Tag: Kyle Kirkwood

D. C. Wrap Up- Kirkwood Dominates

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Kyle Kirkwood drove a masterful race, exerting complete control to win the Freedom 250 on Sunday. Kirkwood grabbed the lead the lead from pole sitter Alex Palou at the start of the race and only relinquished the top spot when he pitted. Kirkwood cut the deficit to Alex Palou to just 91 points with three races to go. It is still quite a mountain to climb, and Palou would have to have three more results like yesterday’s to lose the title.

Palou’s day unraveled on the first pit stop with trouble changing the right front tire and a penalty for hitting Mick Schumacher’s pit equipment. Palou finished 20th.

The race was better than I expected, with some battles behind Kirkwood and a lot less carnage than I anticipated. Scott McLaughlin created some late drama when got by Kirkwood briefly on a late restart only to hit the wail in the next turn. Kirkwood got a better jump on the final restart and pulled away to a three second margin at the checkered flag.

Some thoughts:

It was a great day for Andretti Global with Will Power finishing third and Marcus Ericsson fourth. Christian Lundgaard spoile the all Andretti podium.

Will Power continued his strong second nhalf of the season. He has consistently been in the top five since July and is now 10th innthe standings.

Three drivers had rarae appearances in the top 10. Kyffin Simpson finished fifth, Nolan Siegel sixth, and Caio Collet ended the day in ninth.

While Palou’s bda day was an aberration, McLaughlin’s misfortune was just another day in what has to be a frustrating season for the Ne Zeralander. I hope he can have a strong finish to his season and come back with a great 2027 campaign.

The Event

From the few television shots I saw, the venue looked great from the air. i’m sure the presentation was great, and I hope the ratings are excellent and the series gets a lot of momentum and good PR from this event.

However, I felt the fans in attendance, and there were many, could have been offered more. The only video boards were on the mall, so a choice had to be made- stand at trackside, where the sightline s were terrible and watch roll hoops zipping by, or got to the mall and do what could be done at home- watching on a television.

We arrived at the gate early. The published policies satted that each person could bring one clear plastic water bottle. There was no issue Saturday, but yesterday morning we were informed that no water bottles were allowed. Several people, including m friend, had to throw away very nice plastic water bottles. The guards’ expalantion- “They changed the rules.” Thanks for telling everyone.

I started the race with my friends between turns 5 and 7. We had no video bords or public address system. The only part of the opening ceremonies we heard was the last two thirds of the national anthem.

Relying on the unreliable IndyCar app was not a great option. After 20 laps the crowd started thinning out. We went to the Museum of the American Indian to have lunch in an air conditioned setting, then went to the mall to watch the secoind half of the race. Thgere we learned there was a PA system.

The few bleachers available were unreservd, and fans arrived very early to get a place. If they left to get refgreshments or a bathroom break, others were allowed in, and the ones who left had to wait on line to get back in. We passed a line of 40 people awaiting entry to one of the grandstands.

All in all, D. C. was the elast fan friendly race I have ever been to. As you know I have been to a couple of races.

I felt as if the fans were let in free to just be unpaid extras in a television production. Viewers got to see races cars whizzing by historic buildings with a multitude of fans in the back ground.

There are conflicting rumors about this event’s return next year. If it does come back, tickets will likely not be free. I would not pay to attend.

Results

Kirkwood Nips Newgarden for Nashville Pole

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Breaking: Per Bruce Martin, David Malukas has been cleared to participate in tonight’s practice and tomorrow’s race if he can prove to IndyCar that he can climb in and exit the cockpit of the car.

Kyle Kirkwood used a huge first lap to edge Josef Newgarden for the pole for tomorrow’s Music City Grand Prix. Newgarden had run the fastest times of the day to post a 196.642 mph average. Kirkwood answered with an opening lap i9n the 197 range, which was enough of a margin to beat Newgarden’s average. Kirkwood’s average was 196.852 mph. he won the pole by five hundredths of a second.

Qualifying was also notable for who didn’t qualify. Team Penske’s car 12 did not present itself for qualifying as the backup car was not completed in time. The team is still waiting to see if David Malukas will be cleared to drive tomorrow or even in practice tonight. Conor Daly had been named to qualify the car, which meant Daly would be the driver for the rest of weekend.

