Latest news with #A.J.FoytEnterprises
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Advertisement 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Will Power, Team Penske Will Power, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment General view General view Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Will Power, Team Penske Will Power, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global Colton Herta, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Will Power, Team Penske Will Power, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global Colton Herta, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment General view General view Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment General view General view Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global Colton Herta, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Will Power, Team Penske Will Power, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment 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 Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Dan Towriss Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Dan Towriss Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Larry Foyt Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global Colton Herta, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Colton Herta, Andretti Global Colton Herta, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Will Power, Team Penske Will Power, Team Penske Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global Penske Entertainment Penske Entertainment To read more articles visit our website.
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
INDYCAR Announces Detroit Grand Prix Post-Race Technical Violation, Penalty
INDYCAR No. 14 Failed To Meet Required Driver Ballast Weight INDYCAR has announced a post-race technical inspection penalty for the entry No. 14 of A.J. Foyt Enterprises following Sunday's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear after it was found to be under the required driver ballast weight following the event. During post-race inspection of car No. 14, INDYCAR discovered the driver ballast needed to bring the combined weight of the driver and driver ballast to 185 pounds was underweight and not within the driver ballast weight tolerance of 0.00 to + 1.00 pounds. However, also during inspection, the series found the weight of car No. 14, itself, was 10 pounds over the minimum weight for road and street circuits of 1,785 pounds and competed over the minimum weight requirement on-track. A.J. Foyt Enterprises was in violation of: Rule 14.4.2. Driver Equivalency Weight Rule 14.4.2.2. Driver Equivalency Weight must bring the combined weight of the Driver and Driver ballast to 185 pounds. Rule 14.4.2.5. The Driver ballast weight tolerance is 0.00 to + 1.00 pounds. The Driver Equivalency Weight must be installed and secured in the designed location forward of the seatback. This location may only be used for Driver ballast. This rule is in place to equalize the weight of varying-sized drivers so there is no advantage based on the weight of the driver. Post-race weight determination, as implemented by INDYCAR, is a common practice after every event and in nearly all forms of motorsports to ensure an equal playing field. The No. 14 will be allowed to keep the second-place finish; however, the entry has been fined $25,000 and will forfeit 25 championship driver and entrant points. The bonus point for leading a lap also is not awarded. The No. 14 also is ineligible for engine points and prize money associated with the race. Updated results of the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix can be found here. Members may contest the imposition of the penalties detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES rulebook. recommended
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Santino Ferrucci Continues Foyt's Recent Resurgence
INDYCAR Santino Ferrucci made his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in 2018 at Belle Isle Park in Detroit with Dale Coyne Racing. Fast-forward to Sunday's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, and Ferrucci delivered the best result of his INDYCAR SERIES career, finishing second in the No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet. 'Huge shoutout to this whole team,' Ferrucci said. This is the second consecutive week an A.J. Foyt Enterprises entry has finished runner-up. David Malukas secured second place in the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 25. Ferrucci's podium finish on the nine-turn, 1.645-mile Detroit street circuit also represents the team's best road or street course result since Takuma Sato finished second in 2015 at Belle Isle. But Ferrucci admitted frustration that his task to reach the front was made more difficult because he qualified 21st Saturday. 'I struggled in qualifying,' Ferrucci said. 