Washington — Kyle Kirkwood, who has been the best U.S.-born driver in INDYCAR the last two seasons, made him a popular winner of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix — an event designed to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary season.
The Andretti Global driver led 128 of the 147 laps of a race where President Donald Trump waved the green flag and the drivers competed on a 1.7-mile circuit that included Pennsylvania Avenue as well as Constitution and Independence within view of many iconic U.S. landmarks.
“America is built on many different nations,” Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood told me Sunday night. “In many ways, I don’t believe that today had to be won by an American. It just so happened that we were the best car out there today and we did everything right and were the winners.
“In many ways I’m glad because I think that there’s a lot of people that are here as fans or watching on TV that wanted to see an American win. I’m glad I could give them that satisfaction, but it’s not easy to win any INDYCAR race, and the fact I was able to do it today as an American is a massive deal.”
Here are my takeaways:
1. The Race Delivered
Will Power takes a photo with the presidential limousine, “The Beast”, on the Freedom 250 Grand Prix track.
With no huge issues with the track and no security breaches, the event went off without a major hitch. That was a major accomplishment for a race that was put together in late January when a Trump executive order gave INDYCAR the access to fast-track permits it needed.
Trump stayed for the entire event and several members of his cabinet and other legislators were in attendance. Organizers said that 215,000 fans came to the grounds during the two days, many on free tickets.
The president took a photo with past INDYCAR champions and Indianapolis 500 winners.
“For me, being from a small town in Australia, to end up standing and talking to an American president is surreal,” Will Power said in his post-race news conference. “It’s something I never would have dreamed of.
“It was just incredible to stand there, talk to the president and the First Lady, then jump in a race car and race in Washington, D.C.”
2. Andretti 1-3-4
Marcus Ericsson finished fourth at the Freedom 250.
Andretti Global didn’t just snag the victory, it also had Will Power finishing third and Marcus Ericsson finishing fourth.
Only Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who placed second, broke up the Andretti Global party.
“The team has made huge progression over this season, and you can see it now,” Power said in his post-race news conference. “It’s all coming online. I think the expectation now every weekend is to be on the podium — challenge for a win.”
3. McLaughlin Goes For It … And Wrecks
Scott McLaughlin said that it was hard to pass all day at the Freedom 250.
Scott McLaughlin tried to make the pass on Kirkwood on a restart for the lead with 19 laps remaining.
It ended with McLaughlin with a wrecked race car.
“It was hard to pass all day,” McLaughlin told me after the accident. “I saw an opportunity. He braked really early, and obviously it was the right move from him to brake that early. But I thought that was my chance to make a move.
“I just locked the rears late, and once I locked the rears, I was toast. That was my opportunity. I went for it. And I don’t regret it.”
4. Bad Day For Palou
Reigning INDYCAR champion had a bad day in Washington D.C.
Four-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou finished three laps down in 20th, seeing his championship lead go from 133 ahead of Kirkwood to 91. That is still a big lead with three races left in the season, and Palou very well could clinch next weekend at the doubleheader at The Milwaukee Mile.
As he was exiting the pits, Palou hit a tire that was being set to be put on Mick Schumacher’s car, resulting in a pass-through penalty. And then he bent a toe link when he tapped the wall, a toe link that eventually broke and he ended up in the wall.
“It was one of those days where I did a couple of mistakes,” Palou told me and another reporter after the race. “We had a bad stop. We had everything happening to us today.
“I prefer this than having it spread out in different races.”
4 ½. What’s Next: The Milwaukee Mile
INDYCAR will have a doubleheader weekend at The Milwaukee Mile, where it will race both Saturday and Sunday.
Both races will be 250 laps. As far as short ovals, there have been two this year — both won by Josef Newgarden.
WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT
A short time frame to completion and millions of dollars invested, Penske’s Bud Denker said INDYCAR’s Freedom 250 course is one he’d race again.
Read the full article here
