On Sunday, Alex Palou’s winning streak was interrupted when David Malukas collided with him on the streets of Detroit, pushing him into the tire barrier during a restart.
While Palou wasn’t a strong contender for the podium prior to the incident, he was still on track for a better finish than 25th before the crash occurred on lap 72 out of 100.
Kyle Kirkwood, the only other driver besides Palou to win a race this season, recognized the opportunity to capitalize on Palou’s misfortune, as his retirement is a rare occurrence in modern IndyCar.
Kirkwood’s win in Detroit propelled him to third place in the standings, narrowing the gap to Palou by 102 points, a significant feat given their previous technical setback at the Indy 500.
Heading into upcoming races at World Wide Technology Raceway, Road America, and Mid-Ohio, Kirkwood remains confident in his ability to challenge Palou on road courses, vowing not to let his rival’s success deter their pursuit of the championship.
