Kirkwood Wins IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix As Palou Crashes Out

Alex Palou’s amazing 2025 has had its first hitch.

The Indy 500 champion, who won five out of the first six races of the season, crashed out of the Detroit Grand Prix, ending his chances to tie A.J. Foyt’s season-opening six wins in seven races, achieved in 1964.

It wasn’t his fault, Palou was punted into the turn one tire barrier from behind by David Malukas on lap 72 of the 100-lap race.

Kyle Kirkwood, who won at Long Beach ahead of Palou in second place, took the lead from Santino Ferrucci shortly after the restart with 22 laps to go, despite having damage to his front wing.

The race was red-flagged with 13 laps to go when Louis Foster’s suspension collapsed and he crashed into Felix Rosenqvist, ending both of their days and necessitating extended track repairs.

Kirkwood simply drove away from Ferrucci on the restart, while his Andretti Global teammate, Colton Herta, hunted down Will Power and got by him on lap 91, but couldn’t do the same to Ferrucci.

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Power collected himself and got to Herta’s gearbox in the closing laps, but Herta managed to hang on to give Andretti Global a one-three finish for its Honda-powered cars with Ferrucci earning a career-best second in his A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet. Power finished fourth and Kyffin Simpson fifth.

The IndyCar series next heads to World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., for the Bommarito Auto Group 500 on June 15.