Kirkwood Claims Victory at Chevrolet Grand Prix of Detroit
Kyle Kirkwood secured his fourth career win in the NTT IndyCar Series at the Chevrolet Grand Prix of Detroit, racing for the Andretti Global team. After starting from third due to a challenging qualifying session, Kirkwood’s race was punctuated by strategic moves and notable performances, culminating in a hard-fought victory.
Kirkwood, who previously triumphed at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach earlier this season, highlighted the strengths of his vehicle, stating, “This AWS Honda was on rails all weekend long. The car was flawless. We were definitely the fastest, and on restarts, the car just came alive.”
Race Summary
Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport led the field at the start, but Kirkwood quickly moved up, overtaking Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou and Christian Lundgaard to seize second place. Herta managed to retain the lead until the first round of pit stops on lap 12, at which point Kirkwood capitalized on a strategic pass to take the lead.
The race saw multiple cautions, notably for incidents involving Felix Rosenqvist and Devlin DeFrancesco. However, Kirkwood maintained his position amid the disruptions, navigating through the field efficiently.
As the race approached its final stages, a caution due to Callum Ilott’s lost wheel allowed several drivers, including Santino Ferrucci and Kyffin Simpson, to regain positions. Kirkwood’s relentless pursuit saw him reclaim the lead with 22 laps remaining, despite sustaining minor damage to his front wing during a tight battle with Simpson.
In the closing laps, a heavy shunt involving Rosenqvist and Louis Foster resulted in a red flag, but Kirkwood remained unchallenged after the restart, ultimately crossing the finish line 3.5931 seconds ahead.
Final Standings
- Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global)
- Santino Ferrucci (A.J. Foyt Racing)
- Colton Herta (Andretti Autosport)
- Will Power (Team Penske)
- Kyffin Simpson (RACER)
- Marcus Armstrong (Chip Ganassi Racing)
- Pato O’Ward (McLaren)
The race was marked by heavy attrition, with seven cars failing to finish. Notably, Palou’s night ended prematurely after a collision with David Malukas, who subsequently received a drive-through penalty.
Following the Detroit event, the IndyCar series will take a one-week hiatus before returning to action at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 15.
