Kirkwood lands Andretti Indy Lights ride

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emailBy: RACER Staff | 9 hours ago

Last year’s Indy Pro 2000 champion Kyle Kirkwood will move up to Indy Lights with Andretti Autosport this year.

“I am ecstatic that I can now say I am competing in Indy Lights with Andretti Autosport this season,” said Kirkwood, who will steer the team’s No.28 entry. “They have established a winning program in Indy Lights, and we plan on carrying that reputation throughout 2020. We are a fantastic match for each other, and our Sebring test in December proved that.”

Kirkwood won nine races with RP Motorsport last year to secure the Indy Pro 2000 crown, and Andretti Autosport CEO and Chairman Michael Andretti said he’s looking forward to seeing how the Florida native adapts to the next rung on the Road to Indy ladder.

“We are very excited about the addition of Kyle to our Indy Lights program,” said Andretti. “We’ve followed Kyle’s career from when he started in 2018 with the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, and have been impressed with his success in every race that led to his Indy Pro 2000 Championship last year. As a championship-caliber team, Kyle displays the desire and talent that we look for in our drivers and are excited to see him hit the track for the 2020 Indy Lights season.”

Kirkwood comes into the new season having earned four championships in three years [2017 F4 United States Championship, 2018 USF2000 Championship, 2018 F3 United States Championship, and 2019 Indy Pro 2000 Championship]. Since 2017, the 21-year old has racked up 47 wins and 55 podiums in 71 starts. Andretti, meanwhile, is chasing a third consecutive Lights title, following on from Pato O’Ward (201 and Oliver Askew (2019).

Kirkwood will take to the streets of St. Petersburg for the Indy Lights season opener on March 13 – 15.

Andretti Autosport, Kyle Kirkwood, Indy Lights, Road to Indy