The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 roared to life in dramatic fashion Sunday night as a fireball explosion on the back straightaway signaled the start of the first-ever primetime NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway. From that electrifying moment, the stage was set for a night of high-speed intensity, stunning strategy, and a historic late-race surge from Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood.
Kirkwood powered through the field and captured his first career oval victory – and third win of the season – after grabbing the lead with just five laps remaining. His final-lap composure held off a charging Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren by a narrow 0.5398-second margin. The finish marked O’Ward’s fourth runner-up result in six career starts at WWTR, continuing a frustrating trend of near-misses at the 1.25-mile oval. Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen, who had earlier on pit road caught literal fire, claimed a career-best third-place finish.
“I mean, it’s kind of funny, right?” Kirkwood said. “You get on this streak where it’s like, oh, he’s doing so well, he’s winning races, street courses. But then you get your fourth and people are like, another street course for Kirkwood. It’s not as big of a deal now. When is he going to win something else?
“Everybody knows you’ve got to be diverse in this series. You’ve got to win at multiple circuits. You’ve got to win at multiple venues. Whether it’s a short oval, long oval, street course, road course, whatever it might be, you’ve got to win at all of them. A step in the right direction for sure.”
The race lived up to its prime-time billing. A track record-tying 254 passes for position and multiple lead changes defined the 260-lap event, broadcast live on FOX. The action was nonstop, with early dominance from David Malukas of AJ Foyt Racing and Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske. Defending WWTR winner Josef Newgarden looked poised to take control after moving to the front on Lap 105 and stretching his lead by more than six seconds.
But the night took a stunning turn on Lap 134. Rookie Louis Foster hit the Turn 4 wall and rebounded across the track directly into Newgarden’s path. The Team Penske star had nowhere to go, launching over Foster’s car in a spectacular crash that sent Newgarden’s machine flipping and sliding down the frontstretch. Incredibly, both drivers walked away without injury.
That incident cracked the race wide open, setting off a series of strategy gambles and fuel-saving attempts. Drivers like Conor Daly, Scott Dixon, and O’Ward all rotated into the lead, with Dixon’s late gamble keeping him out front for 43 laps. Ultimately, he was forced to pit with just a handful of laps remaining, allowing Kirkwood — with plenty of fuel — to capitalize.
Scott Dixon finished fourth, while Santino Ferrucci, driving the No. 14 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet, took fifth for AJ Foyt Racing. Graham Rahal completed his 300th INDYCAR start in 22nd place.
With a literal bang and a brilliant finish, Kirkwood’s victory at WWTR marks a pivotal moment in his season — proving his ability to win not just on the streets, but on the ovals that define champions.
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