"Racing doesn't feel as fun": Kyle Kirkwood 'frustrated' with IndyCar Iowa track for big misstep

Kyle Kirkwood has expressed his frustration with the Iowa Speedway, where IndyCar will host a double-header on July 11-12. NASCAR, which owns the track, had repaved the 0.875-mile oval before the inaugural Cup Series race at the track in 2024.

More asphalt was added to the bottom halves of the corners on both ends of the track, effectively making the high line unusable. IndyCar, which had witnessed enthralling races at the Iowa Speedway before, saw a frustrating 2024 double-header with a mostly one-lane race.

Many IndyCar teams are testing at Iowa this week, with the series introducing new aerodynamic and tire packages to improve racing at the track. On Wednesday, Kyle Kirkwood made his feelings known about the lacklustre racing around the oval. The Andretti Global driver said (via @AlwaysRaceDay on X):

"This needs to be one of the best for oval racing because of the tire deg that we get, and what would happen throughout a race. Now, the race looks a lot different here. It's frustrating that the racing doesn't feel as fun. But at the same time, it's just changed the dynamic of how we dictate strategy and how we go out there and race, which is still something that we have to focus on and get it done."

In 2024, Kyle Kirkwood had a turbulent weekend at Iowa. He secured a respectable P7 finish in Race 1, but could do no better than P16 in Race 2. The pattern was similar to his results there in 2023.

This year, the No. 27 Andretti Global driver's performances have been phenomenal. He has won three races and is the only driver to beat reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who has six wins in nine races.

Kyle Kirkwood won't let new hybrid systems take the blame for poor IndyCar racing at Iowa

IndyCar - Hy-Vee Salute To Farmers 300 - Source: Getty

IndyCar's new hybrid power units received a lot of flak in the first half of the 2025 season. The new PUs made the cars over 100 pounds heavier, with drivers complaining about their detrimental effect on racing. However, the hybrids succeeded in improving competition on ovals.

At the Iowa test on Wednesday, Kyle Kirkwood was asked about what the track needs to have for close wheel-to-wheel racing like at Gateway, where he won this year in a race that greatly benefited from the hybrids.

"If I'm being completely honest, the pavement here is... It's not the hybrid that has done anything," the 26-year-old said. "If anything, our oval races have been good with the hybrid, right? Everywhere else we go, Milwaukee is a great race, Indy is a great race, Nashville is a phenomenal race. This (Iowa) is the one that eluded us last year from having a good race. It's because the new pavement has made the track so, so fast that following gaps have to be so much bigger to get lap times out of it."

Kyle Kirkwood admitted that repaving the track was 'necessary' for NASCAR to have a good spectacle, but it didn't help IndyCar in any way. Team Penske dominated the 2024 Iowa double-header, with Scott McLaughlin winning Race 1 and Will Power winning Race 2.

Edited by pranavsethii