Ayrton Houk: Indy Grand Prix Recap

We were competitive all weekend on the Indy road course (Gavin Baker).

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Rounds Six and Seven of the 2025 USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire are officially in the books, and I’m coming away with a P7 and P8 finish on the weekend, moving up into P9 in the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire point standings. Racing at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always a privilege, and this weekend was no exception.

Qualifying presented its challenges. With unseasonably cold morning temperatures, we missed the crucial window when the tires were at their peak, which unfortunately put us toward the back of the starting grid for both races. Despite that, I was able to keep my head down and work my way forward in both races, avoiding several on-track incidents and showed that I had the pace to run with the leaders.

In Race One, I moved up five spots to finish P8, and in Race Two, I climbed through the field from 15th to bring home a P7. While I’m always pushing for more, I’m proud of the effort and progress we made throughout the weekend.

Perfect weather and fantastic support for our home race.

I can’t say enough about the Benchmark Autosport crew. They worked incredibly hard all weekend and gave me a strong car to compete with. I know it’s only a matter of time before we’re up on the podium where we belong.

Now, we shift our focus to the next challenge: the oval at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the Carb Night Classic, the evening of May 23. This race is one I consistently look forward to. I’ve shown strong pace there in the past; last year I qualified on the front row. Oval racing is where it all began for me, in the Kenyon Midgets, and I’m genuinely excited every time I get the chance to return.

Lastly, a massive thank you to all the friends, family and sponsors who came out to support me this weekend at one of my two home races. Having so many familiar faces in the paddock cheering me on means everything. It’s moments like those that remind me why I do this.
-Ayrton