is not available to take his usual place as the team’s gentleman driver.
Siegel raced with “Junior Three” Racing in 2022 at the Watkins Glen 6 Hours and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. This year, Siegel has had an outstanding season in LMP2 and LMP3 across the globe: He won the LMP2 class at this year’s Six Hours at the Glen, driving for CrowdStrike Racing with APR. And earlier this year, he gave Inter Europol Competition its first major victory in LMP2 racing when he won the second race of the Asian Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Dubai.
This season in Indy NXT he won two races and was leading the championship, before ultimately finishing third behind second-year champion Christian Rasmussen, and runner-up Hunter McElrea.
“I’m really excited to be back with Jr III,” said Siegel. “We had a lot of good times last year and it’s an amazing group of people. I’m really looking forward to working with everyone again.”
“I’ve done a lot of laps at Indy and it’s always a special experience crossing the yard of bricks. Doing it with Garett and all the guys and girls at Jr III will make it that much better!”
This will also be a “double duty” affair for Siegel, as he is also entered in CarBahn with Peregrine Racing’s number 39 BMW M4 GT4 for the Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Indy.
Feature image © James Black/Penske Entertainment Group
