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Fox Sports
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Power Rankings: Detroit Victory Helps Kirkwood Climb
INDYCAR Kyle Kirkwood climbed in Power Rankings following his second victory of the season at the Sunday's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. The win, coupled with his earlier triumph at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, underscores Kirkwood's rising prominence in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Kirkwood is the only driver besides points leader Alex Palou to win a race this season. Palou – who won five of the first six races of the season – finally fell to Earth in Detroit by placing 25th after an accident. But one crash doesn't drop the driver with six top-two finishes in seven races. Here are the rest of Power Rankings entering the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Sunday evening, June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). ↓10. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 8) Dixon remains a fixture in the Power Rankings, holding steady at 10th. Despite a challenging stretch with three finishes of 11th or worse in the last four races, Dixon's presence in the top 10 of the standings – he's seventh – has kept him in the rankings. He kicked off the season with a strong runner-up finish in St. Petersburg and finished fifth in the Sonsio Grand Prix on May 10. ↓9. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Chevrolet; Last Rank: 7) McLaughlin spun Nolan Siegel early in Detroit, sparking an avoidable contact penalty that dropped him from the lead on the primary strategy to outside the top 10. Despite the setback, he recovered to finish 12th. This is two straight finishes outside the top 10, following a 30th-place finish in the '500' on May 25. Before the downturn, McLaughlin was on a strong run, finishing sixth or better in four of the first five races. ↑8. David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet; Last Rank: 10) Malukas finished 14th in Detroit, but that result doesn't reflect the full story. He was in the mix for a second consecutive top-five finish before a Lap 73 incident with Alex Palou, which led to an avoidable contact penalty that derailed his race. Malukas qualified second in Detroit, building off an impressive second-place finish in the Indy 500 just a week earlier. ↑7. Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing; Last Rank: NR) Ferrucci earned his best-career finish by crossing the finish line second in Detroit. That comes a week after finishing fifth in the '500.' ↑6. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: 9) Herta earned his first NTT P1 Award of the season in Detroit and third front-row start this season. Unfortunately, he didn't convert the pole to a win, but he still finished third. That's enough to boost him up the Power Rankings, earning his fourth top-seven finish in the last six races. The outliers are an underwhelming Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the Sonsio Grand Prix, Herta qualified 13th but finished 25th after a challenging race. In the '500,' he started 27th and managed to finish 14th. ↓5. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 3) Lundgaard earned his best-career '500' finish with a seventh-place last Sunday and crossed the finish line eighth in Detroit. He has six top-10 finishes in seven races this season. ↔4. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 4) Power rebounded in Detroit to finish fourth, scoring his fifth top-six finish in the last six races. The outlier was the Indianapolis 500, where he started 33rd and finished 16th. Power has crossed the finish line ahead of his Team Penske teammates in five of the last six races, too. ↓3. Pato O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 2) O'Ward drops to third but limited the damage at Detroit by climbing from 18th to finish seventh. That's his best street course result this season after finishing 11th in St. Petersburg and 13th at Long Beach. Up next is an oval at World Wide Technology Raceway. O'Ward has three runner-up finishes there and five top-seven finishes in seven starts this season. ↑2. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda; Last Rank: 5) Kirkwood won from the third starting spot in Detroit after leading 48 of 100 laps. He has three top-five finishes this season, including two victories. He is third in points with five top-10 results, too. ↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1) Palou finished 25th in Detroit, but five wins in seven races leave him on top under further notice. He still leads the standings by 90 points over O'Ward, a gap of nearly two races. recommended
Fox Sports
2 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
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: David Malukas Gets Up-Close View of Practice Dustup
