Kyle Kirkwood delivered a dominant victory within the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
After beginning second within the #27 Andretti World Honda, Kirkwood led 128 of 147 laps en path to claiming the historic end result by 3.0906s on the 1.7-mile, 7-turn short-term avenue circuit wrapped across the Nationwide Mall. It marked his second win of the 2026 IndyCar Collection season.
“You possibly can’t even put it into phrases. That is unbelievable,” stated Kirkwood, 27. “I’m virtually in tears right here. This can be a massive second for us, massive second for America. The 250, proper? Large second for Andretti. Large second for Sam’s Membership and Honda. These guys [pit crew], they’re those that gave me the gear and this automobile proper right here to be on the market, to go on the market and carry out. However man, that was a tough race, 147 laps.I am out of breath proper now making an attempt to get phrases to you.”
Will Energy completed third, giving Andretti World two automobiles on the rostrum for the second consecutive race.
Andretti World’s Marcus Ericsson claimed fourth, forward of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson in fifth.
Kirkwood made vital floor on championship chief Alex Palou, with the Chip Ganassi Racing driver stumbling with a number of errors to complete twentieth. Kirkwood, who sits second within the title race and got here into this weekend 133 factors behind, now sits 91 factors again with three races to go.
The Race
President Donald Trump waved the inexperienced flag as polesitter Palou led the sector away. Regardless of having a poor launch on the beginning, Kirkwood was capable of push by Palou to take the lead heading into Flip 3.
A warning got here earlier than the lap got here to an finish, although, with particles out on monitor in Flip 4. The restart got here on Lap 5, with Kirkwood leaping to a 1s lead immediately.
Kirkwood held a lead of simply over one second after 10 laps, with Palou in second, adopted by McLaughlin in third at roughly 3s behind.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson, who began twenty third, was the primary driver to go off-sequence and pit on Lap 11. Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean pitted 4 laps later.
Normal view
Photograph by: Eric Lee / Getty Pictures
On Lap 17, there was one other full course warning for particles in Flip 3. With the pits open on Lap 20, David Malukas, Sting Ray Robb, Santino Ferrucci, and Graham Rahal got here in for service. On the identical time, Grosjean was hit with a penalty and compelled to surrender one place for failure to pack up.
Kirkwood led the sector to the inexperienced flag on Lap 23, with Palou proper on his rear wing. Shortly after, Ferrucci was hit with a suspected electrical difficulty that left him returning again to pit lane for repairs; he returned however eight laps down.
The highest 5 after 35 laps have been Kirkwood, with Palou 1.2s again in second, McLaughlin in third however complaining of a vibration, ECR’s Christian Rasmussen in fourth, and Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong in fifth.
An enormous crash got here on Lap 36 after Malukas clipped the within wall and was despatched arduous into the skin barrier, leaving him straight within the path of an oncoming Sting Ray Robb (Juncos Hollinger Racing), who nailed the aspect of the #12 Staff Penske Chevrolet.
With the pits open, a number of of the frontrunners got here in for service, led by Kirkwood, which elevated Rahal, who pitted earlier, to the lead. Palou ended up below investigation by Race Management for hitting the tire setup in rookie Mick Schumacher’s pit stall. Palou was handed a drive-through penalty consequently after evaluate. Rookie Dennis Hauger was additionally compelled to surrender three positions for unsafe launch.
Rahal led the sector to the restart on Lap 43, tapping the wall simply as he hit the gasoline and permitting Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay to drag alongside however unable to overhaul. Rahal held onto the highest spot whereas chaos caught behind with a number of automobiles coming collectively and bringing out one other warning. Armstrong made contact with Rasmussen in Flip 5, which additionally collected VeeKay. Armstrong was handed a stop-and-hold penalty for avoidable contact.
The pits have been open on Lap 47, with Rasmussen and teammate Rossi pitting, together with Palou, who took on gasoline solely.
