Kirkwood Storms To Pole For 50th Long Beach Street Race

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The last time Kyle Kirkwood won the pole at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was 2023. He also won the race.

The driver from Jupiter, Fla., hopes to repeat that in Sunday’s 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach by winning the pole on Saturday.

“That would be massive,” Kirkwood said. “Winning any IndyCar race is impressive, but winning the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach would be historic.”

It was Herta’s second Verizon P1 Award at Long Beach and the third IndyCar pole of his career.

Kirkwood’s fast lap was 1:06.1921 around the 1.968-mile street course in the No. 27 Honda for Andretti Global. That was a speed of 107.034 mph.

Teammate Colton Herta was second fastest at 1:06.4232 (106.662 mph) in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda for Andretti Global.

“When you are in an Andretti Global car at Long Beach, you know you are going to be quick and we were today,” Kirkwood said. “A front row lockout by Andretti Global with Colton Herta, you have to be happy with that.”

Herta’s second-place qualification effort ensured an All-Andretti Global front row.

“It sucks, but you can’t be made at Andretti Global sweeping the front row,” Herta said. “I’m glad Andretti Global lets us race and me and Kyle have always raced each other well. I think we understand if there is an opportunity to pass, we will pass each other, but without taking any unnecessary risks.”

Chip Ganassi Racing star Alex Palou has won the first two IndyCar Series races of the season. He attempts to make it three-in-a-row Sunday as he starts from the third position after qualifying at 1:06.6254 (106.338 mph) in the No. 28 DHL Honda.

“It’s good,” Palou said. “Tight qualifying as always. We thought it would be closer, but that lap by Kyle was pretty good. It was awesome.

“Great starting position in third. We’ll see if we can go three-for-three.”

Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Ericsson and Scott McLaughlin rounded out the “Fast Six.”

For the second race in a row, neither Josef Newgarden nor Will Power of Team Penske advanced out of the first round. At the Thermal Club on March 22, none of the three Team Penske drivers including McLaughlin made it to the second round of qualifications.

After Friday’s practice session, Newgarden was confident this weekend would not be a repeat of what happened at Thermal.

That prediction did not come true, however.

“This is a very tight series where inches and tenths of a second make a difference,” Newgarden said. “It’s hard when you’re on your fast lap and get held up in Turn 10.

“You’ve already used up your alternates and that exit off the hairpin is crucial to the following lap. We know there is speed in the No. 2 Astemo Chevrolet. Unfortunately, we are behind a bit following qualifying, but we will rally tomorrow.

“The car’s too good.”

At the checkered flag of that group, Herta bounced off the wall and the checkered flag and appeared to break the tow-link on the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda.

Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren was the fastest of that group in the No. 7 Chevrolet at 1:07.2092, followed by Herta, Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward, Marcus Armstrong and David Malukas.

McLaughlin saved the day for Team Penske by qualifying third in the second group of the first round. Defending Long Beach winner Scott Dixon was the big name that didn’t advance out of the first round as he was seventh.

“The lap I was on was on target for quick time, but I should have done the lap earlier,” Dixon said. “The car in front of me aborted so I had to do the same thing.”

Kirkwood was the fastest in that group at 1:06.9367 in the No. 27 Honda for Andretti Global. Palou was second followed by McLaughlin, Nolan Siegel, Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi.

McLaughlin also advanced out of the second round when he was sixth at the time. That session ended when Christian Lundgaard, who was fifth fastest at the time, stuffed the No. 7 Chevrolet into the tire barrier in Turn 9 just seconds before the checkered flag ended the session. Because of that, the Arrow McLaren driver lost his two fastest laps and will start 12th in Sunday’s race.

Advancing into the “Fast Six” were Kirkwood (1:06.4219) followed by Herta, Palou, Ericsson, McLaughlin and Rosenqvist.

No Arrow McLaren driver made it into the Fast Six after the team swept the front row in the previous IndyCar race at The Thermal Club.

“I believe we had enough to transfer into the Fast Six, but bummer for me, bummer for Christian and bummer for Nolan,” Pato O’Ward said. “This hasn’t been our best place in the past, but we’ll see what happens in the race.”