INDYCAR David Malukas had a surreal moment during Friday's NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. While easing off the throttle to find space for a clean lap around the tight, 1.645-mile downtown street circuit, Malukas briefly felt as if he was in a virtual world – like iRacing rather than the real-life cockpit of his No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. That illusion hit when, out of his peripheral vision, he noticed an unusual scene: Kyle Kirkwood's No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda being pushed down the track by Will Power's No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. 'I totally do that video game,' Malukas said. 'It was pretty cool to see them blast through and driving by going in the air. I was like, 'What the hell is going on?' I couldn't believe it. I thought something was wrong, and Power was towing him across like the 'Cars' movie. It was interesting at first, but then I realized it was not.' With qualifying simulations hinging on a clear, traffic-free lap, frustration was inevitable. Malukas slowed, Kirkwood got bottled up, and Power came barreling in. "Everyone is going slow around here,' Kirkwood said. 'The track isn't big enough to fit all the cars, and he got frustrated.' Power took matters into his own hands, literally, by pushing Kirkwood's car and then shoving him aside. 'I came around, and he (Kirkwood) slowed up in the middle and I made contact,' Power said. 'So, I thought I may as well get a gap now, so I just pushed him by the car in front, then booted him out of the way and got a nice gap. If I hadn't touched him already, I thought: 'Oh, well, I'm already touching him, I might as well keep pushing.' Kirkwood, who had a similar run-in with Santino Ferrucci during last year's practice, was less amused. 'It's whatever, I guess,' Kirkwood said. 'Does it give him the right to push my car through a couple of corners and almost cause a wreck? I don't think so ... Everyone's stopped. I don't know. I'm not upset. I don't care. I'll move on. I've never seen that before.' Despite the chaos, Kirkwood emerged fastest in the session with a lap of 1 minute, 1.7509 seconds. Power was third at 1:02.3862. 'Andretti has always done a great job preparing street course cars, and this is another example of that,' Kirkwood said. 'Hopefully we can continue this pace throughout the weekend.' Kirkwood earned NTT P1 Award honors on the streets of Long Beach and led 46 of 90 laps in victory in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13. He's the only driver not named Alex Palou to win a race this season. Hamilton Returns to Booth with New Knowledge Davey Hamilton's two-week 'vacation' from the INDYCAR Radio Network booth turned into one of the most hands-on learning experiences of his broadcast career. Swapping his analyst headset for a strategist's one, former INDYCAR SERIES driver Hamilton called the shots for Jack Harvey's No. 24 DRR CUSICK INVST Chevrolet during the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. 'It was a learning curve,' Hamilton said. 'I was a little nervous coming into it. We got Jack from the back to the front. I worked hard. I think I overstudied a little bit, to be really honest with you.' Harvey began the race from the 26th starting position. Hamilton guided Harvey to stay out under an early-race caution, launching him up to fifth place on Lap 24 as one of just six drivers on that alternate call. The strategy worked well until a brake issue entering pit road derailed the run, dropping Harvey to a 22nd-place finish. While the race result may not have yielded a top finish, Hamilton walked away with a far greater understanding of today's NTT INDYCAR SERIES landscape that will enhance his storytelling and analysis from the booth, starting in this weekend's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. 'That's really going to help me a lot,' Hamilton said. 'I learned so much that's going to relate to the fan now that I can tell about the cars and what they're going through. I feel my strategy is going to be better in the radio booth now than it was before because you've got to take gambles starting in the back and risk it to take those gambles.' The strategist stint gave Hamilton an updated, first-hand view of the current generation of INDYCAR machinery. 'These cars, the hybrids, the aero settings, the extra weight – there's so many things,' Hamilton said. 'It kind of got me really up to speed.' Team Penske Keeps Indy 500 Timing Stand Personnel Team Penske is maintaining the same personnel on its three timing stands this weekend in Detroit as it did for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, where several leadership changes were made prior to the May 25 race. The changes stemmed from a rule violation in which two of the team's entries were found in violation of INDYCAR rules during '500' qualifying weekend. Team President Tim Cindric, INDYCAR Managing Director Ron Ruzewski and INDYCAR General Manager Kyle Moyer were released from the team, and all three also served as respective race strategists for Josef Newgarden, Power and Scott McLaughlin. Team Penske shuffled the timing stands for all three cars for the '500,' and those movements are in place for Sunday's 100-lap race. For Newgarden, Luke Mason is serving as strategist and Raul Prados from the Porsche Penske Motorsport sports car team is serving as the lead engineer. Ben Bretzman has moved from engineer to strategist for McLaughlin, with Malcolm Finch as the lead engineer. Porsche Penske Motorsport Managing Director Jonathan Diuguid is serving as Power's strategist, while Dave Faustino remains as Power's lead engineer. The short turnaround between races, plus IMSA's race at the same Detroit street course, enables a seamless integration of personnel from Penske's sports car program into the INDYCAR operation. McLaughlin was second fastest Friday while Power and Newgarden were third and fourth, respectively. 