Kirkwood Commends Palou’s Dominance Ahead of Toronto Race
As the IndyCar series approaches the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global’s No. 27 team reflects on his impressive season thus far. With three wins, five top-five finishes, and eight top-10s in 12 races, Kirkwood finds himself overshadowed by Alex Palou’s extraordinary performance at Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou leads the championship by 129 points, boasting seven wins—including the prestigious Indianapolis 500—alongside four pole positions and nine podiums.
“In most seasons, our results would put us at the top of the standings,” Kirkwood noted. “But this year, Palou is doing something incredible. What he’s achieving in this series deserves recognition.”
Following the Iowa Speedway doubleheader, Kirkwood faced adversity, suffering a flat tire and subsequent wall collision on Saturday, finishing 26th. On Sunday, an alternate race strategy led to an 18th-place finish, hindering his title chase and leaving him 180 points behind Palou. Despite the setback, Kirkwood remains focused on securing victories for his team.
"Last weekend was a killer for our championship," he stated. “As long as it’s mathematically possible to beat him, we’ll keep pushing. But we’ve dug ourselves into a hole."
Looking ahead to Toronto, Kirkwood is optimistic. With two wins at street courses this season, he aims to leverage his prior success, having finished second in last year’s Toronto event. "We know we’re going to be strong. This is where we shift the momentum,” he emphasized.
Kirkwood concluded, “In many ways, finishing second this year would feel like winning the championship,” recognizing the magnitude of Palou’s accomplishments while remaining committed to pursuing wins. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on how both drivers perform at the upcoming race in Toronto.
