05/16/25 01:15:00
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05/16 13:14 CDT Kirkwood confidently predicts Andretti Global is favorite to
win Indianapolis 500 pole
Kirkwood confidently predicts Andretti Global is favorite to win Indianapolis
500 pole
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- There was zero hesitation from Kyle Kirkwood when he
asked if he and his Andretti Global teammates are favorites to challenge for
both the pole and the Indianapolis 500 victory.
"We're either the best, or we are very, very close to that," Kirkwood said. "We
are very positive at this time and very confident."
Those who might disagree? Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef
Newgarden, who has been fast all week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and
two-time reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou, winner of four of the first five
races this season.
The three-car Andretti team, though? Few had even uttered their names before
Kirkwood's bold prediction ahead of Fast Friday, the day teams get a 100
horsepower boost to prepare for this weekend's two-day qualifying session.
Guess people just weren't paying attention. Kirkwood is, after all, the only
driver this season so far to beat Palou with his April victory on the downtown
streets of Long Beach, California.
"I think they look very strong both speed-wise and traffic running," said Arrow
McLaren driver Pato O'Ward, who then cautioned "don't count out the Penskes.
They're going to have rockets just like they did last year."
Newgarden beat O'Ward on the final lap last year to win his second consecutive
Indy 500, and Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin, Will Power and Newgarden swept
the front row in qualifying last season.
There are 34 drivers going for the 33 spots in the field in Saturday and Sunday
qualifying, meaning one car will fail to make the "The Greatest Spectacle in
Racing." Among them is NASCAR star Kyle Larson, who for the second year will
attempt "The Double" and try to complete 1,100-miles between the Indy 500 and
the Coca-Cola 600 in North Carolina.
It's going to be a tough turnaround for Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyffin
Simpson, who nearly flipped his car when he crashed in Friday practice. He was
uninjured but CGR will have a ton of work to do to get a backup car prepared
for Saturday's first day of qualifying.
Simpson isn't considered a pole contender, but his CGR teammates Palou and
Scott Dixon are, according to other drivers. But Dixon was in the group that
believe the trio of Penske drivers are going to be tough to beat this weekend.
"I will say that definitely the Penske cars look strong. There's no doubt about
that," Dixon said. "They definitely are running some big laps. I don't know.
There can always be a weird twist I think that kind of comes, so I would hope
that that's true, but you know, right at the minute I don't know."
The Honda teams changed their engines Thursday night to prepare for
qualifications, but Chevrolet is waiting until after qualifying to make their
engine changes.
"Ganassi seems to have taken a step forward as well just from kind of playing
around with them in traffic," O'Ward said. "It's hard to say right now. You
don't know who is hiding what or are both manufacturers showing everything? Not
sure, but they do look very strong."
Newgarden, meanwhile, is seeking a record third consecutive win in the Indy 500
but not yet comfortable to make any predictions. He's had a tough start to the
season with just one podium finish, in the season-opener, and his 12th-place
ranking in the IndyCar standings is the lowest of the three Penske drivers.
But he's confident it makes little difference when it comes to the Indianapolis
500 and he's been pleased to be at the top of the speed charts each day this
week.
"It's showing good signs to begin. It's a long process. You can have the
quickest car in the field, and that doesn't mean you're going to win the race,"
Newgarden said. "I think it takes a lot of ingredients, clearly, to win at this
place. I think we have a few of them that are starting to show themselves in
favorable conditions.
"Right now I think the car is in a really good place. We just have to continue
to go through the motions. Qualifying is going to be its own thing. We're going
to find out exactly where everybody else is at and hopefully we'll be in a good
spot there. Then the race will be a whole other animal, and we'll figure that
out next weekend."
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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