'Sort of a normal week,' Newgarden said. 'We prepped as much as we can.' Palou on F1 Drivers' Minds in Spain Alex Palou became the first Spaniard to win the '500.' With Formula One competing in Spain this weekend, Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr. expressed admiration for their countryman and his accomplishments. 'I always rated Alex very highly because I was his teammate in cadet, and he was very quick in cadet karting,' Sainz said. 'What he's doing in America is something really admirable. I think to dominate in the way he's dominating, you have to be very good at what you're doing. Then Formula One is a completely different discipline, different world, but I don't have anything else but respect and admiration for what Alex is doing in Indy.' Alonso made three '500' attempts, qualifying for the race twice, and believes Palou is elevating the country to new heights. 'Great for Spain,' Alonso said. 'Great for him to have the Indy 500 now after winning the INDYCAR (championship) for a few consecutive seasons and now leading the championship, as well. 'So, he's doing great there. I know that most of the drivers dream about a Formula One seat and having a career here. But he had the opportunity in INDYCAR, and he maximized every single day there. He's a legend in INDYCAR, and he will be a legend always in INDYCAR. So, I think he's not missing Formula One, and I'm very happy for him because he's a very, very talented driver. 'We are just following him from here with a lot of respect and as a fan, because I was watching on Sunday the race and just hoping that he would finally make it – and he did it. So, happy for him.' VeeKay Believes DCR Changes Will Boost Results Michael Cannon returns to Dale Coyne Racing after spending six years (2014-19) engineering for the organization. He served as an engineer in recent seasons for Chip Ganassi Racing and AJ Foyt Racing. Cannon will engineer Rinus VeeKay's No. 18 askROI Honda in part of a personnel shakeup that also returns Mike Colliver to the team to lead engineer Jacob Abel's No. 51 Blue Oval SK Honda. 'He's synonymous with success in INDYCAR,' VeeKay said of Cannon. 'Really good to have him around. He seems like he's at home. A lot of people already knew him in the team. I'm really excited. I think everybody's a little bit more afraid of this team now.' VeeKay is 12th in points with three top-10 finishes this season. He believes Cannon can take his team to the next level with all his experience and knowledge. That showed Friday with VeeKay ending up ninth in practice. 'He has a lot of info,' VeeKay said. 'Like this season, we were kind of struggling with our brakes. He's already found one solution and has a backup solution to that solution. He has a backup to the backup solution. He just knows a lot of stuff. He's done everything 10 times.' Grid Penalties for Rahal and Dixon Scott Dixon's No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda had an unapproved engine change prior to last Sunday's '500.' As a result, the team was in violation of Rule 16.1.2.3.2 because this his fifth engine used this season. Graham Rahal also changed engines on Miller Lite Carb Day, violating Rule 16.1.5.4: Once an Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Engine is fitted to the Car, removal prior to the Indianapolis 500 Race is an Unapproved Engine Change-Out, unless it is replaced for Repair. Both will serve six-position grid penalties for Sunday's 100-lap race. Teammates Rossi, Rasmussen Reach Different Milestones Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen enter this weekend's race with very different trajectories but shared momentum from standout moments in last Sunday's '500.' Rossi led 14 laps, surpassing 1,000 INDYCAR SERIES career laps led, with 1,010 in 153 career races. However, his day was cut short by a mechanical failure after 73 laps, resulting in a 28th-place finish in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. Rossi has been consistent on the streets of Detroit, finishing fifth in both races since the series returned to the downtown course. 'We need to minimize mistakes, execute in every session, and if we do that, there's no reason we can't be fighting for the podium,' Rossi said. Rasmussen, a second-year driver, made headlines by leading his first career INDYCAR SERIES laps – eight in total, at Indianapolis. He passed Rossi on the Lap 29 to lead his first career lap in the No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet. 'Taking the early restart in second, I was thinking to myself, the smart thing here would probably be to stay in second,' Rasmussen said. 