Winners and losers from IndyCar's unique, chaotic Detroit GP street circuit race
With the Month of May complete, the NTT IndyCar Series ventured north to kick off June on the streets of Detroit.
If anyone thought that meant a return to caution-free, procedural races, then they were in for a surprise. Sunday's race was hit with multiple yellow flags, causing strategies that ultimately shook up the final running order.
General view, overlooking the circuit's unique 'split' pit lane
General view, overlooking the circuit's unique 'split' pit lane
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In the end, the same street course dominator from Long Beach rolled to victory lane. However, the path from Colton Herta's well-deserved pole position to Kyle Kirkwood taking the checkered flag was much more eventful, leaving a host of different storylines to touch on leaving Motown.
Here are the winners and losers from the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
Winner: Kyle Kirkwood controls another street circuit showdown
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Penske Entertainment
Penske Entertainment
What more can you say about Kyle Kirkwood and the No. 27 Andretti Global team when it comes to street circuits? The Floridian bounced back from a disappointing third-place qualifying effort and marched to his fourth street circuit win and second of 2025, following a dominant drive in Long Beach.
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Kirkwood was rapid on the streets of Detroit, particularly on restarts. A varied race, broken front wing and strategies that forced him to overtake couldn't keep Kirkwood from securing yet another big victory.
If Alex Palou's the dominator everywhere else, then Kirkwood is establishing himself as the driver to beat when street circuits come around.
Winners (and one Loser): Keeping the status quo… Sort of
David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Penske Entertainment
Okay, so on paper, not much changed with the podium of Sunday's race. Two Andretti Global stars were split by an A.J. Foyt Racing underdog in both qualifying and the race. But it took quite a bit to make that come true.
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First off, let's get the bad news out of the way. David Malukas' promising weekend came unglued in the second-half of Sunday's race. His No. 4 Chevrolet dropped from second to fifth on the opening lap, but he'd generally stayed in contention until the final set of pit stops under caution.
It was on the ensuing restart that Malukas made his race-changing error, slamming into Alex Palou from behind and nosing him into the tire barrier. That led to an avoidable contact penalty that ultimately relegated the Wisconsinite to a 14th-place result.
Luckily for the Foyt gang, the caution that preceded the error set up teammate Santino Ferrucci for a shock result. Having already pitted under green, Ferrucci stayed out and inherited the lead.
Neither he nor pole-sitting Andretti teammate Colton Herta had anything for the rapid Kyle Kirkwood in the end. But Ferrucci and Herta wrapped up the podium to give their organizations results they could be proud of.
Loser (but Winner for IndyCar): Alex Palou finally looks human
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
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It was easy to picture Sunday's race as a foregone conclusion based on the trends entering the weekend. Palou was obviously going to qualify well and surge to the lead when it counted, right?
Not this time.
The Indianapolis 500 winner qualified a respectable sixth and rose into the top-three through the opening corners, but ultimately lacked the pace to chase down the frontrunners in Detroit. It looked like the Spaniard was going to settle for a finish around the back-half of the top-five, but Palou's day was undone when he was clambered into from behind by David Malukas on a mid-race restart.
Even with the awful result, Palou's still sitting pretty. His points lead still sits a 78 points over Kirkwood, leaving the Chip Ganassi Racing ace as the dominant championship favorite if catastrophe doesn't find his No. 10 Chevrolet continuously moving forward.
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But for at least one week, IndyCar got the chance to highlight other stars and focus on different storylines. That's good for a series trying to grow its driver into brand names with FOX.
Loser: Early chaos takes out contenders
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing
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Penske Entertainment
If anyone was worried about the caution-free trends from before Indianapolis continuing in Detroit, they didn't have to wait long to get their answer.
It took just 14 laps for the race to see its first full-course yellow, when Felix Rosenqvist went for a spin into the tire barrier while trying to chase down the frontrunners. Rosenqvist had closed up on the leaders after pitting to get rid of his alternate tires earlier than anyone else at the conclusion of lap 6, but the spin kept him out of contention.
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The drama didn't end there. Devlin DeFrancesco was caught up in the incident and fell to the back of the field. But minutes later his No. 30 Honda was seen slowed before it lost a tire to bring out another caution flag.
