Kyle Kirkwood wins the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after delivering a masterful performance to mark his third overall IndyCar victory.
The 50th edition of the iconic IndyCar event unfolded under overcast skies that later cleared, creating an ideal backdrop for what turned out to be a flawless weekend for the 26-year old and his Andretti Global team.
The Kyle Kirkwood win not only showcased his driving prowess but also disrupted Alex Palou’s winning streak in what was a thrilling showcase of strategy, skill, and endurance.
Driving the No. 27 PreFab Honda, Kirkwood held his ground throughout the 90-lap race leading for an impressive 46 laps and crossing the finish line with a commanding margin of 2.685 seconds ahead of his closest competitor Palou.
The 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend began with intense preparations as drivers took to practice sessions and qualifications to set the stage for Sunday’s race.
Kirkwood secured pole position with an impressive lap time that was over three-tenths faster than his Andretti Global teammate Colton Herta who lined up alongside him in P2.
Championship leader Alex Palou started from P3 while seasoned drivers like Will Power, Josef Newgarden, and Scott Dixon began from midfield positions.
The race itself unfolded over 90 laps – an increase from previous years – adding to the challenge of navigating the demanding street circuit. Most drivers opted to start on softer alternate tires to manage their short lifespan early in the race.
Kirkwood got off to a strong start and maintained his lead through the opening laps with Herta close behind in second place. The initial laps were clean with no incidents reported, allowing the field to settle into a rhythm.
However, tire chaos took centerstage earlier than expected after Josef Newgarden pitted on lap two from 14th place to switch from degrading soft tires to harder compounds.
The strategic gamble paid off as Newgarden began lapping over a second faster than the leaders, triggering a wave of panicked pit stops across the grid. His bold move propelled him to a net sixth position before mechanical issues later in the race forced him out of contention.
Amidst the strategic maneuvers and tire management challenges Alex Palou proved to be Kirkwood’s closest competitor. The Chip Ganassi driver executed his pit stops with precision and made significant ground during this phase of the race.
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By the midpoint, Palou had settled into second place behind Kirkwood and applied relentless pressure on the leader. Despite his best efforts and impeccable strategy execution by his Chip Ganassi Racing team, Kirkwood managed to hold his ground and take the checkered flag.
Kyle Kirkwood winning the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach marked his second victory at the venue in three years and his third overall in the IndyCar series, all achieved on street circuits.
The win also ended his 23-race drought since his last victory in Nashville in August 2023, propelling him to second place in the championship standings just 34 points behind Palou.
“It’s really good,” Kirkwood said. “To win here at the 50th with Acura as the sponsor, with Honda… It was a flawless weekend.
“When you have a flawless weekend, you tend to win. It might have made it a little bit boring.”
Meanwhile, Christian Lundgaard rounded out the podium after a strong showing for Arrow McLaren. Lundgaard led 26 laps during the race but ultimately fell behind Kirkwood and Palou as the event progressed.
Felix Rosenqvist finished fourth after being overtaken by Lundgaard in the closing stages while Will Power secured fifth place in what was a clean and incident-free race.
Power’s Team Penske team-mate Scott McLaughlin finished sixth but Josef Newgarden endured a terrible race. His good start was undone when he suffered a technical issue late in the race, which appeared to be related to loose safety belts inside the cockpit.
The two time champion had to come down pit road two extra times and had one of his crew members practically climb inside with him in order to fix the issue. The problem cost him dearly and he ended the day two laps down in the 27th and final position.
Colton Herta finished seventh after struggling to match his teammate’s pace, while Scott Dixon secured eighth place in what was a relatively quiet outing for the six-time series champion.
Other notable performances included Sting Ray Robb achieving a career-best ninth-place finish and Santino Ferrucci making an impressive charge from last on the grid to finish 11th after gaining 16 positions.
