Winners and losers from the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington

There was no denying Kyle Kirkwood in the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington.

A remarkable performance that saw the 27-year-old Kirkwood overcome multiple errors by his pit crew and a sizable gap of over 7s to race leader Alex Palou, he ran down and passed the Spaniard with 16 laps to go en route to the sixth win of his career – and fifth on a temporary street circuit.

It felt like a statement drive for not only Kirkwood, but also a turning point for the IndyCar Series as it pushes forward. So, without further delay, here are the winners and losers from a special one in North Texas.

Winner: IndyCar

The Grand Prix of Arlington was two-and-a-half years in the making, and the anticipation was met with one of the strongest race weekends the IndyCar Series has seen – outside of the Indianapolis 500 – since reunification in 2009.

The collaborative effort from Penske Entertainment, the Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment (the official events partner of the Texas Rangers), along with the push by FOX Sports, created an unforgettable scene and one North America’s premier open-wheel championship has been desperately craving for decades.

The 2.73-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit featuring a blend of technical corners, elevation changes, a dual pit lane, and a back straightaway nearly a mile long has instantly turned into a favorite among drivers. Bolster that with the sharp setup of new fencing and walls, a clean presentation with banners and brand activation, and it simply had the feel of a major event that had many already looking at it as a crown jewel – and already rivaling the likes of the prestigious Grand Prix of Long Beach. Grandstands were also sold out for the race, providing hope that more should be strategically placed around the circuit next year.

It is safe to say the event ushered in a new era for the sport.

Loser: Josef Newgarden

It wasn’t the most enjoyable weekend for Josef Newgarden.

The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner found the wall in Turn 2 during the second practice session, which punched a hole in the tub of his #2 Team Penske Chevrolet and forced him into a backup car, which happened to be his winning machine from the previous round at Phoenix Raceway. In what he described as a “Frankenstein car” due to the blend of a livery change, with XPEL colors but branding from PPG, he admirably qualified 11th.

In the race, though, he spun after making contact with teammate David Malukas, and then had another setback after being hit later in the race by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing rookie Mick Schumacher in Turn 2.

Newgarden salvaged a 15th-place finish, but the outright pace suggested he lost out on a potential top five opportunity.

Winner: Andretti Global

Andretti Global nearly pulled off a clean sweep of the podium, with Kirkwood leading a 1-3-4 finish for the organization.

Kirkwood’s relentless pace put a stamp on the weekend for the team as a whole, with a three-stop strategy – that featured the aforementioned mistakes by his pit crew on multiple stops – the preferred option as he ran down Palou and led the final 16 laps in his #27 Honda.

Will Power, the 2018 Indy 500 winner, had his best weekend to date since joining the team over the offseason, utilizing a two-stop strategy and staying out front for 16 laps before finishing third.

And in the case of Marcus Ericsson, he snagged his first-ever pole in the IndyCar Series and led the opening 15 laps before pitting, where his pit crew made an early error that left him chasing the race. Still, he did a respectable job of damage control to claim fourth.

Loser: Felix Rosenqvist

Felix Rosenqvist looked to be a factor for, at least, a solid top five. As the race progressed, he was solidly running seventh when the caution came out with three laps to go. Attempting to make the most what became a green-white-checkered run, the Swede tried to time his run and made a move past the #12 Team Penske Chevrolet of David Malukas to get sixth at the finish line.

However, it was deemed by Race Control Rosenqvist jumped the restart, resulting in a penalty that dropped his #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda to 20th.

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– The Motorsport.com Team

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com