HMD to field two NXT entries for Cusick

HMD Motorsports will field a two-car Indy NXT program for Cusick Motorsports in 2026.

The alignment between the championship-wining Indy NXT outfit owned by Henry and Daiva Malukas and the Indy 500 effort owned by Don Cusick has been taking shape for many months, and with HMD downsizing to four dedicated NXT entries of its own next season, using its extra resources to run two cars for Cusick under the Cusick Motorsports banner was a perfect fit for both organizations.

“This is a monumental step for Cusick Motorsports as we put our efforts toward supporting drivers earlier in their careers before they make the jump to the NTT IndyCar Series,” Cusick said. “We’ve built our reputation on opening doors and creating opportunities, and now we can start doing that earlier in a driver’s journey with the help of HMD Motorsports. Our technical alliance with HMD Motorsports gives us the foundation to compete at a high level from day one, and that’s critical if we want to put our drivers in a position to win and move up the ladder.”

“HMD Motorsports is looking forward to helping bring a new team up to speed,” said HMD Motorsports president Mike Maurini. “We know what it takes to succeed in Indy NXT, and by working with Cusick Motorsports, we can pass on that knowledge while still competing at the front of the field. This partnership is about cultivating talent and giving the paddock more variety in team culture, leadership and approach. Bringing more team variety to the paddock will allow for healthier and more exciting racing.”

Drivers for the Cusick entries will be named at a later date.