INDY NXT by Firestone rookie driver Salvador de Alba Jr. has “bittersweet” emotions with one race remaining in the season, mainly because he has found momentum and comfort leading into the season finale Sept. 15 at Nashville Speedway.
On one hand, ending the season on a high note in Music City is a positive. On the other hand, Andretti Cape INDY NXT driver de Alba is racing so well in the No. 2 Grupo Indi entry that he isn’t ready for the end of the season.
“It’s one more opportunity to be on the podium,” he said. “That’s what we’re chasing.”
De Alba finished third in the Aug. 31 race at the Milwaukee Mile, tying his best finish of the season. He also was third July 13 at Iowa Speedway.
He had an 11.14 average finishing position, with four top-10 finishes, through the first seven races of the year. That average improved to 7.16 over the last six races, aided by four top-five finishes.
What was the turning point?
“I worked on my struggles,” he said. “First, you’ve got to accept it and then work on it day by day and want to try and be better from Monday to Sunday. I think that’s the key, and I’ll continue like that.”
De Alba’s analysis showed qualifying was the greatest concern. That’s a weakness de Alba knew he had to improve upon if he wanted to further his growth in the race results column. His average starting spot in the first seven races was 14.28. Over the last six, that jumped to 9.6.
“Qualifying was a struggle for me, but we’ve worked on it,” he said.
The improvement is something his mentor, Michel Jourdain Jr., never questioned. Jourdain, a veteran of 156 INDYCAR SERIES starts, went back to Mexico once his racing days in the United States ended, and in 2015, he and de Alba were teammates in Mexico competing in the NASCAR Mexico Series. Instantly, the two drivers forged a bond.
“He always said to me, ‘You deserve the chance to go to the U.S.,’” de Alba said of Jourdain.
From 2017-20, de Alba won six of his 48 NASCAR Peak Mexico Series starts, including 14 podium finishes and championship results of 12th, sixth, second and fourth, respectively. He also won the Gran Turismo (SuperCopa) Mexico championship in 2019.
Despite many years of on-track success in Mexico, finding sponsorship to race in America was a challenge.
Jourdain helped by making calls in efforts of opening a door to America for de Alba. Andretti Global answered Jourdain and elected to give de Alba a chance via a test in 2021 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
De Alba performed well enough to land an opportunity with Jay Howard Driver Development in USF Pro 2000 in 2022. Two years and three wins later, de Alba advanced to INDY NXT by Firestone this season.
Jourdain had a front row seat in Milwaukee to witness de Alba charging from sixth to finish third in the 90-lap race.
“I’m just very proud,” Jourdain said of de Alba. “I think this season has been about learning. For next year, once he and the team understand how to get the most out of the car in qualifying, he will be fighting for race wins every weekend.
“He’s very smart and very competitive. He’s a very capable driver and has a lot of talent. He’s very professional and wants this so badly. He works very hard at it. Sometimes, you see drivers with a lot of talent, but they don’t care, or they are arrogant or whatever. With him, he has a fantastic family, and I’m very proud of him.”