Kyle Kirkwood delivered a stunningly composed performance at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to take a monumental win for Andretti Global on the 50th anniversary of the event.
Starting from pole, Kirkwood led from the front in a race that demanded both pace and precision, fending off a relentless Álex Palou to claim his first victory of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season.
As it happened at the Long Beach Grand Prix
In a weekend dominated by Andretti, with the team locking out the front row in qualifying and three of their drivers starting in the top five, all eyes were on whether Kirkwood could convert pole into victory. Against the chaos of alternative strategies, shifting tyre compounds, and a tenacious grid of 26 rivals, Kirkwood’s drive was as close to flawless as it gets.
“Yeah, it’s really good. Right. Like to win here at the 50th, with this team, with this group, with Honda and an Acura sponsored event is, is absolutely massive,” said Kirkwood post-race.
The Floridian maintained control in the early phases, keeping ahead of teammate Colton Herta. Initially he was stretching a gap while Álex Palou lost places on the opening lap. Yet, with Palou quickly recovering and executing a brilliant strategy, the reigning champion became Kirkwood’s main threat by the halfway point.
Kirkwood on a ‘flawless’ weekend
The race quickly evolved into a battle of wits. Kirkwood found himself needing to lift and coast through several stints to make his race plan work. This marked a high-risk approach against Palou’s flat-out charge.
Kirkwood praised his entire organisation. “You know, this was a flawless weekend for myself, for the team, for the crew, for everyone involved. And when you have flawless weekends like this, you tend to win. So, this is a big step in the right direction.“
Palou stayed within striking distance, his Ganassi car glued to Kirkwood’s Andretti as both teams pitted for the final time. With Kirkwood rejoining just ahead, the tension escalated over the final stint. But with more push-to-pass available and a calm head amidst lapped traffic, Kirkwood managed to rebuild his lead in the closing stages to seal the win by nearly four seconds.
“It’s, really easy to say, you might as well just go out there, get pole; lead the whole race and make it nice and simple. It’s just not that simple, right? A lot of things need to align to make that happen. Epecially when you have 26 other, the best, drivers in the world racing here against you, that all want to beat you,” he reflected.
Eyes set on the championship
Behind the leading duo, Christian Lungaard made a bold late move on Felix Rosenqvist to snatch third place, capping off a strong strategic run. The Dane’s podium was enough to move him into third in the championship standings behind Palou and Kirkwood.
“That might be the highest I’ve ever been in the championship, if I’m not mistaken… We want to be right there in the fight the entire time, if not leading. So, this is a big one for us,” said Kirkwood, now eyeing a serious title push in just his third full season.
While Colton Herta’s early pit stop cycling saw him tumble down the order, and a late push fell short of re-passing Scott McLaughlin, Andretti’s day was a major step forward after a rocky start to the season.
“This is a start, and hopefully, this is a continuation of great things,” Kirkwood said, setting his sights beyond the win and towards a season-long championship effort.
It was a textbook display of composure, speed, and strategic execution—one that will no doubt go down as one of Kirkwood’s signature victories.
“It’s massive, right? You know, this is a historic race and, you know, I don’t think it’s set in yet for me, but I know how special it is… to win the 50th anniversary of this is huge,” he said.
In managing traffic, holding off a faster Palou on warm tyres, and resisting pressure without a single misstep, Kirkwood proved he’s no longer just a future contender—he’s very much in the fight now.
