Fifteen INDY NXT by Firestone drivers turned laps quicker than Iowa Speedway’s one-lap series record Friday in preparations for the season’s first oval race of the season, the INDY NXT by Firestone at Iowa.

Series veteran Christian Bogel of HMD Motorsports (photo) led the way with a lap of 168.170 mph. Three additional drivers ran laps better than 167 mph as the 18-car field practice ahead of Friday’s qualifying session at the track (6:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on INDYCAR LIVE and the INDYCAR Radio Network).

SEE: Practice Results

The official track record has stood since 2017 when Colton Herta delivered a lap of 163.835 mph in qualifying. Last year, Jacob Abel won the pole with a two-lap average of 162.244 mph.

The top five in the weekend’s only practice included four rookies: Caio Collet (167.960 mph), Christian Brooks (167.252) and Callum Hedge (167.201) of HMD Motorsports and Salvador de Alba Jr. of Andretti Cape INDY NXT (166.714).

The starting lineup for Saturday’s 75-lap race (2:15 p.m. ET, Peacock, INDYCAR LIVE and the INDYCAR Radio Network) will be determined by an average of the two-lap qualifying run.

Andretti Global’s Louis Foster leads the standings by 41 points over Abel, who drives for Abel Motorsports. Collet is third, 71 points out of the top spot.

This weekend’s event, which is the first of four oval races among the five events to determine the season champion, features the series debut of Taylor Ferns, a 28-year-old Michigan native who has been racing sprints, midgets and other open-wheel cars. Ferns is one of Abel’s teammates at Abel Motorsports.