In-between those two unfortunate breaks for DeFrancesco, Arrow McLaren's Nolan Siegel made a strong impression as he surged past the just-pitted Colton Herta in a net-lead-changing moment that opened the door for Kyle Kirkwood to pass him as well. But on the first restart, Siegel was sent for a spin from the trailing Scott McLaughlin, who'd just pitted under the prior yellow.
Siegel and DeFrancesco lost laps as a result of their incidents and left Detroit with finishes of 19th and 23rd. McLaughlin continued on, but was issued a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact and knocked out of winning contention. He ended the day a disappointing 12th.
Winner: Early stops pay dividends for Simpson, Armstrong
Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing
Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Ferrucci was the star of the drivers that were fortunate enough to pit before Ilott's caution allowed them to cycle through to the front of the field. But the two drivers that joined him were nearly as fortunate.
Simpson and Armstrong couldn't fend off the frontrunners in the run to the checkered flag, but the duo managed their fuel and tires well to take finishes of fifth and sixth, respectively. The top-five was a huge result for Simpson, salvaging a day where he'd rolled off 19th. Armstrong's wasn't as much of a comeback - he'd started ninth - but it served as the only highlight on a difficult day for Meyer Shank Racing.
Loser: Foster, Rosenqvist take a wild ride
Ouch.
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Louis Foster and Felix Rosenqvist were each having decent - if unmemorable - races in Detroit heading into the closing stages. Foster had shown promise, but lacked the pace of the frontrunners. Rosenqvist was doing what he could to rally from an early shunt.
Neither driver was prepared for what happened next. Foster suffered a suspension failure with 17 laps to go, slammed into Rosenqvist from two spots back and send both drivers careening into turn 3.
Rosenqvist ultimately got the worst of the incident, slamming the turn 3 tire barrier and complaining of leg pain after the accident. Thankfully, the Swede appears to be okay. Meyer Shank Racing shared on social media that Rosenqvist was taken by stretcher to the infield care center, where he was seen and released before completing his IndyCar evaluation.
Loser: A wheelie bad day
Devlin Defrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Devlin Defrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
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DeFrancesco wasn't the only one to lose a wheel during Sunday's festivities. With final stops getting ready to kick off on lap 67, Prema Racing's Callum Ilott came off pit road and immediately lost a wheel, clattering into the tire barrier and causing a caution that took any strategy out of the closing stint.
No major safety issues came out of the two lost wheels in Detroit. But few on-track issues can cause a greater potential risk to spectators. This is an issue IndyCar's going to need to review leaving the Motor City.
Graham Rahal nearly suffered the same fate, his pit crew having issues removing a wheel nut before struggling to put one on during his first stop. Thankfully, the Ohioan caught it and avoided catastrophe, but the issue left him three laps down in 20th at race's end.
Loser: Rinus runs out of luck
Rinus Veekay, Dale Coyne Racing
Rinus Veekay, Dale Coyne Racing
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With veteran engineer Michael Cannon back in the fold and a strong seventh-place qualifying effort, Rinus VeeKay and Dale Coyne Racing rolled into Sunday's race with cause for optimism. But much like Detroit's own Pistons basketball team, those vibes didn't translate when it counted.
Veekay's promising Detroit run was undone just six laps into the scheduled 100, when his No. 18 Honda lost power. That proved to be the end of his day, leaving the Netherlands native last in 27th when the checkered flag flew.
Winner: One lucky bird
Alex Palou is vicious to his competition on the race track, but the Spaniard proved Saturday that he's no killer.
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The dominant championship favorite was heading onto the racing surface during the final pre-qualifying practice on Saturday morning when he found a small bird dead ahead of his No. 10. Luckily for the bird (and any animal-loving viewers), Palou saw the creature ahead and managed to swerve around it.
Palou did technically commit a line infraction to make the dodge. But race control didn't seem to mind - a trend of the early weekend, as it turned out. Because…
Loser: Power goes unpenalized for Detroit shove
Will Power, Team Penske, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Will Power, Team Penske, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Penske Entertainment
Penske Entertainment
On face value, Friday's unique run-in between Will Power and Kyle Kirkwood was more cool than anything else.
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Power was approaching Kirkwood in the weekend's opening practice session when the pair came together, Kirkwood having checked up behind the slowed David Malukas ahead of him. Seemingly frustrated, Power locked onto Kirkwood's tail and pushed the Long Beach winner past Malukas and into the ensuing corner, where he shot up the track and allowed Power through.