'Just stay behind and save some fuel. But coming to the green, I just couldn't help myself, so I came storming by Alex (Rossi). It was a cool experience and obviously special.' Energized by his Indy performances, Rasmussen eyes a good weekend in Detroit. 'Coming off a strong Indy 500, I'm really excited for the rest of the season,' Rasmussen said. 'The No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet crew has some solid momentum, and we're ready to build on that.' Country Star Wright To Sing Anthem, Perform at WWTR Country music singer Chase Wright was named as the national anthem singer for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Sunday evening, June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The Indiana native also will pay tribute to St. Louis-area first responders and relief workers by performing a free concert. Wright offered the gesture following last week's tornado that affected the region. Odds and Ends Andretti Global added Siemens to serve as the primary sponsor on Marcus Ericsson's No. 28 Siemens Honda at this event. The company sponsored Kirkwood for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and continues to sponsor Kirkwood this weekend, along with Amazon Web Services. Andretti Global, Team Penske and Arrow McLaren had eight of the top 12 times on Friday. Chip Ganassi Racing was led by Palou, who was 15th fastest. Dixon was 18th and Kyffin Simpson 20th in the No. 8 Ridgeline Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Next up is practice at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at noon. Both sessions will air on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. recommended
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Favorites and Sleepers: Detroit
INDYCAR Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood won the last street-circuit race of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13. Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing won the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on March 2. Palou's teammate Scott Dixon is the defending winner of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. Given Honda's dominance on street courses, scoring 10 wins in the last 11 tries since the start of the 2023 season, this could signify a Chip Ganassi Racing vs. Andretti Global battle for Sunday's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear (12:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Pato O'Ward's 2024 St. Petersburg win, driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, was the lone exception. Kirkwood, Dixon, Palou, Felix Rosenqvist, Scott McLaughlin and Christian Lundgaard are the six drivers to finish in the top 10 at both street course races this season. How many will remain on that list after an action-packed weekend around the 1.645 mile, nine-turn street circuit? Favorites Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet) McLaughlin finished seventh in 2023 and 20th last year in Detroit but placed fourth in St. Petersburg on March 2 and sixth on April 13 at Long Beach this season. He has three top-six finishes in the last four races on the season, too. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) Over Dixon's last 16 street course starts, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver has four wins and nine top-six results, including a victory here last year and runner-up in this year's St. Petersburg season opener and eighth in Long Beach. He also finished fourth at Detroit in 2023. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) Palou has one finish worse than eighth in his last 17 street course starts. He has nine podium finishes and 14 top-six results on these tracks during that span, including a victory March 2 in St. Petersburg and runner-up April 13 at Long Beach. Palou won at Detroit in 2023 but placed 16th last year. On the season, Palou has five wins and a runner-up finish in six starts. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) Power finished fifth in Long Beach, runner-up and sixth, respectively, at Detroit, and produced seven top-seven finishes in his last 11 street course starts. He has four top-six finishes in the last five races. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda) All three of Kirkwood's NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories came on street courses for Andretti Global. He led 53 of 85 laps in his Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach triumph in 2023 and 46 of 90 in April, both from the pole. Kirkwood also earned his second career victory in August 2023 on the streets of Nashville. He finished fifth in St. Petersburg this season and sixth and fourth, respectively, in his last two Detroit starts. Sleepers Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) Lundgaard finished eighth and third, respectively, on street courses races this season. His only NTT P1 Award and victory occurred in July 2023 on the streets of Toronto. This car has placed fifth in the last two Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix races. Lundgaard was 11th for Arrow McLaren last season. Alexander Rossi (No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet) Rossi finished fifth at Detroit the last two years driving for Arrow McLaren and was 10th in the season opener at St. Petersburg. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Siemens Honda) Three of Ericsson's four career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories have come on street circuits. All three came at different venues, St. Petersburg, Nashville and Belle Isle. While he hasn't won on this Detroit circuit, finishing ninth in June 2023 for Chip Ganassi Racing and runner-up last year for Andretti Global, watch out. At the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, Ericsson finished sixth. Ericsson has qualified seventh and fifth in the pair of street races this season, too. Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda) Rosenqvist came from ninth in the 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear to finish third and was eighth last June. This season, Rosenqvist finished seventh at St. Petersburg and fourth in Long Beach. He has five top-10 finishes in six races this season. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda) Armstrong had four top-11 finishes in five street-course starts in 2023. Last season, he finished 12th in Long Beach, third in Detroit and fifth at Toronto. This year, he moved to Meyer Shank Racing and qualified fourth in St. Petersburg and seventh at Long Beach. If he can stay out of trouble, Armstrong could surprise everyone this weekend. recommended
Fox Sports
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Rivals Tip Cap to Alex Palou's Sizzling Start
INDYCAR Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou continued his dominating start to the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season by scoring his fourth win in the first five races in Saturday's Sonsio Grand Prix. The two-time defending series champion has built a commanding 97-point cushion over the closest driver, Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood. Andretti Global driver Kirkwood and Arrow McLaren's Christian Lundgaard, who trails Palou by 98 points, are the only drivers within 100 points of the lead. 'When you have that sort of confidence level, you've got that car underneath, you're pretty damn hard to beat,' Graham Rahal said. 'Look at this points gap. It's the most insane thing. I've been racing in this sport forever, and I've never seen this. I've never seen it, and it's just massively impressive.' Four-time '500' winner Helio Castroneves, witnessed the opening five races as co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian nd transitions to driver of the No. 06 Cliffs Honda for the team. Castroneves draws a direct line between Palou's dominance and the legendary CGR era of the late 1990s – a time when Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi and Juan Pablo Montoya ruled the series with an iron grip, earning its first four championships in succession. 'It's hard to beat someone with that momentum, the whole team,' Castroneves said. 'It's not just him; it's the whole team. That gives him the confidence.' Palou turned the third-fastest lap, 226.673 mph, Tuesday in his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda during the Opening Day of practice in preparation for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Despite being winless in 27 oval starts, including all five at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Palou remains on the minds of his rivals. All believe he can give CGR its sixth '500' victory next Sunday. The good part is, Rahal and others are aware how Palou is beating them. The bad part is, they don't know how to stop it. 'I think they're on their game,' Rahal said. 'They're fast as hell. They're fast in a straight line. Alex (Palou) is obviously in a different planet, but even (Scott Dixon) Dixie, in the race, his race pace was better than anybody but Alex. 'I mean, what can you do? The answer is, nothing at all. And it's insane. 'When they (Ganassi cars) get to you, how close they can follow compared to everybody else, in Turn 14 (on IMS road), we're hanging on for their lives, I come out of 14 look in the mirror, and I can see his (Palou's) eyeballs, and you're like, 'What are they doing?' 'But then they also overtake, the acceleration rate that they have is far more extreme than any other car that followed me. That just shows you mechanical drag, aerodynamics, they're just on top of their game. It's just damn impressive.' O'Ward Shows Persistence To Get Helmet to Indy Turns out the unexpected two-plus-hour rain delay Tuesday came with a silver lining for Pato O'Ward. The delay gave the driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet driver enough time to resolve a frustrating customs issue involving two specialty Indianapolis 500 helmets shipped from Germany. O'Ward spent much of the morning on the phone, including a 48-minute stint on hold trying to get the helmets cleared through customs. Officials believed he hadn't paid the necessary fees, but O'Ward insisted otherwise. To ensure the helmets would arrive in time, he even agreed to pay the fee again, asking only for the payment link to expedite the process. The hard work paid off, with the helmets arriving at his house just before the 2:34 p.m. ET start of practice. They will be at IMS Wednesday. Franchitti Speaking Right Language to Armstrong Marcus Armstrong is making his second attempt at qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, but he's not shy about admitting he feels like a rookie. His '500' debut last year with Chip Ganassi Racing was painfully brief – just six laps, all under caution after a mechanical failure ended his day. With no green-flag laps completed, Armstrong didn't exactly get the full Speedway experience. 