Kyle MacLean Kirkwood (born October 19,1998) is an American auto racing driver. [1] [2] He currently drives the No. 27 for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series.
Kyle MacLean Kirkwood (born October 19,1998) is an American auto racing driver. [1] [2] He currently drives the No. 27 for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series.
Born in Jupiter,Kirkwood began karting at a young age,often competing alongside fellow Jupiter native Oliver Askew. [3] Throughout his karting career,he amassed multiple titles,including the AM Engines Formula Tag Junior championship in 2012,the SKUSA SuperNationals XVII - S5 Junior championship in 2013 and back-to-back wins at the Florida Winter Tour in 2015 and 2016. [4] [5] [6]
In 2015,Kirkwood made his single-seater debut in the F1600 Championship with Chastain Motorsports. [7] There he took victory in the season opener at Road Atlanta and contested a further six rounds to finish sixteenth. [8]
Following his performance in Formula 4 United States,Kirkwood returned to the Formula Ford scene in 2016 to represent Team USA in the Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy event,finishing seventh and fourth overall in both respective events. [9] [10] [11] [12]
In 2016,Kirkwood joined the inaugural Formula 4 United States Championship with Primus Racing,which saw him claim a win at Mid-Ohio and finish third in the standings overall. [13] In September 2016,Kirkwood was awarded with the Team USA scholarship. [14]
After competing with them in pre-season testing at NOLA,Kirkwood returned to the championship the following year,switching to newcomers Cape Motorsports. [15] [16] He achieved nine victories,including back-to-back hat-tricks at Indianapolis and Motorsport Park,wrapping up the title in the Formula One supporting season finale at the Circuit of the Americas. [17] [18] [19] During the season,Kirkwood was once again selected as a candidate for the Team USA scholarship. [20]
In August 2018,Kirkwood joined Abel Motorsports to contest the inaugural season of F3 Americas. [21] The season saw Kirkwood claim fifteen of the seventeen race victories on offer and seal his third consecutive championship at NOLA with a round to spare. [22] [23]
The following year,Kirkwood made a one-off appearance with RP Motorsport in the season finale of the Euroformula Open Championship at Monza,which saw him take a best-placed finish of sixth in race two. [24] [25]
In February 2020,Kirkwood was announced to be partaking in the rookie test at Marrakesh with BMW i Andretti Motorsport. [26]
In December 2016,Kirkwood partook in the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout,but lost out on the scholarship to Askew. [27]
In 2017,Kirkwood partook in the Chris Griffis Memorial Test with Swan-RJB Motorsports. [28] In February 2018,he reunited with Cape Motorsports to contest the 2018 championship. [29] In only his rookie season,Kirkwood dominated proceedings,taking twelve of the fourteen victories on offer and sealing his second title in a year at Mid-Ohio and equalling J. R. Hildebrand's record of wins across a season. [30] [31]
Kirkwood graduated to the championship in 2019,selecting RP Motorsport Racing as his team. [32] After faltering in earlier rounds,Kirkwood took his maiden victories in both races at Road America. [33] From the second race at Toronto onwards,Kirkwood dominated the season and won his fourth consecutive title at the season finale in Laguna Seca despite being taken out by Danial Frost. [34] [35] [36]
In December 2019,Kirkwood partook in the post-season test at Sebring with reigning champions Andretti Autosport. [37] The following month,Andretti confirmed Kirkwood would race with them for the 2020 season,only for that year's running of the championship to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [38]
Kirkwood won the 2021 Indy Lights Championship for Andretti Autosport. In doing so,he became the first driver to win a championship in every Road to Indy series. [39]
Throughout 2021,Kirkwood was viewed with significant interest by different teams in the IndyCar Series paddock. Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti stated he intended to keep Kirkwood in the Andretti Autosport stable and reiterated this after Kirkwood won the Indy Lights championship. [40] Andretti stated that he was considering moving Kirkwood to Formula E if a seat did not open up in IndyCar.
As part of winning the Indy Lights championship,Kirkwood was guaranteed to compete in three IndyCar races in 2022,including the 2022 Indianapolis 500.
On November 10,2021,it was announced that Kirkwood would drive the No. 14 entry full-time for A. J. Foyt Enterprises during the 2022 IndyCar Series season. [41] [42] He had a best finish of 10th at Long Beach,and ranked 24th in points.
On June 1,2022,Kirkwood and Andretti Autosport announced he would return to the Andretti stable for the 2023 season to replace the departing Alexander Rossi. [43] Kirkwood took his first IndyCar win at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Kirkwood took a second win at the 2023 Music City Grand Prix.
