Kyle Kirkwood delivered a masterclass performance at the historic 50th running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, converting his pole position into a commanding victory that showcased both driver and machine at their finest. The Andretti Global star led 46 of the 90 laps in his No. 27 Honda to secure his third career IndyCar Series win and his second triumph at the iconic Southern California street circuit.

Under initially overcast skies that later gave way to blue, Kirkwood was flawless throughout the race, maintaining composure while under constant pressure from championship leader Alex Palou. The victory held special significance as Honda Racing Corporation U.S. celebrated success at what is considered their home event.

“It’s really good,” Kirkwood said after the race. “To win here at the 50th, with Acura as the sponsor, with Honda… It was a flawless weekend. When you have a flawless weekend, you tend to win. It might have made it a little bit boring.”

Palou, who finished 2.686 seconds behind in his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, acknowledged Kirkwood’s superior pace. “We really didn’t have that ultimate speed that the No. 27 car had,” said Palou, whose season has opened with remarkable consistency—finishes of first, first, and now second. “Kyle, they did an awesome job throughout the weekend, qualifying and the race. He was managing. Every time I was having like a small chance, he just had a little bit more pace.”

The race marked the second consecutive caution-free event for the series, allowing strategies to play out naturally around the 1.9-mile, 11-turn temporary street course that was packed with enthusiastic fans enjoying the 68-degree weather.

One of the day’s most impressive performances came from Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who employed a contrarian strategy by starting on primary Firestone tires—one of only six drivers to do so. The gamble paid off handsomely as Lundgaard vaulted from 12th on the grid to claim the final podium position.

“I would have liked to be able to fight with Alex and Kyle at some point,” Lundgaard reflected. “We started a little far too back. Obviously we were on a completely different strategy than both of them were on. We made the most of our strategy and ended on the podium from 12th.”

Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist finished fourth, giving Honda three of the top four positions. Team Penske salvaged some pride for Chevrolet with Will Power taking fifth and Scott McLaughlin maintaining his starting position in sixth. Kirkwood’s front-row teammate, Colton Herta, had a disappointing home race, slipping from second to seventh by the checkered flag.

Other notable performances included Sting Ray Robb of Juncos Hollinger Racing, who led 12 laps while on the same alternative strategy as Lundgaard and matched his career-best finish with ninth place. The day’s biggest mover was AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci, who climbed from last to 11th position.

Arrow McLaren rookie Nolan Siegel showed remarkable determination, competing despite waking up with suspected food poisoning and requiring fluids before the race. He persevered to finish 20th.

The victory strengthened Kirkwood’s position in the championship while Palou continues to build his points lead with another podium finish as the series moves forward in what promises to be an exciting season of IndyCar racing.

Brandon Badraoui/Lumen