LONG BEACH, Calif. — The final time Kyle Kirkwood received the pole on the Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore was 2023. He additionally received the race.
The driving force from Jupiter, Fla., hopes to repeat that in Sunday’s fiftieth Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore by successful the pole on Saturday.
“That might be huge,” Kirkwood mentioned. “Profitable any IndyCar race is spectacular, however successful the fiftieth Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore could be historic.”
It was Herta’s second Verizon P1 Award at Lengthy Seashore and the third IndyCar pole of his profession.
Kirkwood’s quick lap was 1:06.1921 across the 1.968-mile road course within the No. 27 Honda for Andretti International. That was a pace of 107.034 mph.
Teammate Colton Herta was second quickest at 1:06.4232 (106.662 mph) within the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda for Andretti International.
“When you’re in an Andretti International automobile at Lengthy Seashore, you realize you’re going to be fast and we have been at present,” Kirkwood mentioned. “A entrance row lockout by Andretti International with Colton Herta, it’s important to be proud of that.”
Herta’s second-place qualification effort ensured an All-Andretti International entrance row.
“It sucks, however you’ll be able to’t be made at Andretti International sweeping the entrance row,” Herta mentioned. “I’m glad Andretti International lets us race and me and Kyle have all the time raced one another effectively. I believe we perceive if there is a chance to move, we’ll move one another, however with out taking any pointless dangers.”
Chip Ganassi Racing star Alex Palou has received the primary two IndyCar Collection races of the season. He makes an attempt to make it three-in-a-row Sunday as he begins from the third place after qualifying at 1:06.6254 (106.338 mph) within the No. 28 DHL Honda.
“It’s good,” Palou mentioned. “Tight qualifying as all the time. We thought it will be nearer, however that lap by Kyle was fairly good. It was superior.
“Nice beginning place in third. We’ll see if we will go three-for-three.”
Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Ericsson and Scott McLaughlin rounded out the “Quick Six.”
For the second race in a row, neither Josef Newgarden nor Will Energy of Crew Penske superior out of the primary spherical. On the Thermal Membership on March 22, not one of the three Crew Penske drivers together with McLaughlin made it to the second spherical of {qualifications}.
After Friday’s observe session, Newgarden was assured this weekend wouldn’t be a repeat of what occurred at Thermal.
That prediction didn’t come true, nonetheless.
“This can be a very tight collection the place inches and tenths of a second make a distinction,” Newgarden mentioned. “It’s laborious while you’re in your quick lap and get held up in Flip 10.
“You’ve already used up your alternates and that exit off the hairpin is essential to the next lap. We all know there may be pace within the No. 2 Astemo Chevrolet. Sadly, we’re behind a bit following qualifying, however we’ll rally tomorrow.
“The automobile’s too good.”
On the checkered flag of that group, Herta bounced off the wall and the checkered flag and appeared to interrupt the tow-link on the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda.
Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren was the quickest of that group within the No. 7 Chevrolet at 1:07.2092, adopted by Herta, Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward, Marcus Armstrong and David Malukas.
McLaughlin saved the day for Crew Penske by qualifying third within the second group of the primary spherical. Defending Lengthy Seashore winner Scott Dixon was the large title that didn’t advance out of the primary spherical as he was seventh.
“The lap I used to be on was on the right track for fast time, however I ought to have performed the lap earlier,” Dixon mentioned. “The automobile in entrance of me aborted so I needed to do the identical factor.”
Kirkwood was the quickest in that group at 1:06.9367 within the No. 27 Honda for Andretti International. Palou was second adopted by McLaughlin, Nolan Siegel, Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi.
McLaughlin additionally superior out of the second spherical when he was sixth on the time. That session ended when Christian Lundgaard, who was fifth quickest on the time, stuffed the No. 7 Chevrolet into the tire barrier in Flip 9 simply seconds earlier than the checkered flag ended the session. Due to that, the Arrow McLaren driver misplaced his two quickest laps and can begin twelfth in Sunday’s race.
Advancing into the “Quick Six” have been Kirkwood (1:06.4219) adopted by Herta, Palou, Ericsson, McLaughlin and Rosenqvist.
No Arrow McLaren driver made it into the Quick Six after the workforce swept the entrance row within the earlier IndyCar race at The Thermal Membership.
“I consider we had sufficient to switch into the Quick Six, however bummer for me, bummer for Christian and bummer for Nolan,” Pato O’Ward mentioned. “This hasn’t been our greatest place previously, however we’ll see what occurs within the race.”
