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Grand Prix of Long Beach: Kyle Kirkwood takes the pole for IndyCar main event

April 15, 2023

LONG BEACH — It was just two years ago, in 2021, that Kyle Kirkwood was the series champion for Indy Lights, IndyCar’s support series.

On Saturday, in just his second season in IndyCar, Kirkwood won the pole position at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

It is the first IndyCar pole of Kirkwood’s young career.

Kirkwood will start first Sunday when the race begins at 12:45 p.m. Marcus Ericsson will start second, Romain Grosjean third, Alex Palou fourth, Scott Dixon fifth and Pato O’Ward sixth.

IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood, right, is congratulated by a race fan after capturing his first career pole for Sunday’s 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday Apr. 15, 2023. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Romain Grosjean makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Grosjean qualified third for Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Helio Castroneves makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Castroneves qualified 16th for Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Kyle Kirkwood makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Kirkwood qualified on the pole for Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pato O’Ward makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. He eventually qualified sixth for Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Kyle Kirkwood makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Kirkwood will be on the pole for Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Marcus Ericsson races through the hairpin during IndyCar qualifying for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Ericsson will start second in Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Scott Dixon makes the turn onto Seaside Way from Pine Avenue during the second IndyCar practice session for the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday morning Apr. 15, 2023. Dixon will start fifth in Sunday’s race. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The 48th Annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Saturday April 15, 2023. Marcus Ericsson during qualifying took second place. (Photo by contributing photographer Chuck Bennett)

The 48th Annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Saturday April 15, 2023. Kyle Kirkwood in car #27 took the pole position for Sunday’s race. (Photo by contributing photographer Chuck Bennett)

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Qualifying began with two groups going 10 minutes each. The top six with the fastest laps in each group advanced to the top 12 for another 10-minute session. The Fast Six moved into the final round, where they duked it out for the pole.

Kirkwood had a top lap time of 1:06.2878 in the final round, slightly ahead of Ericsson’s 1:06.3253.

“I couldn’t be any happier than this,” Kirkwood, 24, of Andretti Autosport, said immediately following the session in a trackside interview. “Third weekend with the team and I already got a pole. I’m so happy.”

After winning Indy Lights for Andretti Autosport, Kirkwood’s path to IndyCar was to sign with A.J. Foyt Enterprises – not because he wasn’t wanted by Andretti.

“I knew we had something special when he was driving Indy Lights … for us, so I feel like he was the real deal then,” team owner Michael Andretti said. “Unfortunately, at that point we couldn’t give him a ride (in IndyCar) because there was not a seat open.

“But we did have it in the back of our minds (that) we’re going to make a seat open for him the next year and that’s what we did and he’s doing exactly what we thought he would do. And I think there’s a lot to come out of Kyle.”

Kirkwood said he loves street courses, so he drove like he felt quite at home on the streets of Long Beach.

“They’re super enjoyable,” said Kirkwood, of Jupiter, Fla. “Something about the walls just brings me comfort.”

He said he likes street courses because they bring a driver “out of his shell because you’ve gotta really push.”

“I find that enjoyable,” Kirkwood said. “I find the challenge of street courses enjoyable and the fact that it’s always changing and you have to learn so quick because I feel like that’s where … you tend to like places that you do really good at, of course, right?

“And I tend to come up to speed very quick. On new tracks and whatnot, I feel like I’m one of the best at going out there, doing three laps and being the quickest. And then I’m like, ‘Ah, there’s still time left (in the car),’ and that sort of thing.”

Andretti recently moved race strategist Bryan Herta to Lockwood, with Scott Harner taking over Andretti teammate Colton Herta, son of Bryan. Andretti said he did it for one reason.

“He was a driver himself, so he’s got all that experience,” Andretti said of the elder Herta. “So for a young guy, he’s a perfect guy to help mentor him.”

Colton Herta, who will start seventh, at 23 is actually a year younger than Kirkwood, but he is in his fifth full season of IndyCar.

Ericsson, 32, of Sweden, would have loved to be on the pole, but he was satisfied with second.

“Yeah, I was really happy with that,” said Ericsson, of Chip Ganassi Racing. “I think we worked a lot in the winter to improve our qualifying and being on the front row is a great achievement. I think when you’re that close, you want to be on pole, of course, and we were really close to it.

“But (we) didn’t have any new tires and Kyle had a set of new tires, so I think that was a difference maker. But overall, super happy. I think Chip Ganassi Racing has done a tremendous job. We had three cars in the Fast Six, had four cars in top 12; I think that says a lot. Super happy and really excited about tomorrow.”

Josef Newgarden, the 2022 race winner, qualified eighth after not getting out of the top 12 and into the Fast Six in knockout qualifying..

“I think there’s time in the car, I just can’t track it,” Newgarden said.

Scott McLaughlin will start ninth and Felix Rosenqvist 10th.

Two-time race winners Alexander Rossi and Will Power will start 11th and 13th, respectively. And one-time winner Helio Castroneves will be in the No. 16 spot.

Hall of Fame-bound Scott Dixon has second-fastest practice time for Grand Prix of Long Beach
Pato O’Ward brings momentum into Grand Prix of Long Beach
Grand Prix of Long Beach: Oh, baby, what a time it was for Josef Newgarden

Orange County Register

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Grand Prix of Long Beach: Kyle Kirkwood takes the pole for IndyCar main event

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