Graham Rahal could not get his car started, and he did not qualify. A fuel pressure issue is suspected.

Points leader Alex Palou, who nearly caught up to Kirkwood in practice, will start fourth.

Strong Team Efforts

Team Penske will star second and third. Scott McLaughlin will line up in row 2

Chip Ganassi Racing has Palou in fourth and Scott Dixon in fifth. Marcus Armstrong starts eighth.

Alexander Rossi qualified sixth and Christian Rasmussen seventh for ECR.

Rinus VeeKay added another top 1 qualifying spot for Juncos Hollinger Racing. He continues to drive above the team’s equipment, yet we hear nothing about him moving to a more competitive team for 2027.

Pato O’Ward qualified 12th, just ahead of teammate Nolan Siegel.

Notes

Qualifying started 10 minutes earlier than the published broadcast time. If the series was concerned about rain, none was imminent.

Weather tomorrow still looks iffy for the scheduled race start time. I would not be bothered if we end up having a night race.

Results

Kirkwood Leads Choppy Session

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Kyle Kirkwood emerged with the fastest lap of the weekend in a morning practice interrupted by several red flags.

Rinus VeeKay lost an engine to bring out the second stoppage of Detroit Grand Prix practice. The first one was to retrieve a blue flag dropped by a corner marshal.

Christian Lundgaard lost his engine during the first group practice. It has been a difficult month for Chevy engines beginning with the Open test in late April.

Kirkwood had scraped the wall with his right rear tire, but he returned before the end of the group round to set the quickest lap. Just 4 tenths of a send separate Kirkwood from fourth place Alex Palou.

Results:

Qualifying Groups;

Group 2 looks brutal. One contender might get knocked out.

Arlington Recap- Kirkwood’s Pace Overcomes Pit Stop Issues

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The king of the streets has returned. Kyle Kirkwood used the blistering he showed on Saturday to pass Alex Palou on lap 55 to win the inaugural java House Grand Prix of Arlington. The win was the sixth of Kirkwood’s fairly young career. Five of the victories coming on street courses.

It was not an easy victory as Kirkwood had issues on two pit stops. A loose wheel nut rolled in front of Kirkwood’s car as left on his second stop, turning the nut into a missile which ricocheted off of the pit wall. His final stop was 9.5 seconds, nearly two seconds slower than Palou’s simultaneous stop as the right rear tire was slow getting on.

Kirkwood quickly brought the deficit down and made a brilliant pass in turn 13 to overtake the reigning series champion. Kirkwood expanded the lead to more than thre seconds before a caution for Christian Rasmussen slowed the field on lap 68. Kirkwood pulled away on the restart to begin the final lap as the yellow flew again Roman Grosjean and Nolan Siegel collided.

Thoughts

Will Power bounced back from his troubles during the first two weekends with a strong third place finish. Sunday was the first session in which he did not make contact with the wall or another car. Power led 16 laps, the same number of laps that both Palou and Kirkwood led.

In addition to Kirkwood’s pit woes, Andretti teammates Power and Marcus Ericsson also had difficulties in the pits. Ericsson finished fourth. The pace of the Andretti cars allowed them to overcome their long stops. Pit work cost Colton Herta a couple of races over the last two years. If the team can improve their service work, Andretti can be a consistent contender.

Phoenix was a tough act to follow, but I thought Arlington produced a good race. Several tire strategies were in play, and there were fights for the lead and some battles further back in the field. A pass for the lead with less than 20 laps remaining is always a good look.

The long street course with a wide surface helped produce the good racing. It was nice to see a street course with room to maneuver. From what I saw, the event was a huge success.

Teams on the Rise

Meyer Shank Racing and ECR are showing signs of gaining strength and being in the mix all season. Had Felix Rosenqvist not jumped the restart at the end, Meyer Shank was looking at having both cars finish in the top 10. Marcus Armstrong ended the day 10th, and Rosenqvist was in fifth before his penalty.

ECR saw both Alexander Rossi and Christian E=Rasmussen qualify in the top 10. Rossi came home ninth Sunday. Rasmussen ended last after his crash on lap 68. Rasmussen led most of the way last weekend at Phoenix before his incident with Power. Rossi has two consecutive top 10 finishes.

