DMACC Students Attend INDY NXT by Firestone Open Test at Iowa Speedway

Conor McCarthy (above, left), a DMACC Auto Collision Technologystudent from Guthrie Center, talks with Jon Smeltzer (above, right) of HMD Motorsportswhile taking a garage tour during the June 26 INDY NXT by Firestone Open Test at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Smeltzer works as a both a truck driver and mechanic with HMD.

An enthusiastic group of DMACC Automotive and Diesel Tech students (above) pose for a group photo in Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway while attending an INDY NXT by Firestone Open Test on Fri., June 26, as guests of Hy-Vee​. A total of 18 drivers representing five INDY NXT by Firestone teams were at the track to test the new partially-repaved track surface at Iowa Speedway in preparation for the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend​, which is coming up July 12-14.

Levi Jones (above), Director of Indy NXT, talks with more than 130 DMACC students about careers in professional racing on Fri., June 26, in the Infield Media Center at Iowa Speedway. INDY NXT by Firestone is the top developmental series for both drivers and team members, including engineers, mechanics, pit crew members, spotters, sponsorship managers and more, who are looking to advance their skills and eventually make the leap to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

DMACC students explore the team garages and talk with members of various race teams as rain showers delay on-track testing during the INDY NXT by Firestone Open Test at Iowa Speedway in Newton.​

Jenny Gries (above, left), a DMACC Diesel Technology student from Ames, snags a photo with Grace Daehling (above, right), who works as a front-end mechanic on the No. 7 car driven by Christian Bogle for HMD Motorsports.

Landon Menninga (above) of Newton pauses for a quick photo while touring the team garages at Iowa Speedway. Menninga is a 2024 graduate of Newton High School and took college classes through the DMACC Career Advantage program during high school. He plans to study mechanical engineering at Iowa State University starting this fall.

DMACC Automotive Technology instructor BJ Olesen (above, center) joins DMACC students Seth Coleman (above, left) of Boone and Brennan Pederson (above, right) of Adair for a photo on Fri., June 26, while touring the team garages at Iowa Speedway. Coleman and Pederson are both students in the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) at DMACC.​

Nolan Allaer (above, back row), driver of the No. 11 car for HMD Motorsports, and Jacob London (above, second from right), a mechanic on the No. 11 car, join a great group of DMACC Auto Collision Technology students for a photo after spending some time talking shop at Iowa Speedway.

DMACC students and instructors look on as INDY NXT ​team members push a race car back into the garages at Iowa Speedway.

Peyton Moore (above) of Centerville surveys the garage area at Iowa Speedway. Moore is a student in the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) at DMACC.​

Media contact: Lisa Schmitz, DMACC Public Relations, (515) 964-6813, [email protected]

Credit for all photos: Lisa Schmitz for DMACC

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