Notes & Quotes: Snap-On INDYCAR Weekend at The Milwaukee Mile

AJ Foyt Racing driver Santino Ferrucci has donated his specially themed, race-worn helmet to Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) for an auction that launched August 22. The proceeds will benefit HFOT and its mission of building specially adapted custom homes for severely injured, post-9/11 Veterans. Since its inception in 2004, HFOT has built nearly 500 homes. Always improving, today's HFOT ranch-style homes incorporate over 40 adaptations to enable Veterans to regain their independence and rebuild their lives.

Beam Designs, who designed the Arai GP-7 helmet with input from Ferrucci, hand-painted

this helmet which celebrates America's 250th, commemorates 9/11 on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack on America, and pays tribute to the military who continue to serve to protect America.

"I've met some of the Veterans who received a custom home from Homes For Our Troops and learned what they went through to recover from their injuries. To hear their stories is really inspiring and I just wanted to give back to those who've given so much," explained Ferrucci.

Ferrucci wore the helmet in the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. and will be wearing it in the NTT INDYCAR Series season finale, the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey. Following the final race, the helmet will be signed by Ferrucci, Team President Larry Foyt and A.J. Foyt, who is making an exception to his personal rule of not signing helmets.

The 10-day auction launched on eBay on Saturday, August 22 and will conclude on Monday, August 31. The auction is live at:  www.ebay.com/HFOT.

Texas Roadhouse will be supplying delicious meals to AJ Foyt Racing this weekend as part of a

promotion that dates back to last year. The No. 14 Homes For Our Troops pit crew will be carrying the Texas Roadhouse logo on their helmets for both the Snap-On Makers and Fixers 250 and the Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250. The restaurant chain has been a national partner with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) for more than 17 years, completing over 300 mortgage-free, custom-built homes for the most severely injured post-9/11 Veterans. On Veterans Day, Texas Roadhouse offers free meals to Veterans and active military members across the country.

CAIO COLLET earned his career-best finish in the No.4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet in the Freedom 250, in which he finished ninth after starting 11th.

You had a great weekend in DC but now go to a completely different type of track with the short

oval in Milwaukee. How difficult is it for a driver to adapt in the space of five days to a track that is so different?

CC: “It’s definitely a big change. DC is a street course with a lot of low-speed corners, braking and bumps, while Milwaukee is a short oval where everything happens very quickly. As a driver, you have to reset your mindset. The goal is to get comfortable with the car and the track as early as possible.”

Driving in two 250 mile races on a one mile oval is incredibly demanding. How do you prepare for it physically and mentally?

CC: “It’s going to be a very demanding weekend, especially because you have two long races on a one-mile oval. Physically, I focus a lot on hydration, recovery and making sure I’m fresh going into both races. Mentally, I think the key is staying focused for the entire race and not wasting energy on things you can’t control. You have to be very precise because on a short oval the margins are really small, and you’re constantly in traffic.”

How do you balance aggression on Saturday knowing you need to race again on Sunday?

CC: “You obviously want to be aggressive and maximize every opportunity on Saturday, but you also have to think about the bigger picture. There’s no point taking unnecessary risks and compromising the whole weekend. I think the key is knowing when to attack and when to be patient. We want to get the best result possible on Saturday, but also make sure we’re in a strong position to come back and fight again on Sunday.”

Caio Collet Facts: Age 24...Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil...Lives in Indianapolis, Indiana...In 2024-2025, he competed in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, winning a total of four races, four poles and scored 15 podiums, ranked second in 2025 and 3rd in 2024 final standings...From 2021 to 2023, he competed in FIA Formula 3, won a total of three races, one pole and scored nine podiums with best rank of 8th in 2022...In 2019-20, he competed in Formula Renault Eurocup where he won five races (2020), three poles, 12 podiums to rank 2nd in standings ...Competed in French Formula 4 in 2018 and won the title along with seven races, three poles and posting 13 podiums... Began racing go-karts at age 7 and won multiple titles before moving to Europe...His father was a rally driver and Caio became interested in motorsports at age 4...Enjoys cycling, running, music from the 2000s and spending times with family and friends.

SANTINO FERRUCCI had a busy week leading up to the Freedom 250 as he spread awareness of the Homes For Our Troops mission. His race was heavily impacted by an ESA (electronic shift actuator) which had failed. Once the team figured out the problem and replaced the ESA Unit, Ferrucci rejoined the race but he was seven laps down. At that point, the goal was to gain as many points as possible. He did gain two positions by returning to the 147-lap race.

The street circuit in Washington, D.C. is a completely different type of track compared to the short oval in Milwaukee. How difficult is it for a driver to adapt in the space of five days to a track that is so different?

SF: "It's just that the mindset is a little different and how you approach things over a weekend. The Freedom 250 was disappointing, but it was really nobody's fault. So, we just move on and see if we can't have a good doubleheader weekend in Milwaukee."