With the 2020 Indy Lights season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,Kirkwood drove four races in the IMSA Prototype Challenge and also joined AIM Vasser Sullivan Racing for a limited GTD schedule. [44]
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | F1600 Championship Series | Chastain Motorsports | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 181 | 16th |
| 2016 | Formula 4 United States Championship | Primus Racing | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 183 | 3rd |
| Formula Ford Festival | Cliff Dempsey Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 7th | |
| Walter Hayes Trophy - Heats/Semis | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | NC | ||
| Walter Hayes Trophy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4th | ||
| 2017 | Formula 4 United States Championship | Cape Motorsports | 20 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 345 | 1st |
| 2018 | F3 Americas Championship | Abel Motorsports | 17 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 405 | 1st |
| U.S. F2000 National Championship | Cape Motorsports | 14 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 374 | 1st | |
| 2019 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | RP Motorsport Racing | 16 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 419 | 1st |
| Euroformula Open Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | ||
| 2020 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD | AIM Vasser Sullivan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 37th |
| IMSA Prototype Challenge | Forty7 Motorsports | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 109 | 16th | |
| 2021 | Indy Lights | Andretti Autosport | 20 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 537 | 1st |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD | Vasser Sullivan Racing | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 898 | 29th | |
| 2022 | IndyCar Series | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 183 | 24th |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro | Vasser Sullivan Racing | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 999 | 9th | |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 385 | 45th | ||
| 2023 | IndyCar Series | Andretti Autosport | 17 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 352 | 11th |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro | Vasser Sullivan Racing | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 617 | 13th | |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 284 | 50th | ||
| 2024 | IndyCar Series | Andretti Global | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 12th* |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Pro | Vasser Sullivan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 617 | 3rd* |
† As Kirkwood was a guest driver,he was ineligible to score points. * Season still in progress.
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Cape Motorsports | STP 1 | STP 5 | IMS 2 | IMS 1 | LOR 1 | ROA 1 | ROA 1 | TOR 1 | TOR 1 | MDO 1 | MDO 1 | MDO 1 | POR 1 | POR 1 | 1st | 440 |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | RP Motorsport Racing | STP 14 | STP 2 | IMS 2 | IMS 13 | LOR 4 | ROA 1 | ROA 1 | TOR 8 | TOR 1 | MDO 1 | MDO 1 | GTW 1 | POR 1 | POR 1 | LAG 1 | LAG 14 | 1st | 419 |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Andretti Autosport | ALA 9 | ALA 5 | STP 1 | STP 2 | IMS 4 | IMS 4 | DET 1 | DET 1 | RDA 1 | RDA 12 | MDO 1 | MDO 1 | GTW 2 | GTW 2 | POR 2 | POR 1 | LAG 1 | LAG 1 | MDO 1 | MDO 5 | 1st | 537 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position;races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Dallara DW12 | 14 | Chevrolet | STP 18 | TXS 25 | LBH 10 | ALA 22 | IMS 26 | INDY 17 | DET 24 | ROA 20 | MDO 26 | TOR 22 | IOW 15 | IOW 25 | IMS 23 | NSH 19 | GTW 17 | POR 13 | LAG 21 | 24th | 183 | [45] | |
| 2023 | Andretti Autosport | 27 | Honda | STP 15 | TXS 27 | LBH 1* | ALA 12 | IMS 14 | INDY 28 | DET 6 | ROA 9 | MDO 17 | TOR 15 | IOW 7 | IOW 11 | NSH 1* | IMS 9 | GTW 15 | POR 10 | LAG 25 | 11th | 352 | [46] | ||
| 2024 | Andretti Global | STP 10 | THE DNQ | LBH 7 | ALA 10 | IMS 11 | INDY 7 | DET 4 | ROA | LAG | MDO | IOW | IOW | TOR | GTW | POR | MIL | MIL | NSH | 10th* | 115* | [47] |
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dallara | Chevrolet | 28 | 17 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises |
| 2023 | Dallara | Honda | 15 | 28 | Andretti Autosport |
| 2024 | Dallara | Honda | 11 | 7 | Andretti Autosport |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position;races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | AIM Vasser Sullivan | GTD | Lexus RC F GT3 | Lexus 5.0 L V8 | DAY | DAY | SEB | ELK | VIR | ATL | MDO | CLT | PET 8 | LGA | SEB 12 | 37th | 42 | |
| 2021 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | GTD | Lexus RC F GT3 | Lexus 5.0 L V8 | DAY 16 | SEB 7 | MDO | DET | WGL 6 | WGL | LIM | ELK | LGA | LBH | VIR | PET 15 | 29th | 898 |
| 2022 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | GTD Pro | Lexus RC F GT3 | Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 | DAY 4 | SEB | LBH | LGA | WGL 4 | MOS | LIM | ELK | VIR | PET 1 | 9th | 999 | ||
| GTD | MDO | DET 1 | 45th | 385 | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | GTD | Lexus RC F GT3 | Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 | DAY 5 | 50th | 284 | |||||||||||
| GTD Pro | SEB 2 | LBH | LGA | WGL | MOS | LIM | ELK | VIR | IMS | PET 8 | 13th | 617 | ||||||
| 2024 | VasserSullivan | GTD Pro | Lexus RC F GT3 | Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 | DAY 11 | SEB 1 | LGA | DET | WGL | MOS | ELK | VIR | IMS | PET | 3rd* | 617* |
* Season still in progress.
Andretti Global,formerly known as Andretti Autosport,is an American motorsports organization with teams competing in the IndyCar Series,Indy NXT,Formula E,Extreme E,and joint entries in IMSA and the Australian Supercars Championship. The team was founded as Forsythe/Green Racing by Gerald Forsythe and Barry Green in 1993,and was known for most of its formative years as Team Green under the control of Green and his brother Kim,competing in the CART Indy Car World Series. 1991 CART champion Michael Andretti purchased a stake in the team in 2002,renaming it to Andretti Green Racing and switching to the Indy Racing League for the 2003 season. From 2009 through 2023,the team was known as Andretti Autosport,with Andretti in full control of the team. Following a restructuring during the 2023 season,the team rebranded to Andretti Global in deference to the team's new parent company,formed in 2022 by Andretti and businessman Dan Towriss to pursue a Formula One entry.
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