'I made a lot of mistakes. I was really hard on myself yesterday. I thought it was all on me.' Ferrucci steadily worked his way through the field during Sunday's race, but a pivotal moment came on Lap 67 when Callum Ilott crashed in Turn 1, bringing out a caution. Ferrucci had just made his final pit stop on Lap 65, and with many of the leaders still needing to stop, the caution allowed him to cycle to the front when they pitted under yellow on Lap 69. He held the lead until Lap 78 when Kyle Kirkwood made the race-defining move to take over the top spot. Kirkwood went on to secure his fourth career victory and second of the 2025 season, both coming on street circuits after also winning the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13. 'The pit stops were phenomenal,' Ferrucci said. 'The stand was amazing. Perfect strategy. I just got lucky with that yellow.' The result capped off a historic two-week stretch for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, marking the first time since 2013 the team has finished on the podium in back-to-back races. That year, Takuma Sato won at Long Beach and followed with a runner-up finish in Brazil. Frustrated O'Ward Still Gains Points Pato O'Ward turned a challenging weekend into a solid result by climbing 11 positions from 18th to finish seventh Sunday in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. 'We survived it,' O'Ward said. 'It's been the worst performance weekend I've probably ever had in INDYCAR, really. We legit qualified 18th on just pure pace. We've had other times where we've been back there, but it's always been because of an issue, or I made a mistake here and there. This one was truly where we deserved to be.' Despite his frustrations, O'Ward made the most of the race through smart strategy and tire management. He and Josef Newgarden were the only two drivers in the 27-car field to start the race on Firestone Firehawk primary tires, then follow with another stint on the same compound, opting for durability over early pace. O'Ward pitted on Lap 53 to switch to the softer alternate tires, but when the caution came on Lap 67 due to Ilott's crash, it allowed him to pit again with the leaders and return to the more durable primary tire. That strategic move kept him in the top 10 mix during the closing laps. The seventh-place finish gave O'Ward a much-needed 22-point gain on championship leader Alex Palou, who crashed in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda on Lap 72. O'Ward heads into the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway second in the standings, trailing Palou by 90 points. 'That's a positive considering where we were starting,' O'Ward said. 'There's plenty of racing to go. There's more championship left than what we've done. I think that there's a lot of points on the table, and you can't expect (Alex) Palou to be making a lot of mistakes.' Late Caution Costs Power Potential Podium Will Power was on track for a runner-up finish in Sunday's race, but late-race cautions and a challenging restart dropped him to fourth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Power was running second on the primary pit strategy before the Lap 67 caution triggered by Ilott's crash. That yellow shuffled the field, as Ferrucci, Kyffin Simpson and Marcus Armstrong had already pit and cycled ahead. Power exited pit lane behind Kirkwood but rejoined the race in fifth. By Lap 77, the running order was Ferrucci, Kirkwood, Simpson, Power and Colton Herta. Power made swift moves to get around Simpson and Ferrucci just before another major incident on Lap 83 when Louis Foster suffered a mechanical failure entering Turn 3, colliding with Felix Rosenqvist in a frightening crash. Foster walked away uninjured, and Rosenqvist was seen and released from the infield care center following evaluation. The race was red-flagged with Power sitting in second, but that moment turned out to be his undoing. On the restart with 11 laps to go, his car struggled on cold tires, and he lost positions, first to Ferrucci, then to Herta – ultimately settling for fourth. 'My car was very tough on the restart,' Power said. 'We were as good as them once our tires were warmed up but struggled before. It was almost like I'm driving on snow.' While Power acknowledged he likely didn't have the pace to challenge Kirkwood for the win, he believes he could have held second without the late cautions. Still, the result marked a significant personal milestone, earning his 140th career top-five finish, moving him past Michael Andretti (139) and tying him with Al Unser for sixth on the all-time INDYCAR SERIES list. 'A little disappointed I didn't get a podium, but obviously results really matter for me at the moment,' Power said. Simpson Earns Career-Best Fifth Simpson is establishing himself on street courses in his second season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. After earning a then career-best 10th-place finish at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13, the young driver took another leap forward by finishing fifth in Sunday's race, his best result in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The turning point came during Sunday morning's final practice session, where Simpson and his Chip Ganassi Racing team discovered Firestone alternate tires dramatically improved the performance of his No. 8 Ridgeline Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. 