Front wing damage, restarts, and razor-sharp strategy see Kyle Kirkwood prevail as Palou’s title run hits its first major snag.
DETROIT — June 1, 2025
On a day where survival was half the battle, Kyle Kirkwood didn’t just endure — he attacked. The Andretti Global driver emerged victorious from an attritional and unpredictable Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, pulling away in the closing laps despite front-wing damage to secure his second win of the 2025 INDYCAR season and his fourth career victory.
“It definitely wasn’t a walk in the park,” Kirkwood said. “We had to pass our way through multiple times; the wing was damaged, but the car felt strong. The team gave me a car on rails all weekend. Honestly, epic pit stops, epic strategy — we were the fastest.”
🔄 Strategic Complexity from the Start
This was not a race won solely on pace. The 100-lap contest around Detroit’s tight 1.645-mile, nine-turn circuit demanded a blend of tactical flexibility and cool under pressure. As ever on street circuits, tyre strategy was critical — and divergent.
Twelve drivers opted to start on the grippier-but-degrading Firestone alternates, while the other fifteen, including several mid-grid threats, started on the harder, more durable primaries. Kirkwood, who started third, was among the front-runners who ditched the alternates early — setting up an aggressive undercut sequence and a strategy that demanded overtakes throughout.
The early stages saw pole-sitter Colton Herta lead confidently. Still, Kirkwood soon asserted himself as a contender, gaining the lead when Scott Dixon, who extended his opening stint on primaries, finally pitted on Lap 39. Kirkwood then led until his second stop at the end of Lap 50, setting the tone for what became a constant cycling of positions as pit windows diverged.
🟡 Cautions Breed Opportunity — and Threats
The complexion of the race changed dramatically on Lap 67 when Callum Ilott crashed into the Turn 1 barriers, triggering a caution just as some drivers had completed their third stop — notably Santino Ferrucci and Kyffin Simpson.
Others, including Kirkwood, Herta, Power, and championship leader Alex Palou, took their final stops under the caution on Lap 70, dropping them back and elevating Ferrucci — who had started down in 21st — into the race lead. For AJ Foyt Racing, it was a moment of revival on a street course not seen since Takuma Sato’s podium in 2015 at Belle Isle.
On the Lap 72 restart, chaos erupted. David Malukas clipped Palou from behind into Turn 1, sending the No. 10 Chip Ganassi entry into the barriers. It was Palou’s first DNF since 2022 and ended an incredible run of five wins from six races to start the season.
Malukas was later handed a penalty for avoidable contact, but the real story was the championship picture suddenly opening up — Palou’s lead cut to 90 points over Pato O’Ward.
🟥 Kirkwood Strikes While the Field Scrambles
Kirkwood restarted fourth on Lap 76, and the next three laps would define the race.
- Lap 77: Dives under Marcus Armstrong into Turn 3
- Lap 78: Passes Simpson for second on the back straight — with contact, damaging his front wing
- Lap 79: Launches past Ferrucci in Turn 3 for the lead
“I slightly misjudged the move on Kyffin — clipped my wing,” Kirkwood explained. “But even with the damage, the car stayed hooked up. The balance was still there. Once I cleared Santino, I knew we could control the restarts.”
It wouldn’t be easy.
On Lap 84, a high-speed collision between Felix Rosenqvist and rookie Louis Foster in Turn 3 brought out another caution and eventually a 12-minute red flag for barrier repair. Neither driver was injured, but the tension reset.
“I was actually super comfortable after the red flag,” Kirkwood said. “I knew the car would come alive on the restart.”
And it did. Kirkwood launched at the green and was untouchable over the final 11 laps.
Behind him, Ferrucci fended off relentless pressure from Herta — who brought home a season-best third and delivered Andretti Global’s first double podium since last July’s Toronto race.
“Perfect strategy,” Ferrucci said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see a red flag. I was struggling massively. Kyle was just so fast — he earned this one.”
🔢 Final Order & Notable Performances
PositionDriverTeamNotes
1 Kyle Kirkwood Andretti Global / Honda 2nd win of 2025
2 Santino Ferrucci AJ Foyt Racing / Chevrolet Career-best finish
3 Colton Herta Andretti Global / Honda First podium of the season
4 Will Power Team Penske / Chevrolet Quietly strong, top-five finish
5 Kyffin Simpson Chip Ganassi / Honda Career-best P5, significant progress
In total, the race saw 261 on-track passes, a record since the event moved from Belle Isle — further proof that Detroit, for all its physical punishment, rewards bravery and risk.
🏁 What’s Next?
With Palou’s bulletproof aura slightly cracked and Kirkwood surging on street circuits, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES heads to its next challenge: World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, on Sunday, June 15.
As the championship fight subtly reshapes, Kirkwood’s Detroit win wasn’t just survival — it was a statement.