 Driving in the two 250-mile races on a one-mile oval this weekend is undoubtedly demanding. How do you prepare for it physically and mentally?

SF: "I think physically, I'm in pretty good shape. I don't find the races to be that bad. Mentally, I think it's a little bit more difficult because the races can be quite long, depending on whether the car is easy to drive or not. So, just getting good rest in the weekend is going to be important, and staying hydrated."

How do you balance aggression on Saturday, knowing you need to race again on Sunday?

SF: "I think you have to be equally aggressive Saturday and Sunday. Obviously, you're not trying to write off any cars, but you know you still need to qualify very well on Saturday, and you do want to race as hard as you can on Saturday to prepare you for what's probably going to happen on Sunday as well."

Ferrucci Fast Facts: Age 28 ...Born in Woodbury, CT...Lives in Dallas, Texas...Married Renay Moore in January, 2024...In 2026, he continued to add to his record of  consecutive top-10 finishes in the Indianapolis 500 which is now eight with his eighth place finish...In 2025, earned career best finish of 2nd at Detroit Grand Prix and followed up with 3rd place finish at Road America for fourth consecutive top-5 finish...Earned 2024 NTT P1 Award at Portland, Ore. and posted 11 Top-10 finishes (career-best) to finish 9th in the NTT INDYCAR Series driver standings, his highest ranking to date. The Foyt team finished in the top-10 in the points standings for the first time since 2002... Scored career-best finish to date with his 3rd place finish in the 2023 Indianapolis 500 to continue his string of consecutive top-10 finishes in the 500...Finished 13th in standings with fourth place finish in the 500...drove part-time in 2021-22 but maintained top-10 streak in Indy 500 with finishes of sixth (RLL Racing) and 10th (Dreyer Reinbold Racing...Competed part-time in NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021-22...moved to NTT INDYCAR Series fulltime in 2019 finishing 13th in standings for Dale Coyne and won Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after finishing seventh... Made his INDYCAR debut in Detroit in 2018...Competed in Formula 2000, British Formula 3, GP3 finishing third at Spa Francorchamps as a rookie, was development driver for Haas F1 team for three years (2016-2018), moved to Formula 2 in 2018...Began racing karts at age 5, moved to cars in 2013.

FOX will broadcast the Snap-On Makers & Fixers 250 at The Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, Aug. 29th at 2:30 p.m. ET and the Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250 on Sunday, Aug. 30 starting at 1:00 p.m. ET.

NICHOLAS MONTEIRO

With the season finale in sight, Monteiro enters the final stretch of the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season focused on delivering a strong result. The young rookie has spent the past two weeks in full preparation mode, training and putting in time on the simulator.

Heading into the final oval event of the season, does the pressure feel any different for you?

NM: "I wouldn’t say the pressure feels different, but there’s definitely more excitement knowing it’s the final oval race of the season. I’m focused on going into the weekend prepared, staying consistent, and making the most of every session."

Has the year felt like it’s gone by quickly?

NM: "Definitely. It feels like just yesterday we were starting the season in St. Petersburg. It’s been a long season with a lot of new tracks, new challenges, and a lot of learning, so it’s crazy to see how quickly it has gone by. At the same time, I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a driver throughout the year."

After racing on both concrete and asphalt ovals this season, do you have a preference between the two?

NM: "I think I prefer asphalt. It gives you a little more grip and feels a bit more predictable, especially when the track starts changing throughout a session. But I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of racing on both surfaces, and learning how to adapt to each one is a big part of oval racing."

With the season winding down, what’s the biggest thing you’re looking to accomplish this weekend?

NM: "The biggest thing for me is to finish the season on a strong note and put together a complete weekend. I want to maximize the car, execute well in every session, and hopefully finish the season with a result that the whole Foyt team can be proud of."

ALESSANDRO DE TULLIO

The Milwaukee Mile could be well-suited to de Tullio, who set the fourth-fastest time during the official series test back in June. With its similarities to World Wide Technology Raceway, where he secured a second-place finish in his INDY NXT by Firestone oval debut, the Milwaukee Mile presents another promising opportunity for the young Argentine.

Heading into the final oval event of the season, does the pressure feel any different for you?

ADT: "No, the pressure doesn’t change or affect anything going into the final oval race. The hunger to win is still the same."

Has the year felt like it’s gone by quickly?

ADT: "Absolutely. It feels like I did the rookie evaluation test only a few weeks ago... LOL."

After racing on both concrete and asphalt ovals this season, do you have a preference between the two?

ADT: "WWTR was my favorite, so based on my experience, I’d say I prefer the asphalt ovals."

With the season winding down, what’s the biggest thing you’re looking to accomplish this weekend?

ADT: "I’d love to win the race and get my first oval win under my belt."

The INDY NXT by Firestone at The Milwaukee Mile will be broadcast on FS1 starting at 11 a.m. ET.