Kirkwood wins first oval race with victory over O'Ward at Gateway

Kyle Kirkwood got his first oval win ahead of Pato O'Ward at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 27 for Andretti Global scored his fifth victory in IndyCar and third of the 2025 season.

"My first oval win; I'm on cloud nine right now. Ovals had eluded me for a long time, so it's good to get that first one and break the ice."

Rasmussen climbs 22 positions to third place

Christian Rasmussen staged the most impressive comeback by advancing from 25th to third in the No. 21 for ECR. Rasmussen executed 62 on-track passes to achieve his best result in the series.

Scott Dixon recovered ground by finishing fourth in the No. 9 for Chip Ganassi Racing, his best performance since finishing second in St. Petersburg. Santino Ferrucci rounded out the top five in the No. 14, extending A.J. Foyt Enterprises' positive streak with his third consecutive top-five result.

Fuel strategy decides final battle in last 50 laps

The 260-lap race was decided by a battle between different fuel windows. Dixon took the lead after not pitting during the penultimate stop cycle, taking advantage of the fourth and final caution caused by David Malukas on lap 196.

Dixon maintained the lead until lap 236, when he surrendered it to O'Ward after his final stop. Kirkwood inherited the lead when the stragglers completed their service, staying out front for the final 24 laps despite pressure from O'Ward.

Team Penske suffers three retirements

Will Power, the pole winner, retired on lap four due to a tire puncture in his No. 12 for Team Penske. Josef Newgarden, a five-time winner at Gateway, had a spectacular crash on lap 130 while leading when he collided with rookie Louis Foster.

Scott McLaughlin, who led 51 laps, retired on lap 216 due to mechanical issues in the No. 3. The three retirements represented a hard blow for the team with nine historic wins at this track.

Palou and Kirkwood only winners in eight rounds

With this victory, Kirkwood establishes himself as the only driver capable of challenging Alex Palou in 2025. The Spaniard has dominated the season with five wins: St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber, Indianapolis GP, and Indianapolis 500. Kirkwood responded with consecutive wins at Long Beach, Detroit, and now Gateway.

This streak by Kirkwood marks a turning point in his career. Before 2025, the American had only achieved two IndyCar wins, both on street circuits (Toronto 2022 and Long Beach 2023). His three wins in 2025 now include street circuits (Long Beach), hybrid circuits (Detroit), and his first oval (Gateway).

Honda perfect as engine manufacturer

Kirkwood's victory preserves Honda's perfect record as an engine manufacturer in the eight races held so far. Honda-powered drivers have won all races: Palou (5) and Kirkwood (3).

Palou saw his championship lead reduced from 90 to 73 points over O'Ward after finishing eighth. Kirkwood remains third, just two points behind the Arrow McLaren driver and 75 behind the championship leader.

The next event will be the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday, June 22.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Results