IndyCar driver Nolan Siegel failing to gain clearance for the Iowa race due to an accident.
In a surprising turn of events at the Iowa Speedway, Arrow McLaren announced the withdrawal of Nolan Siegel's No. 6 Chevrolet from Sunday's race. The decision came following a hard crash on Lap 248 of the previous day's race, which left the SAFER barrier with a significant hole.
Siegel, who was running from a strong fifth position, sustained a mild concussion in the incident. As a result, he was not cleared by the IndyCar Medical Team to participate in Sunday's race, nor was he cleared for the upcoming race in Toronto.
Tony Kanaan, the Arrow McLaren Team Principal, made the decision to leave the No. 6 car vacant due to the short turnaround and to avoid unnecessary stress and shuffling of drivers. Kanaan, himself a veteran racer, expressed empathy for Siegel, acknowledging that not racing is the worst feeling in the world.
The team's priority, Kanaan emphasised, is the well-being of their driver. In a statement issued three hours before Sunday's race on July 13, the team expressed their support for Siegel, stating, "We will continue to monitor Nolan's condition and work closely with the INDYCAR Medical Team to ensure his safe and swift return to racing."
The team had high hopes for the Iowa races, with Siegel's car, the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, given a "rocket" by the team, indicating that the car was performing exceptionally well.
Despite the setback, the team's goal remains to return to racing and fight for podium positions as soon as possible. The team will need to make a contingency plan if Siegel is not cleared to race in Toronto.
The crash was not only a blow to Siegel's weekend but also notable as his teammate, Pato O'Ward, won the first Iowa race, marking McLaren's and Chevrolet's first IndyCar win of the 2025 season.
[1] Arrow McLaren Issues Statement on Nolan Siegel's Condition (July 13, 2025). IndyCar.com. Retrieved from https://www.indycar.com/news/article/arrow-mclaren-issues-statement-on-nolan-siegel-condition
[2] Siegel Out of Iowa Race Due to Concussion (July 13, 2025). Racer.com. Retrieved from https://racer.com/2025/07/13/siegel-out-of-iowa-race-due-to-concussion/
[4] Iowa Speedway Race 2 Cancelled Due to Driver's Injury (July 13, 2025). Autosport.com. Retrieved from https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/150431/iowa-speedway-race-2-cancelled-due-to-drivers-injury
- The Arrow McLaren team, currently competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, will focus on the well-being of driver Nolan Siegel, who sustained a concussion during a racing incident, especially during the Sukup IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway.
- Tony Kanaan, Team Principal of Arrow McLaren, and veteran racer in the sports of auto-racing, expressed his empathy for Siegel's situation, noting that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Farm to Finish 275 races would have to be approached with a contingency plan due to Siegel's inability to race at both events following the crash, which resulted in a significant hole in the SAFER barrier at Iowa Speedway.