'We found that the alternate tire really made the car come alive,' Simpson said. Capitalizing on that knowledge, the team opted for two mid-race stints on the alternates, giving Simpson the grip and speed to move up the order. He made his final pit stop two laps before the Lap 67 caution brought out by Ilott's crash, which handed him crucial track position as others pitted under yellow. The strategy paid off, and Simpson stayed in the mix with the frontrunners for the remainder of the race, ultimately delivering a strong top-five result and building momentum as the series heads toward the summer stretch. Odds and Ends The last time prior to Sunday that three American-born drivers swept the podium in Detroit came in 1995 with Robby Gordon, Jimmy Vasser and Scott Pruett. The last time three Americans stood on the podium in any INDYCAR SERIES race was the second race in 2020 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, when Andretti teammates drivers Herta, Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay were in the respective podium spots. Graham Rahal finished fourth that day, too, giving Americans a lockout of the top four spots. Scott Dixon finished 11th, extending his winless streak to 19 races with his last victory coming here in 2024. This is the fourth-longest winless drought of his career, trailing 39 races between 2003 and 2005, 36 races between 2001 and 2002 and 22 races between 2021 and 2022. Kirkwood delivered Andretti Global its 76th career INDYCAR SERIES victory. Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Global have three podium finishes each since the series returned downtown in Detroit in 2023. Team Penske, A.J. Foyt Enterprises and Arrow McLaren each have one. Kirkwood has a 2.33 average finish on street courses this season. The race featured 261 on-track passes, a record for this downtown circuit and the second-highest total in the history of the event, including races on Belle Isle. The race also featured an event record 181 on-track passes for position. recommended
Fox Sports
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: David Malukas Earns Sweet Redemption with Third
INDYCAR Just one year removed from being sidelined with a severe wrist injury that left David Malukas without a ride for last year's Indianapolis 500, he returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway not only as a driver but as a contender. Malukas finished third driving the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet of A.J. Foyt Enterprises in Sunday's 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. 'Last year, there was a chance I would never be back in the INDYCAR paddock again,' Malukas said. 'I was a fan watching in Turn 1, and now one year later, I'm back here fighting for the win.' Malukas' 2024 season started with promise after signing with Arrow McLaren, but a mountain biking accident in February shattered those plans. The injury kept him off the grid longer than expected, leading to his release from the team. During the Month of May last year, he took a very different role—contributing to INDYCAR's content team while healing, uncertain if he'd ever return to competitive racing. Once medically cleared, Malukas secured a part-time opportunity with Meyer Shank Racing for the final 10 races of the 2024 season. His performances there reignited his career, ultimately earning him a full-time seat with AJ Foyt Racing in 2025. Entering the 2025 Indy 500, his season-best was only a 13th-place finish at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. His best Indy 500 result had been 16th place as a rookie driving for Dale Coyne Racing in 2022. But Sunday, he delivered the performance of his career, fighting among the leaders and holding strong to claim third. This third-place finish is a powerful symbol of Malukas' return and potential. From spectator to top-three finisher in just one year, Malukas is no longer a comeback story – he's a serious contender. Despite the result, Malukas admitted the result stung a bit. 'Bittersweet because you're just so close to greatness,' he said. 'Every driver wants to be there.' His inexperience in a late-race duel for victory might have cost him the win, as he noted his team had to make educated guesses on the car's setup for the final stint. Ultimately, it was Alex Palou and 2022 winner Marcus Ericsson who had the upper hand in the final laps. 'We did everything right,' Malukas said. 'The guys did an incredible job. It's just bad timing at the end there. They (Palou and Ericsson) got us, and we tried to get that setup to where it needed to be on that final run, but never have been in that situation before, so we kind of made a guess.' Newgarden's Three-Peat Bid Halted Josef Newgarden's bid for history at the '500' came to a premature and frustrating end, not through driver error or pit lane mishap, but due to a mechanical failure that forced him to retire on Lap 135. Starting deep in the field (32nd), Newgarden methodically worked his way forward, breaking into the top 10 by the midway point of the race. He worked his way to sixth by Lap 128. It was shaping up to be a classic Newgarden oval charge – poised, strategic, and quietly effective. But just one lap after a routine pit stop on Lap 133, something broke. He brought the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Chevrolet back to pit lane, climbed out and saw his hopes of becoming the first driver to win three straight Indy 500s come to a halt. 