'I came around, and he slowed up in the middle and made contact,' Power said. 'So, I thought, 'Well, I may as well get a gap now,' so I just pushed him past the car in front, just moved him out of the way and got a really nice gap.'
Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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In the end, neither driver was too upset about the incident. Kirkwood admitted it was 'the most absurd thing I've had happen to me at a racetrack,' but was largely unbothered after topping the charts in the session. The pair were seen laughing about the incident together on Saturday morning.
That said, there was arguably a miss from race control. Power somehow avoided any unavoidable contact penalty for some of the most avoidable contact imaginable. But as was reported on the official broadcast, he may have suffered a worse fate than an on-track penalty — he was given a new nickname by his fellow drivers:'Will Plower'.
Photos from Detroit - Race
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren
Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren
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Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing
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Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
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Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
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Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
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General view
General view
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Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
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Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
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Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing
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Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing
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Penske Entertainment
Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
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General view
General view
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Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing
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Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren
Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren
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General view
General view
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Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
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Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
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Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing
Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Penske Entertainment
Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Penske Entertainment
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Penske Entertainment
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt
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Penske Entertainment
Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Dan Towriss
Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Dan Towriss
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Penske Entertainment
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt
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Penske Entertainment
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
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Penske Entertainment
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Penske Entertainment
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
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Penske Entertainment
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises
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Penske Entertainment
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
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Penske Entertainment
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing
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Penske Entertainment
Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
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Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
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Fox Sports
8 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Practice Shots: Drivers Start To Tame Beautiful Beast Road America
INDYCAR The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will reach its halfway point midway through Sunday's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, and with that comes several aspects to assess. Like Alex Palou's pursuit of a third consecutive series championship and fourth title in the past five years. Like the challenges of Palou by Pato O'Ward, Kyle Kirkwood and others. Like how beginning Sunday there will be nine races staged held over the next 11 weekends. There's a lot to consume, for sure. Meantime, drivers and their teams warmed up at Road America with the first practice of the weekend. These three things stood out in the session: The Return to Road America Let's start with this middle-of-Wisconsin facility. You roll through the first half of the season with an assortment of racetracks – some located in prettier settings than others – and then you roll up to Road America, and you wonder why you haven't been camping with the family in years. If an artist were to create scenery around a motorsports venue, he'd proudly draw this place, then celebrate with a brat lathered with mustard. The track is 4.014 miles, with one breathtaking location after another. Canada Corner isn't just the best-named spot in INDYCAR, it's stuck deep in the woods with horsepower reverberating through the trees. Cars sprint to that spot before darting hard right up the hill to what seems like civilization. It's exhilarating. But be warned: Road America can