LONG BEACH, Calif. – On April 13, 2025, the streets of Long Beach roared to life with the Acura Grand Prix, where Kyle Kirkwood delivered a masterclass performance in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The 1.968-mile street circuit saw no yellow flags, allowing drivers to showcase their skills in a clean, high-speed battle. Here’s a full recap of the race, standout moments, and the latest championship standings.
Final Race Positions
| Position | Grid | Driver | Engine | Laps | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (1) | Kyle Kirkwood | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 2 | (3) | Alex Palou | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 3 | (12) | Christian Lundgaard | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 4 | (4) | Felix Rosenqvist | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 5 | (13) | Will Power | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 6 | (6) | Scott McLaughlin | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 7 | (2) | Colton Herta | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 8 | (14) | Scott Dixon | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 9 | (19) | Sting Ray Robb | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 10 | (17) | Kyffin Simpson | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 11 | (27) | Santino Ferrucci | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 12 | (5) | Marcus Ericsson | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 13 | (9) | Pato O’Ward | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 14 | (7) | Marcus Armstrong | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 15 | (8) | Alexander Rossi | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 16 | (20) | Louis Foster | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 17 | (10) | David Malukas | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 18 | (24) | Robert Shwartzman | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 19 | (25) | Rinus VeeKay | Honda | 90 | Running |
| 20 | (11) | Nolan Siegel | Chevrolet | 90 | Running |
| 21 | (22) | Callum Ilott | Chevrolet | 89 | Running |
| 22 | (16) | Graham Rahal | Honda | 89 | Running |
| 23 | (18) | Christian Rasmussen | Chevrolet | 89 | Running |
| 24 | (23) | Devlin DeFrancesco | Honda | 89 | Running |
| 25 | (21) | Conor Daly | Chevrolet | 88 | Running |
| 26 | (26) | Jacob Abel | Honda | 88 | Running |
| 27 | (15) | Josef Newgarden | Chevrolet | 88 | Running |
Race Breakdown
- Victory Margin: Kirkwood crossed the finish line 2.6859 seconds ahead of Palou.
- Race Duration: The 90-lap event lasted 1 hour, 45 minutes, and 51.2058 seconds.
- Speed: Kirkwood’s average speed was 100.395 mph, a testament to the race’s relentless pace.
- No Yellow Flags: The absence of cautions made this a rare, uninterrupted street race.
- Lead Swaps: Seven drivers exchanged the lead 9 times, with Christian Lundgaard (26 laps) and Sting Ray Robb (12 laps) among the standout leaders.
Who Led When
- Kyle Kirkwood: Laps 1-6, 30-34, 53-65, 69-90
- Christian Lundgaard: Laps 8-27, 35-40
- Sting Ray Robb: Laps 41-52
- Kyffin Simpson: Laps 66-68
- Scott Dixon: Laps 28-29
- Marcus Armstrong: Lap 7
Championship Standings (After Long Beach)
- Alex Palou – 142
- Kyle Kirkwood – 108
- Christian Lundgaard – 96
- Felix Rosenqvist – 88
- Scott Dixon – 86
- Pato O’Ward – 80
- Colton Herta – 73
- Scott McLaughlin – 69
- Will Power – 63
- Josef Newgarden – 58
- Alexander Rossi – 58
- Marcus Ericsson – 55
- Santino Ferrucci – 51
- Marcus Armstrong – 50
- Kyffin Simpson – 48
- Rinus VeeKay – 46
- Graham Rahal – 45
- David Malukas – 42
- Christian Rasmussen – 40
- Sting Ray Robb – 39
- Conor Daly – 32
- Robert Shwartzman – 30
- Nolan Siegel – 26
- Callum Ilott – 25
- Louis Foster – 25
- Devlin DeFrancesco – 24
- Jacob Abel – 17
Standout Moments
- Kirkwood’s Dominance: Kyle Kirkwood led 49 laps, starting from pole and securing his third career INDYCAR win, his first since 2023.
- Palou’s Steady Run: Finishing second, Alex Palou maintained his championship lead with a consistent podium finish.
- Lundgaard’s Surge: Christian Lundgaard climbed from 12th to 3rd, proving Chevrolet’s strength on the street circuit.
- Clean Racing: The lack of cautions highlighted the drivers’ precision on the challenging Long Beach layout.
- Siegel’s Grit: Despite battling food poisoning, Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel finished 20th, a testament to his determination.
- Team Performance: Siegel’s teammate Lundgaard earned a podium (3rd), underlining Arrow McLaren’s strong showing.
- Next Stop: The INDYCAR series heads to Barber Motorsports Park on April 28, where Siegel aims to bounce back after his health setback.
Follow along for more INDYCAR action as the 2025 season unfolds!
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