'It's tough to not have a shot at the end,' Newgarden said. 'It felt really good. Tried to be methodical today. It's a team sport. As tough as it is to take, still grateful to be out here today.' Larson's Day Ends in Crash Kyle Larson's ambitious attempt at the Indy/Charlotte 'Double' in 2025 ended in disappointment at Indianapolis, where a Lap 92 crash in Turn 2 derailed both his day and his bid to join Tony Stewart in motorsports history. Larson aimed to do what only Stewart accomplished in 2001 by completing all 1,100 miles in one day — 500 miles at Indy and 600 miles in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte. Stewart's feat remains the gold standard, with a sixth-place finish at Indy and third at Charlotte. On a restart, Larson suffered understeer behind Takuma Sato, then oversteer mid-corner in Turn 2 and lost control of the No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. The result was a multicar crash involving Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) and Sting Ray Robb (No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet). All three made heavy contact with the SAFER Barrier. Robb's car then spun across the track and slammed the tire barrier inside Turn 2. 'It was a bit crazy there on the start,' Larson said. 'I got a bit tight behind Takuma, and then I got loose and kind of all over the place. I just hate that I got a little too eager there on the restart and caused that crash. Hate it for everybody that got caught up in it. Just bummed out.' Ferrucci Continues Top-10 Streak Santino Ferrucci's Indy 500 record remains unblemished — seven starts, seven top-10 finishes. With a seventh-place finish in the No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet on Sunday, the AJ Foyt Racing driver continued to solidify his reputation as one of the most consistent and confident performers at the Brickyard. Ferrucci carved his way from 15th on the starting grid to a solid top-10 result. It's a performance that fits perfectly with his Indy 500 track record being always in the mix. 'Bittersweet because I knew we could have been in the top five,' he said. 'The goal is to win this race. I woke up this morning and wanted to win, told the guys let's win it. So, I'm a bit disappointed in myself that I couldn't get it done for us. Just faced a little bit more adversity than I anticipated.' Rough Start Sunday's race reminded everyone early that the margin for error at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is razor-thin, even before the green flag drops. After a 43-minute weather delay, the race was just moments from beginning when Scott McLaughlin, driving the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, lost control on the final pace lap while warming up his tires and slammed into the inside pit wall entering Turn 1. The contact knocked his car out of the race before he ever took the green flag, relegating him to a 33rd-place finish, the lowest in the field. 'I don't know what happened; I really had no idea,' McLaughlin said. 'I didn't even get to see the green flag.' This was a crushing blow for last year's Indy 500 pole sitter, who entered the month with high expectations. He already had suffered a setback during practice for Top 12 Qualifying when a crash forced him into a backup car, eliminating his chance at a pole repeat and dropping him to 10th on the grid. Sunday's early exit added more woes in what's been a turbulent Month of May for the New Zealander. 'Worst moment of my life,' he said. 'I know that's probably dramatic. I just put so much into this race.' Once the race went green, the trouble didn't stop. On the Lap 4 restart, Marco Andretti andRinus VeeKay made slight contact in Turn 1. Andretti, stuck high, got pinched and was forced into the outside SAFER Barrier, ending his day early. He finished 32nd in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda for Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian. 'I guess I could have been patient, but once I was committed up there, I was already at the wall,' Andretti said. 'Whoever was next to me was crowding me, and I ran out of room.' Pit Road Problematic Pit road proved to be just as treacherous as the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval Sunday. In a race where pit stops can make or break a 500-mile effort, the 2025 Indy 500 saw more of the latter. Whether it was mechanical failures, brake issues, procedural errors or just bad luck, pit road played a decisive – and in many cases, destructive – role in shaping the final outcome. In his second '500' start, Larson's first pit stop on Lap 24 went sideways when he exited his pit stall in the wrong gear, dropping him from 17th to 31st. While he recovered somewhat later in the race, the mistake was an early reminder of how unforgiving pit road can be, especially for someone of Larson's caliber. Rookie Louis Foster was caught speeding on pit lane after his second stop in the No. 45 Desunda Tequila Honda, earning a costly penalty. He still finished as the top rookie, in 15th. Meanwhile, Colton Herta had a double dose of trouble. He experienced brake issues and was also penalized for speeding. Both issues severely compromised his day in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda and eliminated any chance at a top-tier result. He finished 17th. On Lap 73, 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi came to pit road with what appeared to be a gearbox issue. Things worsened when a fire broke out on the left rear of his No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. He was classified 31st, marking the worst finish of his Indy 500 career. 