Kyle Kirkwood closed out his 2026 IndyCar Sequence marketing campaign on a excessive notice, driving from sixth on the grid to a runner-up end behind Crew Penske’s Scott McLaughlin within the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The sturdy drive cemented a career-best second-place end within the championship standings for the 27-year-old Florida native.
Kirkwood, driving the #27 Andretti International Honda, concluded the 18-race season with 545 factors, putting 86 factors behind champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. Over the course of the yr, Kirkwood led Andretti International’s title problem, recording two wins, six podiums, 10 top-fives, 15 top-10s, and one pole place.
Reflecting on the finale, Kirkwood acknowledged that factors technique dictated his strategy late within the race.
“Yeah, it was,” Kirkwood stated relating to securing second within the championship. “Yeah, we performed it somewhat bit safer than I may need hoped for the final race of the season, however we needed to for the championship. We made all the selections based mostly on that. Most likely may have had a go at Scottie (Scott McLaughlin) on the finish on the primary few laps on reds. The primary aim was to make the tires final. That is what we did. Got here residence with a second, which is one thing to be happy with.”
The rostrum end highlighted a broader surge throughout the whole Andretti International group because the season drew to a detailed.
“It is huge, proper? I hope folks think about us because the second greatest workforce,” Kirkwood stated. “We’ve got rather a lot to construct off of, proper? We made an enormous bounce yr over yr. Now second within the championship. (Teammates) Will (Energy) and Marcus (Ericsson) have come on very sturdy on the finish of the yr. We’ve got a variety of momentum going into the low season. We’ve got a course. Hopefully we are able to work on it and higher ourselves for subsequent yr.”
Because the closest challenger to Palou within the total standings, Kirkwood is already the place he and his workforce can discover the ultimate increments wanted to mount a full championship run subsequent yr.
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“Yeah, I imply, couple issues, proper?” Kirkwood famous. “I believe I will have a look at myself, work out which of them I must be higher at, whether or not it is simply driving, efficiency, but in addition errors. Markham undoubtedly did not assist our championship run in any respect.
“We will additionally get higher at some circuits, too, proper? Indy 500 might be the largest circle on our calendar for everyone to get higher at, however particularly for us as a result of if we have a look at common end throughout the workforce, that is our worst observe. That is a giant one for us. Perhaps cleansing up a few of the quick oval stuff. Perhaps even a few of the street course stuff we are able to get higher at. Yeah, throughout the board we’re strong. Getting higher each season. It is simply little issues now that can make the distinction within the championship.”
Kirkwood attributed a lot of the workforce’s late-season progress to the rising efficiency throughout all three Andretti entries.
“I believe issues are simply beginning to click on, proper?” Kirkwood added. “Will and Marcus began doing exceptionally nicely within the second a part of the season, getting strong finishes in all places besides at Milwaukee, proper? They’re proper there within the hunt. You shine when you may have all three automobiles up there. Our efficiency was beginning to present because the second a part of the season got here round.”
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