Kyle Kirkwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kyle Kirkwood
Kirkwood at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2022
Nationality	American
Born	Kyle MacLean Kirkwood (1998-10-19) October 19, 1998 (age 27) Jupiter, Florida, United States
IndyCar Series career
83 races run over 5 years
Team(s)	No. 27 (Andretti Global)
Best finish	4th (2025)
First race	2022 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last race	2021 Honda Indy 200 (Mid-Ohio)
First win	2023 Grand Prix of Long Beach (Long Beach)
Last win	2026 Freedom 250 Grand Prix (Washington, D.C.)
Wins Podiums Poles 7 11 4
Championship titles
Indy Lights Championship Indy Pro 2000 Championship F3 Americas Championship U.S. F2000 National Championship Formula 4 United States Championship
Awards
Team USA Scholarship

Kyle MacLean Kirkwood (born October 19, 1998) is an American professional race car driver. He races in the premier IndyCar Series, driving the No. 27 car for Andretti Global.

Kirkwood is well known for his incredible rise through junior open-wheel racing. He became the first driver to win championships across all three developmental levels of the Road to Indy ladder. Over his professional career, he has claimed prestigious victories at major events like the Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Grand Prix of Arlington, and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

The Racing Career of Kyle Kirkwood

Early Days in Kart Racing

Kyle Kirkwood was born and raised in Jupiter, Florida. Like many top motorsport drivers, he began his journey behind the wheel of high-speed go-karts when he was very young.

During his childhood karting years, he raced against other future professional drivers, including fellow Jupiter native Oliver Askew. Karting taught Kirkwood the basics of racing lines, braking points, and vehicle control at high speeds.

Kirkwood found early success by winning multiple regional and national karting championships:

• In 2012, he won the AM Engines Formula Tag Junior championship.
• In 2013, he took first place in the SKUSA SuperNationals XVII Junior division.
• In 2015 and 2016, he earned back-to-back title victories in the competitive Florida Winter Tour series.

Moving Up into Junior Formula Cars

In 2015, Kirkwood transitioned from go-karts to open-wheel formula cars. His first competition was in the F1600 Championship Series with Chastain Motorsports.

In his very first weekend, he scored a victory at the challenging Road Atlanta road course. He gained valuable experience handling a full-sized open-wheel racing car with aerodynamic wings and slick racing tires.

In 2016, Kirkwood joined the brand-new Formula 4 United States Championship driving for Primus Racing. He secured a win at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and finished third overall in points.

Because of his talent, he earned the prestigious Team USA Scholarship. This award sent him to the United Kingdom to compete against the best European drivers in the Formula Ford Festival and the Walter Hayes Trophy.

Winning Regional Championships

In 2017, Kirkwood returned to the Formula 4 United States Championship with the Cape Motorsports team. He had a dominant season, winning nine individual races, including three straight wins at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. His outstanding performance earned him the 2017 series title.

In 2018, Kirkwood took another major step by entering the F3 Americas Championship with Abel Motorsports. He put on one of the most dominant performances in modern motorsport history, winning 15 of the 17 races on the schedule and wrapping up his third major title.

Conquering the Road to Indy Ladder

The "Road to Indy" was a structured development program designed to train young drivers and help them reach the IndyCar Series. Kirkwood achieved unmatched success on this path.

USF2000 Championship

In 2018, Kirkwood competed simultaneously in the U.S. F2000 Championship for Cape Motorsports. He dominated the competition by winning 12 out of 14 races.

This incredible run matched the long-standing record for most wins in a single season set by J. R. Hildebrand, earning Kirkwood the championship title and scholarship money to advance upward.

Indy Pro 2000 Championship

Kirkwood moved up to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship in 2019 with RP Motorsport Racing.

After adjusting to the faster car early in the season, he went on a massive winning streak starting at Road America. He collected nine race victories and sealed the championship crown at the famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca track in California.

Indy Lights Title Victory

In 2020, Kirkwood signed to drive with powerhouse team Andretti Autosport in Indy Lights, the final step before IndyCar. However, that racing season was paused due to global health precautions.

When Indy Lights returned for the 2021 season, Kirkwood was ready. He won 10 races and clinched the 2021 Indy Lights Championship.

By winning this title, Kirkwood became the first driver in history to win championships in all three steps of the Road to Indy ladder: USF2000, Indy Pro 2000, and Indy Lights.

Professional IndyCar Series Career

Kirkwood's car after an incident at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022

Winning the Indy Lights title guaranteed Kirkwood a chance to race at the highest level of American open-wheel racing.

Rookie Season with A. J. Foyt (2022)

Kirkwood made his official IndyCar Series debut in 2022 driving the No. 14 car for A. J. Foyt Enterprises.

He faced a steep learning curve against veteran drivers, racing on street circuits, permanent road tracks, and high-speed oval tracks. His best finish of the season came on the streets of Long Beach, where he finished in tenth position. He also completed his first Indianapolis 500, finishing in 17th place.

Breakthrough Wins with Andretti Global (2023–2026)

Kirkwood racing during the 2023 Indianapolis 500

In 2023, Kirkwood rejoined Andretti Autosport (later renamed Andretti Global) to drive the No. 27 car.

Kirkwood achieved his first career IndyCar victory in April 2023 at the prestigious Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, leading from the pole position. Later that summer, he took his second career win on the tight street track at the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.

In 2024, Kirkwood showed great consistency across the entire schedule. He finished in the top ten in numerous races and concluded the season ranked 7th in the overall championship standings.

The 2025 season was a major success for Kirkwood. He collected three race wins at Long Beach, Detroit, and the oval track at Gateway, powering him to 4th place in the final season championship.

In 2026, Kirkwood continued his winning form, capturing victories at the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington street race in Texas and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.

Sports Car and Endurance Racing

In addition to open-wheel formula cars, Kirkwood has competed in high-level sports car racing.

He joined Vasser Sullivan Racing to race Lexus RC F GT3 sports cars in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. In sports car racing, multiple drivers share one car during long endurance events.

Kirkwood earned major class victories in some of the most famous endurance races in the world, including winning the 10-hour Petit Le Mans race in 2022 and the challenging 12 Hours of Sebring in 2024.

Complete Racing Career Summary

Junior Formula and IndyCar Overview

^* Season still in progress.

Indianapolis 500 Results

The Indianapolis 500 is known as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Here is how Kyle Kirkwood has performed in the famous 200-lap race: