LONG BEACH, Calif. — Like Kyle Kirkwood Crossing the finish line to win his first IndyCar of his career, his new race strategist urged him to soak up the sights and sounds of victory.
It almost brought the 24-year-old to tears.
“First win, it’s a big deal for any driver. I guarantee even Mario Andretti, all the wins he has, he still remembers the first win,” Bryan Herta , who moved to the position of Kirkwood strategist a race ago, said.
“It’s also an important milestone because being someone people think can win in IndyCar is one thing. Being someone who has won in IndyCar is another.”
Kirkwood kept teammate Romain Grosjean out on the streets of downtown Long Beach to help Andretti Autosport to the finish line 1-2 on Sunday at the most prestigious street race in the United States. Coincidentally, team owner Michael Andretti won his first career win at Long Beach in 1986 and Mario Andretti won three IndyCar races at Long Beach and in 1977 became the only American driver to win. victory in the Formula 1 race on American soil when the grand slam is the F1 event.
“This is a special race, I grew up watching it, and to win here is a dream come true. The next best race to win, other than this one, is Indianapolis. ,” Kirkwood said. “And the feeling that I have, it’s like trying to hold back my tears in the car, it’s something I’ve never really felt before.”
Jupiter, Florida’s hometown on Saturday won the first pole of his career and then bet it his first career win in a breakthrough for Andretti Autosport. The team showed at their season opener last month that they had clearly made great strides in the season, but all four of Andretti’s drivers were dropped from the race.
Then, in Texas two weeks ago, three of Andretti’s four drivers collided with Kirkwood’s damaged car in a pit lane incident with Alexander Rossi.
It’s furious for Michael Andretti, who had hoped for such a change after the organization picked up just two wins.
“It’s what we need, it’s the medicine we need,” Andretti said. “It’s frustrating, but we know we have very fast cars, and we just hang our heads and know that if we keep going, we’ll get results.”
Kirkwood was challenged mid-race defending Long Beach winner Josef Newgarden but regained the lead when the Team Penske driver pitted him for new tyres. Kirkwood was out for a few more laps and could stop for a tire change and get back on track before Newgarden could regain the lead.
Newgarden, the winner two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, dropped to sixth and Kirkwood’s main opponents in the final rounds were Grosjean and Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing.
But neither of them were close enough to attempt a pass to win, and Kirkwood celebrated his first win with Andretti. Grosjean at the end of the race seems to be actually defending Kirkwood’s lead from Ericsson.
Kirkwood was part of Andretti’s development system, but the team didn’t have an IndyCar vacancy for him when it came time to promote him last season. Instead, Kirkwood spent the year driving for AJ Foyt Racing and returned to Andretti this season as a replacement for Alexander Rossi.
Michael Andretti has so much faith in the 24-year-old that he made a personnel change two weeks ago to move Bryan Herta into the position of Kirkwood’s moment strategist. Herta spent the previous two seasons as a strategist for his son, Colton.
“Great drivers, they make it easy,” Herta said. “I really don’t want to take credit for any of this.”
Grosjean came in second and was followed by Ganassi’s Ericsson, Colton Herta and Alex Palou as Honda’s drivers made it to the top five. The race was sponsored by Acura, a division of Honda, and Kirkwood was sponsored by the CEO of Honda. American Honda Motor Company presents the winning trophy.
Team Penske’s Will Power was the most finished Chevrolet at sixth. Newgarden dropped to ninth.
ILOTT LONG WEEKEND
Callum Ilott arrived in Long Beach with seventh place in the IndyCar rankings and was one of only six drivers to finish in the top 10 in the first two races.
His success ended prematurely.
Ilott crashed before Saturday’s qualifying when he drove over a curb that was not on the track during Friday’s practice. IndyCar didn’t notify the teams that curbs were installed overnight, and Ilott said the series had to pay Juncos Hollinger Racing for collision damage.
By Sunday, Ilott had to pit with a blown tire early in the race and fall one lap behind speed. He’s ranked 19th.
Agustin Canapino, meanwhile, led the first round of his IndyCar career but the Argentina rookie was subsequently knocked out of the race for the first DNF of the season in a disappointing day for the JHR.
CASTRONEVES ACCIDENT
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves crashed in the opening round and was barely able to get out in time to maintain his lead. The Brazilian racer drove his injured car back into the pit without the front wing and Meyer Shank Racing worked frantically to get Castroneves back on track.
This is the second time in three races this season that Castroneves was hit in the opening lap. He and teammate Simon Pagenaud were both knocked out of the season opener in a multi-car crash in the third leg.
Castroneves finished 21st.
NEXT
IndyCar races on April 30 at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Pato O’Ward is the defending champion of the race. IndyCar also has two test days scheduled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next week.
