In nearly some other IndyCar season, Kyle Kirkwood could be a robust contender for the title heading into the ultimate stretch, having scored three wins, 5 top-five finishes, and eight top-10s in 12 rounds. Nevertheless, the driving force of Andretti World’s No. 27 automotive didn’t account for what’s shaping as much as be a historic run by Palou.
Nonetheless, relatively than being annoyed by what the Chip Ganassi Racing driver is reaching, Kirkwood has taken a step again to understand his colleague’s exceptional efficiency, which incorporates seven wins — amongst them the Indianapolis 500 — 4 pole positions, 9 podiums, ten top-five finishes, and eleven top-10s.
“As racing drivers, we prefer to see one another succeed. After all, we do not wish to see failure inside ourselves. However when somebody does what Palou is doing, it’s unimaginable. I believe perhaps viewers don’t absolutely notice what somebody like that’s reaching on this collection,” Kirkwood mentioned in a digital media session forward of this weekend’s Ontario Honda Sellers Indy Toronto.
“In most seasons, what we’ve accomplished as much as Iowa could be an incredible championship run. We’d most likely be main the standings. However this yr, he’s simply accomplished one thing unimaginable, proper?”
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti World, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Following the Iowa Speedway doubleheader, Palou leads the championship by 129 factors over Pato O’Ward, who’s adopted carefully by Scott Dixon and Kyle Kirkwood — with simply 51 factors separating the three drivers. In different phrases, with out Palou within the combine, the 2025 IndyCar title combat could be considerably nearer. Even so, Kirkwood insists that followers ought to admire Palou’s achievements and never flip their backs on the collection simply due to the CGR driver’s dominance.
“I believe individuals should not see it as a detrimental, prefer it’s making the season boring. That’s not the case. What you are witnessing is greatness in motion. We’re doing every part we are able to to attempt to catch him — and we’ve accomplished an honest job — nevertheless it nonetheless hasn’t been sufficient.
“It’s unimaginable. Positive, it might be good if he took a few weekends off so we might catch up,” he joked. “However you already know what? I like racing. I believe he’s a terrific particular person. I hope we’ve got many good battles sooner or later.”
“Second this yr is like successful the championship”
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti World
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Kirkwood was second within the standings forward of the Iowa weekend, however the Florida native endured a tough doubleheader. On Saturday, he suffered a right-front flat and hit the Flip 2 wall, ending his day early in twenty sixth place. On Sunday, he received caught out by an alternate technique after teammate Colton Herta crashed, in the end ending 18th.
Kirkwood referred to as the Iowa races “an anomaly for us,” however admitted that the weekend basically ended his hopes of difficult Palou for the title. Any more, he’s targeted on including extra victories to his résumé.
“Final weekend was a killer for our championship. It put us, what, 180 factors behind Palou? That appears fairly unattainable at this level. So long as it’s mathematically attainable to beat him, we’re going to maintain pushing for wins. However we’ve undoubtedly dug ourselves right into a gap.”
“We’re simply going to exit and attempt to get wins, present that we’re a championship-caliber crew — and I imagine we’re. Exhibiting progress and proving that we are able to win is what issues.”
When requested whether or not it might make any distinction to him the place he finishes within the standings — so long as it’s not first — Kirkwood admitted that ending second this yr would really feel like successful the title, given Palou’s dominance.
“It’s all about wins, proper? Successful races wins championships — and Palou is proving that this season. That’s our primary focus”, he insisted.
“For certain, it might be good to claw our manner again and combat for second place, as a result of in quite a lot of methods, getting second this yr is like successful the championship. Palou’s doing one thing actually particular. That’s the objective.”
“After all, if the seas half, the celebs align, and Palou has a disastrous final 5 races — which I don’t assume goes to occur — but when it does, we wish to be there. And to be in that place, we have to maintain successful.”
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti World Honda within the 2024 Toronto Indy weekend
Photograph by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Pictures
With two wins from the three road circuit races up to now this season, the upcoming occasion on the Streets of Toronto couldn’t come at a greater time for Kirkwood, who’s trying to proper the ship after a disappointing Iowa weekend. He additionally completed second to Herta eventually yr’s Toronto race, so confidence is excessive heading into the weekend.
“We all know we’re going to be sturdy. There’s no motive we wouldn’t be based mostly on our road course performances and the progress we’ve made,” he mentioned.
“It’s really good once you come off a tricky weekend and don’t have time to dwell on it. You deal with what went unsuitable, the best way to repair it for subsequent time — and then you definately transfer on. You assume: ‘Okay, Toronto is arising, that is our greatest monitor of the yr, that is the place we shift the momentum.’”
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