Kirkwood vs. Palou: The IndyCar championship battle heats up

Four races in the books in the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series, and four-time and reigning champ Alex Palou…isn’t leading the points! RACER Weekly checks in with the guy who is, Kyle Kirkwood, to get his take on the season so far and the momentum he’s carrying into some of the season’s biggest races. After winning on the streets of Arlington, Texas, the Andretti Global driver is the guy to beat as IndyCar heads to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. With two wins in his last three SoCal starts, Kyle lets us in on a few Long Beach secrets, explains how Andretti is raising its game across the board, and looks ahead to the Indianapolis 500 and some unfinished business at the Brickyard.