bite like few other tracks in this country. Speeds are high; the trappings consequential. This is beauty and a beast. Turn 1 was the scene of the worst accident of A.J. Foyt's career in 1990. Parker Johnstone barrel-rolled through that corner in 1996. The bridge at Turn 4 is what Memo Gidley smashed in 2001. At the end of that long straight, Bryan Herta was facing backward after a spin in 1998 and watched Alex Barron's car squarely land on top of his. And then there was Katherine Legge's indescribable ride down the backstretch in 2006. View the replay at your discretion. Palou and Josef Newgarden both crashed at Road America last year. Scott Dixon and Will Power tangled in a big one a couple years back. At these speeds, high alert is advised. Team Penske Needs Bounce-Back The most successful organization in the history of this sport is coming off its worst weekend in more than three decades, and it was maybe worse than that when considering Team Penske drivers finished 24th, 25th and 27th in the 27-car field last weekend in the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway. The cars driven by Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin and Power each failed to finish the race, something that hadn't happened to Roger Penske's team since 1994. But here's the difference between those years: When cars driven by Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy failed to finish that day at Michigan International Speedway, they still finished eighth, 10th and 15th in that 28-car field, and they went on to finish 1-2-3 in the championship. Unser also won the Indianapolis 500 that year. Eight races into this season, Power ranks seventh, McLaughlin eighth and Newgarden 16th in the standings, and each is seeking his first race win of the year. Here's the good connection between those two seasons: The 1994 gang bounced back to finish 1-2-3 in the ensuing race, held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This Penske bunch stood together on last year's Road America podium with Power winning the race followed by Newgarden and McLaughlin, and they were three of the fastest six cars in Friday's practice. Power and Newgarden are each two-time series winners at Road America. Palou Ready for Road America Palou was the overlooked driver in last week's World Wide Technology Raceway incident that saw Newgarden smash into the wounded car of rookie Louis Foster on the frontstretch. Palou was first on the scene of Foster's lazy spin, but had the advantage of seeing what Newgarden couldn't. 'I was lucky there,' Palou said. 'I had to take a decision of going up (the track) or going low, and I went up because I saw that the car was potentially going to go down, and Josef unfortunately didn't have that option. Those moments sometimes you are lucky and you get it right, and sometimes you don't. I'm glad I was on the right side there.' Palou said the expansive Road America circuit and its numerous passing opportunities could offer a lot of incidents in a race or none at all. But he also has noticed that many of his fellow competitors have started 'playing a little bit more aggressive than probably at the beginning of the season' as goals haven't yet been achieved. Palou's goal is to win at Road America for the third time, and the fact he has won in recent odd years (2021 and 2023) has him optimistic about this visit in 2025. Palou had a pair of subpar results in this season's past two races – 25th after being punted into the tires in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and eighth at WWTR – but he still holds a sizable lead over second place O'Ward (73 points) and third place Kirkwood (75 points). Kirkwood has been the driver on the charge, winning each of those two races. Kirkwood also posted the fastest lap of Friday's practice (1 minute, 44.9881 seconds). Palou's best lap ranked ninth. Keep an eye on these two drivers and more this weekend. recommended
Fox Sports
8 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Foyt Team Honors Memory of Dear Friend at Road America
INDYCAR A.J. Foyt Enterprises honors this weekend at Road America the legacy of longtime friend, supporter and team sponsor Marlyne Sexton (photo, left), who passed away June 11 at age 86. In her memory, the team debuted a special tribute livery on the No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet driven by Santino Ferrucci during this weekend's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR. Ferrucci was the 11th quickest among 27 drivers in Friday's opening practice session with a top lap of 1 minute, 45.7423 seconds. 'Man, just hanging out with Mrs. Sexton and A.J. in Indy is just always fun, just watching them,' Ferrucci said. 'They had some good banter back and forth. 'She's such a wonderful lady. She did wonders for the team. She made me feel like family when I first joined in 2023. I know she thought of Larry (Foyt) like a son, so heavy hearts with her passing, and very honored to be driving the special livery in her honor for this weekend.' Sexton, along with her husband, Joe, founded Sexton Properties, an Indianapolis-based real estate development company, in 1962. Their first Indiana project was located just minutes from Indianapolis Motor Speedway and marked the beginning of a friendship between the Sextons and A.J. Foyt, one of the development's first tenants. 'I met Marlyne's husband, Joe Sexton, years ago,' Foyt said. 'I was one of the first customers, and from then on, we were just great friends." Joe passed away in 2002, but Marlyne continued to lead the company and remained a powerful influence in real estate and motorsports. Sexton Properties began sponsoring AJ Foyt Racing during the 2015 Indianapolis 500 as an associate partner on an entry driven by Alex Tagliani. The partnership grew each season, culminating in a primary sponsorship role by 2022. "I am deeply saddened by the loss of Marlyne Sexton,' said Larry Foyt, team president of AJ Foyt Racing. 'It can't be overstated the positive effects she has had on not only our team but on me personally. Her strength and positive influence are a huge piece of our recent successes. I will forever be grateful for the life lessons she taught me and the confidence she instilled in all aspects of my life. 