Myles Rowe Bio
Myles Rowe (born June 19, 2000) is an American racing driver who competes in the Indy NXT series. He currently drives the No. 99 car for Abel Motorsports with Force Indy. Rowe is widely recognized as the 2023 USF Pro 2000 champion and as the first African-American driver to win an American open-wheel championship. His steady climb through the Road to Indy ladder has made him one of the most important figures in modern North American motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Rowe was born in Powder Springs, Georgia, and later relocated to Brooklyn, New York, where he currently resides. Growing up in a household with limited motorsports ties, he spent his early years away from the track before discovering a passion for competitive racing. After a stretch of several years away from competitive motorsports, Rowe found a route back into the sport through Force Indy, a team formed to create opportunities for underrepresented drivers in American open-wheel racing.
His return to racing was shaped by perseverance and resourcefulness. With the backing of Force Indy, Rowe gained a structured platform to develop his skills and to compete in junior formulae. The experience of returning to the sport after a long absence helped build the resilience that would later define his career.
Path to Indy NXT
Rowe’s professional racing career began in 2021 with Force Indy in the USF2000 Championship, the opening rung of the Road to Indy ladder. He quickly made history by becoming the first African-American driver to win a race in the series, taking victory in the second race of the season in New Jersey. That breakthrough announcement marked him as a driver to watch in the American open-wheel pipeline.
In 2022, after a brief funding scare that threatened to cut his season short, Rowe joined Pabst Racing for a partial USF2000 campaign. He produced five wins and seven consecutive podiums, narrowly missing the championship by a handful of points. The following year, he stepped up to the USF Pro 2000 Championship with Pabst Racing with Force Indy and dominated the title fight, becoming the series champion and the first African-American driver to win an American open-wheel championship.
Myles Rowe Career
Early Career (2021)
Rowe’s debut professional season came in 2021 with Force Indy in the USF2000 Championship. He announced himself on the national stage with a historic first win in New Jersey, becoming the first African-American driver to win in the series. Despite the limited program, he ended the year with that breakthrough victory and a 13th-place finish in the championship standings.
USF2000 Championship Breakthrough (2022)
After launching a public fundraising campaign, Rowe joined Pabst Racing for the 2022 USF2000 Championship. He opened the year with a win in St. Petersburg and added another at Barber Motorsports Park before additional funding, including a contribution from Roger Penske, allowed him to contest the full season. From the Indianapolis Raceway Park round through Toronto, he strung together three wins and seven straight podium finishes.
The championship battle came down to the Portland finale, where Rowe entered the final race with the points lead. Contact on lap one of the deciding race dropped him back, and although he recovered to fifth, rival Michael d’Orlando took the title. Rowe closed the 2022 USF2000 season with five victories and the runner-up spot in the championship.
USF Pro 2000 Championship (2023)
Moving up to the USF Pro 2000 Championship in 2023 with Pabst Racing with Force Indy, Rowe produced one of the most dominant seasons of his career. He opened with two podiums at St. Petersburg, swept both races at Sebring, and continued to score consistently at Indianapolis, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Toronto, and the Circuit of the Americas. A controlled drive in the Portland finale secured the title and made him the first African-American driver to win an American open-wheel championship. The championship came with a $640,000 scholarship to advance to Indy NXT in 2024.
Indy NXT Era (2024-Present)
Following his USF Pro 2000 title, Rowe graduated to Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports and Force Indy, driving the No. 99 entry for the 2024 season. Before the start of the 2025 campaign, he switched to Abel Motorsports with Force Indy while retaining the No. 99. Rowe has confirmed that he will remain with Abel Motorsports for the 2026 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rowe is recognized for his calm, calculating race craft and his strength on road and street circuits. His ability to defend position under braking, as shown during his Indianapolis Indy NXT podium fight, has become a hallmark of his driving. The partnership with his engineering group at Abel Motorsports has helped him convert consistent pace into top results.
Notable Races and Milestones
His maiden USF2000 victory in New Jersey, his dominant 2023 USF Pro 2000 title run, and his first Indy NXT win at Iowa Speedway, where he became the first Black driver to win in the series, stand as the defining milestones of his career to date.
Myles Rowe Career Wins
Across his time in the Road to Indy, Rowe has built a steady collection of victories in junior open-wheel competition. His wins span the USF2000 Championship, the USF Pro 2000 Championship, and the Indy NXT series.
USF Pro 2000 Championship Highlights
Rowe captured the 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship with Pabst Racing with Force Indy, sealing the title at Portland. The season featured five wins and a string of podiums that secured both the championship and the $640,000 scholarship to move up to Indy NXT in 2024.
USF2000 Championship Highlights
In 2022 with Pabst Racing, Rowe took five USF2000 victories and finished as the championship runner-up. His first career win with Pabst Racing came in St. Petersburg, followed by another at Barber Motorsports Park, setting up a title fight that went to the final round at Portland.
Indy NXT Highlights
Rowe earned his maiden Indy NXT podium at Indianapolis and followed it with his first series victory at Iowa Speedway, where he passed Dennis Hauger with fourteen laps remaining. That win made him the first Black driver to win in Indy NXT and added to the historic significance of his career.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| USF2000 Championship | 6 | Multiple | 0 |
| USF Pro 2000 Championship | 5 | Multiple | 1 |
| Indy NXT | 1 | Multiple | 0 |
Myles Rowe Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Rowe’s family background are limited. He is not known to come from a multigenerational racing family, and his path to professional motorsports was built through personal determination and the support of the Force Indy program.
Personal Life
Rowe was born in Powder Springs, Georgia, and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Outside of racing, he has used his platform to advocate for greater diversity within American motorsports, a cause closely tied to his work with Force Indy.
2025 Season Performance
Rowe’s 2025 Indy NXT campaign with Abel Motorsports with Force Indy opened with two strong finishes. He placed fourth at St. Petersburg and fourth at Barber Motorsports Park, lifting him to third in the championship standings. The early form suggested that the switch from HMD Motorsports had not disrupted his momentum.
At Indianapolis, Rowe backed up his early pace with a maiden Indy NXT podium in race one, holding off a late challenge from Salvador de Alba to keep third place. He then delivered the breakthrough of his Indy NXT career at Iowa Speedway, passing Dennis Hauger with fourteen laps to go to claim his first series victory and become the first Black driver to win in the category.
With the season still in progress, Rowe sits firmly in the championship fight and has confirmed he will return with Abel Motorsports for the 2026 Indy NXT season. His mix of consistent results and a growing list of historic firsts has positioned him as one of the standout stories of the year.