FOX

Some questions about the broadcast:

Will we ever get a live pit stop timer?

Can the network show a little more flexibility with commercial breaks? Yesterday ads were so frequent and ill timed that I thought there would be a commercial break when the leader got to turn 10 on the last lap. Full screen commercials late in the race were especially annoying.

Fast Six Shootout

I talked about the shootout Saturday in my post

Ericsson Takes Arlington Pole

A Welcome Break, then on to Barber

The series takes a short break next weekend before heading to Barber Motorsports Park.

The first three races have produced three different winners from three different teams and three different pole winners from two different teams. In 2025 IndyCar did not see a third different winner until Mid Ohio in July. I hope this competitive diversity continues.

A different driver has led the championship each week. It’s nice to see the title in doubt.

Qualifying Groups Set After Wild Practice 2

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Photo by Chris Jones, Penske entertainment

Kyle Kirkwood served notice that he is still the King of the Streets, leading today’s prequalifying practice period.

This morning’s Java House Grand Prix of Arlington practice 2 was not the smoothest of sessions. Red flags abounded, including one for a collision between Scott Dixon and Will Power.

Dixon spun, and he was backing his car up to turn around when Power rounded the blind corner and collided with he six time champion. The aftermath was much milder than their collision at road America in 2024. Still, it was Power’s fourth incident of the young season. Both cars were able to make repairs and return to the track.

Power finished with the fourth best lap while Dixon ended up 15th.

Josef Newgarden made contact with the right, sustaining damage which prevented his return to action. Newgarden, Friday’s leader, settled for 12th in practice.

As the green flag waved to start the first group portion of the session, the red flag came out as cars reached pit exit. Servers had somehow rolled a catering cart out onto the track at pit out. I’m sure this was a first year event issue, but how access even got to that point is puzzling.We have a new definition of fast food.

Qualifying begins at 2:30 pm Eastern on FS2.

Results

Andreti Global Signs Kirkwood to Multi-Year Extension

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From Andretti Global:

INDIANAPOLIS (November 3, 2025) – Andretti Global announced today that five-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES winner Kyle Kirkwood has signed a multi-year contract extension to remain with the team. Kirkwood will continue to pilot the No. 27 Andretti Honda for the 2026 INDYCAR season. 

Since joining Andretti in 2023, Kyle Kirkwood has delivered five wins, three poles and six podiums, leading more than 300 laps. His breakout 2025 season — highlighted by a Long Beach sweep, back-to-back wins in Detroit and his first oval victory at World Wide Technology Raceway — reflects the blueprint of performance and progression driving Andretti forward. 

A former INDY NXT by Firestone Champion with Andretti, Kirkwood remains the only driver to capture titles in all three development series (USF2000, USF Pro 2000 and INDY NXT) in consecutive years. His trajectory embodies the team’s framework for sustained success, built on focus, discipline and a shared drive to elevate Andretti’s competitive and connected future. 

Under the TWG Motorsports umbrella, Andretti Global continues to strengthen its INDYCAR program with a focus on performance, innovation and long-term driver development. Kirkwood’s extension is central to that vision in retaining talent and consistency to embody the competitive spirit that defines both organizations. As a proven race winner and rising star within the Andretti lineup, Kirkwood represents the next generation of leadership on track, anchoring the team’s pursuit of championships while reflecting TWG’s broader commitment to cultivating excellence across its global motorsports platform. 

Kirkwood will join INDYCAR veteran and recently announced teammate Will Power and Indianapolis 500 Champion Marcus Ericsson for the 2026 INDYCAR season, kicking off with the season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg on Feb. 27.   

JILL GREGORY, PRESIDENT, ANDRETTI GLOBAL  

“Kyle represents exactly what we strive for across TWG Motorsports and Andretti Global. His blueprint for success has made him a key part of our INDYCAR lineup defined by talent, tenacity and a relentless drive to win. Kyle’s growth and ambition reflect the strength of Andretti Global and our commitment to developing world-class competitors on and off the track.” 