'Another opportunity gone,' Rossi said. Just eight laps later on Lap 81, VeeKay experienced what appeared to be a brake failure in his No. 18 askROI Honda. He did a half-spin, smacked the inside wall with the right rear and then hit again. 'I had no response from the brakes ... I was just a passenger,' VeeKay said. He finished 30th. On Lap 87, during a caution period pit cycle, pole winner Robert Shwartzman endured a terrifying moment when he locked both front tires and slid into his pit crew, thenhit the pit wall. No serious injuries were reported, but the No. 83 PREMA Racing car was retired, ending Shwartzman's day in 29th – the worst finish by a pole sitter since Scott Dixon (32nd in 2017). 'I was just a passenger,' Shwartzman said. 'Really scary.' On the same stop, Sato, who was leading the race and led 51 of the first 87 laps, overshot his pit box, costing him several positions. He finished 11th in the No. 75 AMADA Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. On Lap 169, Ryan Hunter-Reay also led when he stalled while pitting, dashing his late-race victory hopes. Hunter-Reay led 48 of 200 laps but finished 24th in the No. 23 DRR CUSICK WEDBUSH SECURITIES Chevrolet. This is the 13th time in the last 15 years that the driver leading the most laps failed to win. Hunter-Reay's Races Backup Car Hunter-Reay's 2025 Indianapolis 500 story was one of resilience, brilliance and heartbreak. During the final two-hour Miller Lite Carb Day practice on Friday, Hunter-Reay's No. 23 DRR CUSICK WEDBUSH Securities Chevrolet suffered a mechanical failure that led to a fire, forcing the team to abandon its primary car. With just over 48 hours until the green flag, the crew faced a monumental task. The backup car, which was rushed from the team's Indianapolis-area shop, was a pit stop practice car and had never turned a lap on track. Both DRR and Cusick Motorsports crews worked until 1 a.m. Saturday, while five crew members pulled an all-nighter to prep for a special 8:30 a.m. install-lap session Saturday morning to complete a systems check. Historic Cars Take Pre-Race Lap Forty years ago, Danny Sullivan took the No. 5 Miller American Special to victory lane for a victory in the 69th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in his famous 'spin and win.' Before Sunday's race, Sullivan was among the drivers in 13 historic cars to circle the 2.5-mile track. He was joined by: 2010 Target Chip Ganassi driven by Dario Franchitti 2000 Target G Force driven by Jeff Ward 1990 Domino Pizza Lola driven by Arie Luyendyk 1980 Pennzoil Special Chaparral driven by Zach Veach 1963 Willard Battery Agajanian Special driven by Mario Andretti 1960 Ken Paul Special Watson driven by Willy T. Ribbs 1955 Keck Epperly Streamline driven by Sebastian Saavedra 1955 John Zink Special Kurtis driven by Michel Jourdain Jr. 1950 Cummins Diesel Kurtis driven by Al Unser Jr. 1950 Wynn's Friction Proofing Kurtis Kraft driven by Donnie Beechler 1939 Maserati 8CTF driven by J. Douglas Boles 1935 Ford V-8 Miller driven by Lyn St. James Odds and Ends This is the third-time in history a driver swept the Month of May as Palou joins Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019) to win the Sonsio Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 in the same month. Palou is just the second driver in the last 17 years to win the '500' under the age of 32. He joins Rossi, who was 24 when he won the 100th Running in 2016. Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing have won the last four Indianapolis 500s. Ericsson (2022) and Palou (2025) won for CGR, with Newgarden (2023, 2024) for Team Penske. Palou is tied with Dan Wheldon for 31st on the all-time wins list with 16 each. Next up is Ralph Mulford, Sullivan and Tony Kanaan with 17. recommended
Fox Sports
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2025 IndyCar Teams and Drivers
The 2025 IndyCar season is around the corner. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, check out a complete list of current teams and drivers. Current full-time teams and drivers A.J. Foyt Enterprises Andretti Global Arrow McLaren Chip Ganassi Racing Dale Coyne Racing Ed Carpenter Racing Juncos Hollinger Racing Meyer Shank Racing Prema Racing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Team Penske Current part-time teams and drivers Andretti Herta Autosport Dreyer & Reinbold Racing recommended Get more from NTT IndyCar Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