Normal view
Photograph by: Kent NISHIMURA of AFP through Getty Picture
Rahal led the sector as soon as extra to the restart on Lap 50, with Kirkwood vaulting to second after making fast work of Simpson. Kirkwood then took the lead from Rahal in Flip 5.
Kirkwood constructed a 2.3984s lead over Rahal by Lap 55.
Rahal pitted on Lap 60, with Simpson transferring as much as second, 5.1715s behind Kirkwood.
On Lap 66, Palou pitted as soon as extra, however a problem with getting his left-front tire on slowed the cease and put him a lap down. Dixon pitted two laps later.
By Lap 70, Kirkwood held a 6.4677s lead.
Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Photograph by: Saul Loeb of AFP through Getty Pictures
On the midway mark, Simpson dove to pit lane for contemporary tires and gasoline, popping out straight forward of Rahal.
Kirkwood pitted on Lap 79, together with McLaughlin and Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist. Andretti World’s Will Energy elevated to the lead earlier than pitting the following lap, handing the highest spot again to Kirkwood.
By Lap 85, Kirkwood held an 8.8720s lead over McLaughlin. Rahal pitted three laps later. On lap 91, Kirkwood’s lead fell to 4.9s as he encountered backmarker site visitors. Palou pitted once more.
US President Donald Trump, First Woman Melania Trump
Photograph by: Saul Loeb of AFP through Getty Pictures
Kirkwood widened the hole again to 7.5739s over the following 4 laps. On Lap 105, the lead grew to 13.7994s for Kirkwood.
Whereas Kirkwood was main, his Andretti teammates have been those on the transfer, with Energy on the rear wing of Lundgaard for third, with Ericsson as much as fifth. Ericsson pitted with 37 laps to go, which led to Kirkwood coming within the subsequent lap.
McLaughlin took over the lead on Lap 112, and stayed out for an additional two laps earlier than pitting, with Energy taking on the lead as Lundgaard pitted on Lap 113. Energy dove to pit lane on Lap 116, handing the lead again to Kirkwood.
The warning got here out with 25 laps to go as Palou spun and located the wall in Flip 3. He returned to pit lane dragging a damaged entrance wing.
The restart on Lap 128 introduced extra chaos, with McLaughlin divebombing for the lead into Flip 1, rolling previous Kirkwood and crashing into the skin wall. Kirkwood acquired by cleanly, together with the remainder of the sector apart from Rosenqvist, who spun after driving over the damaged banner left in McLaughlin’s wake.
Kirkwood led the sector to the restart with 13 laps to go, leaping out to a 1s lead over Lundgaard after the opening few corners.
With eight laps to go, Lundgaard continued to lurk inside placing distance of Kirkwood. It will be temporary, although, as Kirkwood was capable of put collectively a few robust laps to widen his result in 2.945s over Lundgaard.
Within the near the end, Kirkwood set his quickest lap of the race at 58.2879s with three laps to go. Energy dished out a 57.9495s flyer just a few laps prior for the quickest within the occasion.
Ultimately, Kirkwood coasted to the win by 3.091s over Lundgaard, with Energy taking third.
1
27
147
3
2
7
147
3.091
3
3
26
147
1.094
3
4
28
147
8.280
3
5
8
147
1.399
4
6
N. Siegel Arrow McLaren
6
147
1.789
4
7
9
147
2.935
3
8
2
147
0.889
3
9
4
147
0.714
3
10
18
147
2.028
4
11
47
147
4.426
4
12
20
147
4.290
4
13
15
147
1.116
6
14
C. Rasmussen Ed Carpenter Racing
21
146
7
15
19
146
0.533
4
16
5
146
1.266
6
17
66
146
1.946
5
18
L. Foster Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
45
146
1.697
5
19
60
146
0.730
5
20
10
144
6
21
14
132
8
22
3
128
3
23
76
43
1
24
12
35
1
25
R. Robb Sting Juncos Hollinger Racing
77
35
1
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