INDYCAR: KIRKWOOD RETURNS TO VICTORY ON THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH

Kyle Kirkwood made a triumphant return to victory lane on the iconic streets of Long Beach, taking a commanding win in the third round of the 2025 IndyCar season. The Andretti Autosport driver converted his pole position into a flawless race performance, fending off a late challenge from Alex Palou, who this time had to settle for second.

The three-time champion from Spain, who had won the opening two races of the year, played it safe at the start—dropping two positions to avoid the chaos—but quickly settled into a rhythm. Palou methodically climbed back through the field and mounted a serious charge after the final round of pit stops. With warmer tires and momentum on his side, he closed in on Kirkwood but couldn't find a way past the composed American, who defended with precision in the closing laps.

Rounding out the podium was a sensational Christian Lundgaard. After a crash in qualifying left him starting 12th, the Danish driver executed a perfect comeback drive. Starting on the harder compound tires, he extended his first stint and capitalized on clean air and smart pit strategy to climb through the field. His late-race move on a fading Felix Rosenqvist sealed an impressive third-place finish.

Despite losing out on the podium, Rosenqvist still delivered a strong fourth-place result—an encouraging sign for Meyer Shank Racing, which finally showed race-day competitiveness. Right behind him came the Penske duo of Will Power and Scott McLaughlin, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Power’s recovery was particularly noteworthy after a difficult qualifying session, as he methodically worked his way up to a top-five result.

It was a tough outing, however, for Colton Herta. Lining up alongside Kirkwood on the front row, the Andretti driver never found his rhythm. A misfired pit strategy and lackluster pace saw him slip down the order, eventually finishing seventh just ahead of a quiet run from Scott Dixon in eighth.

Closing out the top ten were three drivers who delivered standout comeback performances: Sting Ray Robb in eighth, Kyffin Simpson in ninth, and Santino Ferrucci rounding out the group in tenth.

A straightforward race with no caution periods also allowed the Prema team to log valuable race mileage. Both cars reached the checkered flag, with Robert Shwartzman finishing 18th and teammate Callum Ilott coming home in 21st—not headline-grabbing results, but a solid step forward for the Italian squad.

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