Rising Star Racing and Priority have just announced that they will partner with American INDY NXT by Firestone racing talent Michael d’Orlando for the three remaining INDY NXT by Firestone races of the 2025 season.
As part of the agreement, d’Orlando’s car will feature a livery promoting Rising Star Racing, Priority Commerce Technologies, Priority Plastiq, and Priority Sports. Rising Star Racing and Priority are committed to supporting home-grown racing stars of the future.
As such, this partnership provides significant backing to the exceptionally talented INDY NXT by Firestone driver to return to the grid at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland on August 8-10. As part of his comeback, d’Orlando will also compete at the season’s final two races in Milwaukee and Nashville.
New Yorker d’Orlando - who logged seven 2024 INDY NXT races in impressive fashion before being sidelined by a lack of funding - will be racing in Portland with the Andretti Cape INDY NXT team - formed via a technical partnership between the multi-time INDY NXT by Firestone championship team Andretti Global and Cape Motorsports. The 12-turn, 1.964-mile-long Portland International Raceway always provides for close racing, particularly in the always exciting and congested Turn 1.
Indeed, d’Orlando will have his driving skills tested to the limit on his return at this historic urban track which contains several spots for passing opportunities, including a quick chicane at the end of the frontstretch, a hard-braking right-hander at Turn 7 leading onto the sweeping backstretch, and a three-turn complex leading back onto the frontstretch. He was thrilled to confirm his return to the INDY NXT grid, commenting: “We have been working hard all year to get back in the seat and I am very excited to be back with Andretti Cape Indy NXT for the last three races of season.
“I am so thankful for everyone at RSR, Priority, Focused Project Management and Andretti Cape for pulling this together and for the opportunity to be back in Indy NXT." RSR CEO, Art Wilmes, commented: “RSR is very excited to support Michael for the remainder of the 2025 season,” “RSR continues to support Michael and his brother Nick.”
Priority CEO, Tom Priore, said: “We’re renewing our relationship to support Michael on the perfect platform to spotlight Priority Sports, our new vertical that simplifies payments and helps teams boost revenue. Founded in 2012, by Art Wilmes, Rising Star Racing (RSR) is a privately owned and operated motorsport group.
RSR seeks to ensure that the most talented American driver(s) reach the highest ladder of open-wheel racing in the United States -- the NTT IndyCar Series. The race and preliminary sessions will be broadcast live on FS1.
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