Roger Penske and Jonathan Diuguid already have their eyes on the driver they believe could take the Team Penske legacy forward in IndyCar.

25-year-old Myles Rowe shocked everyone in the IndyCar circuit with a historic drive during the Indy NXT race at the World Wide Technology Raceway in St Louis on June 7. He started the race from the back of the grid after being penalized in qualifying for putting in an extra lap after setting the quickest time on what should have been a two-lap run.

However, in the race, it took Rowe 46 of 75 laps to go from 24th to first and then lead all 29 remaining laps in a dominant drive. Speaking to RACER about Rowe, team president Jonathan Diuguid said:

“It's something definitely we’ve talked with Myles and his team about. Obviously, all the driver eval tests happen post-season, so we’ve got a little bit of time, but the performance he put on there in St. Louis was something to watch.”

Diuguid hyped up the drive he watched from Rowe in St Louis and said that Penske has his future in mind for the next steps.

“He made a statement, and so it’s definitely something we’re talking about, and we’re focused on continuing to support Myles. And whatever the next steps may or may not be, it’s something we’re definitely talking about, but haven’t made any decisions yet,” said the Team Penske president.

Myles Rowe is backed by Roger Penske’s Race For Equality & Change initiative and Force Indy. Moreover, he is on the radar for Team Penske’s post-season IndyCar test.

Does Rowe Deserve a 2027 Indy 500 Ride?

Since winning the 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship, Rowe has gone from strength to strength. His rookie year in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsport was a difficult one, and he finished 11th in the standings.

Joining Abel Motorsports in 2025 on the back of his historic race win in Iowa, making him the first black driver to win a race in the series, Rowe has only been on the up. In his second season in the NXT, he finished with seven top-five finishes, multiple podiums, and another win at Nashville Superspeedway. 

FOX broadcaster Will Buxton, who has been following Rowe closely, spoke on his ever-increasing skill set on the June 9 episode of the "Speed" podcast.

“Since moving into the NXT, he’s become more of an oval specialist. He’s not bad on road or street courses, just hasn’t had the victories to back up what he’s been able to do on an oval.”

In a lengthy and passionate X post, Buxton also called for Myles Rowe to be given a seat for the 2027 Indy 500, if a full-time drive isn't possible.

For Rowe, however, options for 2027 seem thin. Team Penske already has two of three IndyCar drivers locked in for 2027. Only two-time champion Josef Newgarden's contract confirmation is pending.

Considering that Newgarden is in top form, with two wins this season, it seems unlikely he will depart the team unless it is voluntary.

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Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yash Kotak