'Marlyne loved watching INDYCAR and cheering for AJ Foyt Racing. I will miss our talks about the races and the team, but her teachings and impact will be remembered for the rest of my life.' Kirkwood Riding Momentum Into Road America Kyle Kirkwood enters Road America aiming for a feat Andretti Global hasn't pulled off in over a decade. Kirkwood has three victories this season, with back-to-back wins in the last two races in the series, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 1 and Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on June 15. He has a chance in Sunday's 55-lap race to become the first Andretti Global driver since Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2012 to win three races in a row. RHR pulled off a hat track that year at Milwaukee Mile, Iowa Speedway and the streets of Toronto. 'Momentum is a big thing in motorsports,' Kirkwood said. 'When you have that kind of momentum, things come to you a little bit easier.' Kirkwood is off to a great start Friday, quickest in the No. 27 Siemens Honda with a lap of 1:44.9881. Kirkwood has improved his finishing position at Road America all three years. He finished 20th as a rookie for AJ Foyt Racing in 2022, then ninth and fifth, respectively, for Andretti Global the last two years. The steady upward trend, paired with his current form, positions him as a legitimate threat to contend for the win Sunday. This is also the first time this season Kirkwood hasn't had a week off between wins. 'To do well, you've got to celebrate with the crew for a couple of hours, and then you're straight back to work to do it all over again,' he said. 'I've gone home after each win and been able to relax and wind down from it, but this week it's been like, 'OK, it's Road America, here we go again,' which isn't a bad thing. Just keep it rolling. It doesn't allow the ball to stop.' Herta Strives for Road America Victory Colton Herta has been one of the most consistent performers at Road America, but victory at the 4.014-mile Wisconsin road course continues to slip just out of reach. In eight starts, Herta has never finished worse than eighth and has qualified on the front row five times, including each of the last two years. He earned NTT P1 Award honors in 2019 as a rookie and in 2023. He's only started outside the top seven once – 11th in 2022. 'I've always been really strong here,' Herta said. But have still never won. I've had close ones. This is the place I've never really had a bad weekend.' Herta's best chances slipped away due to small but costly mistakes. In 2019, managing tire wear caught him off guard as he faded to eighth. In 2023, a pit stop one lap too early forced him to save fuel late, and he ultimately finished fifth. Andretti Global Drivers Stick With Pacers Andretti Global's NBA loyalty got complicated this week as Mark Walter, who is part of Andretti Global's TWG Global ownership group, made headlines this week for purchasing the Los Angeles Lakers. Walter, already a stakeholder in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Sparks and owner of the Professional Women's Hockey League, holds a significant presence in both racing and LA sports. However, Andretti Global is based in Indianapolis, and co-owner Dan Towriss' company Gainbridge, has naming rights to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers. So, where do Andretti Global drivers Marcus Ericsson, Herta and Kirkwood's allegiances stand? Herta took a bipartisan approach. 'I'll have an Eastern Conference team in the Pacers and a Western Conference team in the Lakers to cheer for,' he said. Florida native Kirkwood was more loyal to his adopted home. 'I don't know anything about that situation,' Kirkwood said. 'I live in Indiana. I know all the Pacers players' names, at least. I watch them play, and I know their style. I'm a big, big fan of the Pacers. I scream at the TV.' Ericsson, like Kirkwood, remains loyal to the Pacers. Fatherhood Helps McLaughlin Through Rough Stretch Scott McLaughlin is navigating a challenging stretch of the season, with a string a setbacks that have dropped him from fifth in points entering the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge to eighth in the standings entering Sunday's 55-lap race at Road America. McLaughlin crashed on the pace lap and finished 30th in the '500' on May 25. A week later, he was penalized for avoidable contact after rear-ending Nolan Siegel's No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and finished 12th at Detroit. In last Sunday's race at World Wide Technology Raceway, McLaughlin qualified second, ran in the top five, but suffered a mechanical failure on Lap 216, ending 24th. McLaughlin likened this difficult period to his 2015 season in Australian V8 Supercars, though with a more grounded perspective this time around. Becoming a first-time father to daughter Lucy during the offseason has provided emotional balance and perspective. 'Obviously, her college fund has taken a hit, but I think at the same time she's so very refreshing,' McLaughlin said. 'Being a dad and having a life outside of the sport, not that I didn't have that before without Lucy. I mean, I always had (wife) Karly, and she's great at taking my mind of stuff. But the dad part of life is awesome, and I'm probably the most happy I've ever been off the track.' McLaughlin has yet to win at Road America in four starts, but his performance improved each year, climbing from 14th in 2021, seventh in 2022, eighth in 2023 and third after leading 18 laps last year. He was sixth quickest Friday with a time of 1:45.3191 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. Franchitti, Buxton Shave Foster's Mustache for Charity NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Louis Foster made a surprising and charitable style change ahead of the Road America race weekend by losing the mustache he had sported all season. Foster, an English driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, wore the mustache as a nod to three-time series champion Bobby