'I am almost a '500' rookie, so to speak,' Armstrong said. 'I've still been asking those types of questions.' This time, he's behind the wheel of the No. 66 Spectrum Honda for Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian. Although changing teams, Armstrong benefits from familiar resources thanks to an alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing, his former squad. 'I still use the coffee machine and their toaster and everything,' Armstrong said. 'Just walk in and use it. They have a big TV in their engineering room, as well.' Beyond appliances, Armstrong has access to one of the sport's greatest minds – Dario Franchitti, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time series champion. Franchitti's ability to break down the nuances of the 2.5-mile oval has been a major asset, even if the generational language can be hard to translate. 'What we're talking about, actually it's complex,' Armstrong said. 'I feel like sometimes with the older generation is a bit of a mismatch in the way that we talk about things.' Legendary Chat The driver motorhome lot at IMS has long been a hub of camaraderie, mischief and racing royalty. This May is no exception. While it's known for its occasional pranks among drivers, it also offers a unique window into the legacy and continuity of the Indianapolis 500. For four-time Indy 500 winner Castroneves, chasing a historic fifth victory this year, even a walk to a media availability turned into a heartwarming moment. As he made his way out of the motorhome lot Tuesday morning, he bumped into a few familiar faces – Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, and Simon Pagenaud – all '500' winners and now elder statesmen of the paddock. 'We're just talking about, imagine the kids looking at us right now — look at those bunch of old farts,' said Castroneves, 50. 'Which is probably how we used to look at the old farts before us.' It was a lighthearted but poignant reminder of how the Speedway doesn't just test speed and skill – it preserves history and fosters lifelong bonds. For Castroneves, IMS still holds a special, almost magical power. 'Just coming over here again, being back, and it just lights up,' he said. 'Just different feelings. This place brings the best out of me.' Castroneves Not Done Yet… Castroneves may be in the final year of his driving contract with Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian, piloting the No. 06 Cliffs Honda, but don't expect the four-time Indy 500 winner to call it quits, especially not if he makes history May 25 by becoming the first five-time winner. Castroneves was sixth fastest Tuesday, as he was on Opening Day last year. This time, he was faster, going 224.523 compared to 223.669 in 2024. While his role as a co-owner at MSR changes the dynamics of contract talks, Castroneves made it clear that he's not ready to park his helmet just yet. 'I'm going to come back,' he said with a grin. 'I want a statue!' It's classic Helio – part humor, part heart – but beneath the joke is a serious racer who still feels the competitive fire. In addition to his commitments, Castroneves recently has explored new challenges, including driving stock cars in Brazil — a shift he sees as invigorating, not as a sign of winding down. 'To become a good driver, you've got to drive different race cars,' he said. 'I feel that now that I have the opportunity to do that – when I spent 20-plus years with Team Penske, I wasn't able to – now that I can, it just feels like I'm a late-bloomer. Like everything started late in my life, which is fine. 'As long as I have the desire, the fun, and know that I can do it, I will keep going.' Rossi Becomes a Dad Ed Carpenter Racing driver Alexander Rossi and his wife, Kelly, welcomed the birth of their first child, Benjamin, last Wednesday. The Rossi's didn't announce the birth to the world until Mother's Day and, in fact, never mentioned they were expecting. 