KYLE KIRKWOOD, DRIVER, ANDRETTI GLOBAL  

“These are very exciting times for myself, Andretti Global and TWG Motorsports. I’d first like to thank the entire team and especially Dan Towriss and Jill Gregory for putting their trust in me. We’ve had an amazing three years together and our future together is very bright. We have proven to be true contenders, and most recently, Championship contenders. Our trajectory has only been up, and I am confident that we will be fighting again for championships. Between the new shop, leadership, teammates and the many evolving factors within the organization, I believe this team is an absolute powerhouse, and we’re so excited for the journey ahead.” 

### 

About Andretti Global 

Andretti Global, part of the TWG Motorsports umbrella, is a leading racing organization competing in INDYCAR, INDY NXT and Formula E. With more than 300 race wins, multiple series championships and decades of success across premier racing categories, Andretti Global is built on a legacy of innovation, teamwork and competitive spirit. The team continues to push performance forward while representing the best of American motorsport on the world stage. Learn more at AndrettiGlobal.com. 
 

About TWG Motorsports 

TWG Motorsports is the motorsports entity of TWG Global, unifying a robust racing portfolio across the world’s biggest stages in Formula 1®, INDYCAR, Formula E, IMSA, and NASCAR. With strategic partnerships that include General Motors on the Cadillac Formula 1® Team and ownership of Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports, TWG Motorsports combines deep technical expertise, proven competitive excellence and industry-leading business acumen. TWG Motorsports is committed to innovating, growing and winning at the highest levels of the sport. Learn more at TWGMotorsports.com. 

Toronto Practice 1

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Low grip and bumps were the main concerns for drivers in Practice 1 for the Ontario Honda Dealers Toronto Indy. Kyle Kirkwood led the practice session after Will Power led the way in the all car portion and his group. Nine drivers turned laps under 62 seconds.

It appears as if the race is trending toward running primary tires as the preferred rubber in what should be a three stop race.

Results

Mid Ohio Practice 1

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Kyle Kirkwood posted the fastest lap of the day in Group 1 of Practice 1 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid Ohio. Will Power led the all car group, and Josef Newgarden led Group 2.

“We’re really fast right now,” Kirkwood said. “As long as we continue that, we’ll be in a really good spot. We’ve come here this year with maybe a different philosophy, and it seems to be working out.”

Red flags in the 40 minute session- David Malukas backed into the tire barrier in turn9 and broke his suspension. He was seen and released in the medical center. Malukas did not return for group practice.

Colton Herta spun and made contact with the wall in turn 6 to end the session. He served his 5 minute penalty during his group session.

Felix Rosenqvist came to a stop two minutes into Group 2 practice.

In the post practice press conference, Will Power and Colton Herta complained of other drivers backing up and costing them a lap. Both drivers are uncertain as to whether the change to turn 4 will affect passing.

Results

Nothing New at the Front

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Kyle Kirkwood turned the fastest lap in today’s only practice session for Sunday’s XPel GP at Road America. Kirkwood edged Devlin deFrancesco by0.1533 seconds and Will Power by 0.1914 seconds. Kirkwood has won the last two races, but he faces a stiff challenge from the Team Penske cars this weekend. All three Chevy powered drivers were within three tenths of a second or less of Kirkwood.

Two red flags interrupted practice. Santino Ferrucci went off course and needed a tow in. With less than five minutes remaining Alexander Rossi sopun in turn 1 and ended up in the sand trap. Less than a minute remained when the green was thrown.

In a post practice media availability Newgarden showed no ill effects from his crash at Gateway last Sunday. he attributed it to bad timing.

“I had nowhere to go,” he said.

Newgarden said that if fans want to see what an IndyCar can do, IMS and Road America are the two tracks that show the performance of the cars.

Notes

Team Penske cars looked very strong, finishing today third, fourth, and sixth.

The new bridge is very nice and much safer than the old tunnel. I have said since my first trip here in2016 that the tunnel was dangerous and needed to be either all pedestrians or all vehicles. It is now pedestrians only.

Heatb will be a factor tomorrow and Sunday. Some teams had hybrid issues in the heat at Thermal. Both Newgarden and Felix Rosenqvist don does not anticipate any issues this weekend.

Results

That will do it for me for today. Thanks for following along. I’ll be back tomorrow with morning practice results and qualifying groups. All sessions are on FS1 tomorrow.