Rahal, co-owner of the team. In May, he joked that his look was very 1986 Indy 500 Bobby Rahal, embracing the retro vibe and team pride. At Thursday night's Welcome Party at Siebkens Stop-Inn Tavern, a beloved Elkhart Lake establishment, Foster joined other drivers as a celebrity bartender, raising funds for Racing For Kids through tips and donations. When asked what it would take to shave the mustache, Foster half-jokingly said $1,000. Dario Franchitti, a four-time INDYCAR SERIES champion, offered $500 if he could shave it off himself. Others, including FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Will Buxton, chipped in, and the mustache was officially shaved for charity. Foster was eighth quickest in the No. 45 Droplight/Desunda Tequila Honda in Friday's practice. Cannon Helps VeeKay Score WWTR Top 10 Finish Rinus VeeKay has found a new groove in recent races and credits veteran engineer Michael Cannon for the turnaround. Cannon rejoined Dale Coyne Racing after this year's Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and brings decades of technical expertise and a proven track record of rapid impact. In their first race together at Detroit, Cannon's input, especially on braking, helped VeeKay qualify seventh. The next race at WWTR, the No. 18 askROI Honda cracked the top 10 and finished seventh thanks to fuel-saving strategy devised by Cannon. Cannon spent six years (2014-19) at DCR, engineering a range of drivers. He also has served as an engineer in recent seasons for Chip Ganassi Racing and AJ Foyt Racing, delivering immediate improvements to those teams, especially on ovals. 'Working with (Scott) Dixon in the past, he gave me some tricks to improve the fuel mileage,' VeeKay said. Odds and Ends Championship leader Alex Palou has new colors on track this weekend with SOLO Cup sponsoring his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was ninth quickest in the opening practice session. Team Penske swept the podium in last year's race and had all three drivers in the top six during Friday's practice session, led by defending race winner Will Power (1:45.1795) in third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Two-time Road America winner Josef Newgarden (1:45.2228) in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet was fourth, .0433 of a second behind Power, with McLaughlin sixth. The top 15 drivers in Friday's speed chart were separated by less than a second. Saturday features NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice at 11:05 a.m. ET and then qualifying to set the 27-car lineup for Sunday's race at 2:35 p.m. ET. Both air on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. 2012 INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Ryan Hunter-Reay served as a booth analyst for FOX's INDY NXT by Firestone practice coverage Friday. recommended
Fox Sports
10 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Kyle Kirkwood Turns Up Heat in First Road America Practice
INDYCAR Two heat waves are arriving this weekend at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR. One is a weather system expected to hike air temperatures into the mid-90s Saturday and Sunday at the iconic Road America circuit in Wisconsin. The other is named Kyle Kirkwood. SEE: Practice Results Kirkwood, who has won the last two NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, continued his hot form Friday by leading the first practice with a top lap of 1 minute, 44.9881 seconds in the No. 27 Siemens Honda fielded by Andretti Global. Kirkwood is third in the series standings, two points behind second-place Pato O'Ward and 75 behind leader Alex Palou. 'Good start,' Kirkwood said. 'Definitely a session that was hindered a little bit by the red and the timing (of red flag). Happy to be quick once again here. We were quick last year, so I guess that's a good positive to take away from today, and hopefully that trend continues. 'But the weather is going to be so much different tomorrow that I'm not sure what we learned from today is going to be applicable tomorrow or the next day. We'll see what happens.' The air temperature, in the low 80s Friday, is expected to climb at least 10 degrees into the mid-90s Saturday and Sunday. That will reduce the grip of the Firestone Firehawk tires and test the stamina of drivers. Devlin DeFrancesco, 25th in points, ended up a surprising second at 1:45.1414 in the No. 30 Manitou Group Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Team Penske began its rebound from a tough event last Sunday night at World Wide Technology Raceway by placing third and fourth on the 14-turn, 4.014-mile natural-terrain road course. Reigning Road America winner Will Power was third at 1:45.1795 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, while two-time Road America winner Josef Newgarden was fourth at 1:45.2228 in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Christian Lundgaard rounded out the top five at 1:45.2246 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Scott McLaughlin helped Penske's recovery by clocking in sixth at 1:45.3191 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. McLaughlin, Newgarden and Power finished 24th, 25th and 27th, respectively, last Sunday night on the oval at WWTR. Championship leader Palou was ninth at 1:45.3664 in the No. 10 SOLO Cup Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou led with seven minutes left in the 75-minute session, but nearly the entire field pitted late for Firestone Firehawk alternate tires, which provide more grip and speed but have less durability. That shuffled the order considerably until the checkered flag, although a red flag with five minutes left caused by a trip into the Turn 1 gravel by 2019 Road America winner Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet interrupted some late attempts to dash up the speed charts. Up next is pre-qualifying practice at 11 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:30 p.m. ET. FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network will provide live coverage. The 55-lap race starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). recommended