'My priority for 80, 70 percent of the day is here, and the rest of the time that I can give, I will give at home,' Rossi said. Rossi, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner, turned the seventh-fastest lap of the day at 224.347 in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. BorgWarner Bonus Reset Josef Newgarden stands on the edge of history at this year's Indianapolis 500 – with the chance to accomplish something no one has in the race's 109-year history by winning three consecutive Indianapolis 500's. Already a back-to-back winner in 2023 and 2024, Newgarden's bid for a third straight victory carries historical weight and a financial bonus, albeit smaller this time around. Thanks to BorgWarner's jackpot bonus program, the Team Penske star will receive an extra $20,000 if he takes the checkered flag again May 25. While that figure is modest compared to the $440,000 he pocketed last year – the largest jackpot to date – Newgarden isn't chasing the prize money. He's chasing immortality. BorgWarner launched the rolling jackpot in 1995 to reward repeat winners, adding $20,000 to the pot each year until it's claimed. It has only been awarded twice: first to Castroneves in 2002 after back-to-back wins (earning $160,000) and then to Newgarden last year following his 2023 and 2024 victories. Several Teams Welcome New Sponsors A handful of teams announced Indianapolis 500-only sponsors in the last few days, including two of the four Andretti Global cars. Siemens will be featured as a primary sponsor on the No. 27 Honda driven by Kyle Kirkwood. The car looks similar to the one teammate Marcus Ericsson has driven the last two seasons. As a result, Ericsson received new branding with Allegra being named as the sponsor on his No. 28 Honda. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that Desnuda Tequila will be the primary sponsor of the No. 45 entry driven by 2024 INDY NXT Champion Louis Foster. Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian announced Creed will be featured as the primary sponsor of the No. 60 Honda driven by Felix Rosenqvist, and Spectrum will be the sponsor on Marcus Armstrong's No. 66 Honda. Juncos Hollinger Racing announced that ampm will serve as the primary sponsor for Conor Daly and the No. 76 Chevrolet for the '500' and multiple races throughout the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, with the partnership extending into 2026. The No. 76 will feature ampm's branding at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and additional events this season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway. Additionally, Team Penske unveiled Scott McLaughlin will drive the No. 3 Tire Rack Chevrolet during the June 1 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. Kanaan Refresher Moved to Wednesday Due to lingering rain, Tony Kanaan's Indy 500 refresher test has been rescheduled to 10 a.m. Wednesday. He will drive Kyle Larson's No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Kanaan, who last raced in the '500' in 2023, is readying to be a standby driver for Kyle Larson on Race Day. Larson is attempting the 'double' of racing in the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 25. Kanaan will step in for Larson if weather delays the start in Indianapolis and Larson must leave for Charlotte for his full-time drive with Hendrick Motorsports. Now serving as team principal for Arrow McLaren, Kanaan joked about his return to the driver's seat. His wife, Lauren, noted the change in his demeanor this morning, saying, 'I guess the race car driver is back.' Following Kanaan's session, full-field practice runs from noon-6 p.m. ET, with coverage split between FS2 (noon-4 p.m.) and FS1 (4–6 p.m.). Conquer Paralysis Event Set for May 23 Conquer Paralysis Now, a nonprofit founded by former INDYCAR SERIES driver and team owner Sam Schmidt, announced its Racing to Recovery Black & White Gala to celebrate its 25th anniversary will be Friday, May 23 at Indiana Roof Ballroom. The event is open to the public. Tickets are still available here. Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry, fronted by Chris Daughtry, will perform at the event. Conquer Paralysis Now works to help fund research and treatment of spinal-cord injuries. Schmidt became a quadriplegic due to injuries suffered in an INDYCAR SERIES testing crash in January 2000. Odds and Ends Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske was initially supposed to be naturalized as an American citizen on Opening Day of Indianapolis 500 practice in Pagoda Plaza at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, the law states he had to go through the process in his home state, North Carolina. Since he already went through the process, McLaughlin led the 34 people from around the world to become American citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance. Five of the top seven speeds on Tuesday were turned by former '500' winners: Will Power (2018 winner, first), Newgarden (2023, 2024 winner, second), Scott Dixon (2008 winner, fourth), Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021 winner, sixth), Rossi (2016 winner, seventh). Team Penske produced three of the top-five lap speeds on Tuesday, in addition to the top three trap speeds at the end of the front straightaway. Power (237.798), McLaughlin (237.711) and Newgarden (237.243) led Christian Rasmussen's No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet (235.496) on that section timing chart. Kirkwood (219.497) was fastest in the non-tow report, followed by Newgarden (219.149), rookie Jacob Abel in the No. 51 Abel Construction Honda (218.884), Daly (218.786) and Rossi (218.736). recommended
