INDYCAR Power Rankings: Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard showing strength

Needless to say, the Long Beach street circuit fits into Kyle Kirkwood’s wheelhouse. 

With two wins in the last three years, Kirkwood obviously has a knack for that course. But he has been consistent through the first three races, as he sits second in the INDYCAR standings behind Alex Palou. 

Palou is the only driver to finish on the podium for the first three races, with two wins and a second-place finish Sunday. He easily remains No. 1. 

Christian Lundgaard is the only other driver with at least two podiums this year, and he gets the second spot. 

Here are my INDYCAR power rankings through Long Beach. The series takes a couple of weeks off until the May 4 race at Barber Motorsports Park. 

The Barber weekend begins a stretch of five consecutive weekends where the series will be on track (Barber, Indy Grand Prix, Indy 500 qualifying, Indy 500 and Detroit Grand Prix).

NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Highlights

Dropped out: None

On the verge: Marcus Ericsson, Santino Ferrucci, Alexander Rossi

10. Josef Newgarden (Last Week: 4)

Newgarden had a disastrous lap-belt failure at Long Beach, which required an additional green-flag pit stop. He ended up last, two laps down. Finishes of third, 13th and 27th weren’t expected for the Penske driver’s first three races this year. 

9. Scott Dixon (LW: 7)

Three top 10s to start the year for Dixon, and just like the driver just ahead of him in these rankings, the issue has been qualifying. He has only started in the first five rows once this year. That doesn’t bode well for finishes.

8. Will Power (LW: 9)

After a wreck to open the season on the opening lap at St. Pete, Will Power has shown the ability to pass. He started 21st and finished sixth at Thermal and started 13th and finished fifth at Long Beach. He needs better Saturdays.

7. Colton Herta (LW: 3)

Herta has speed but just hasn’t had the finishes to back it up. He has not finished better than he started in any race this year. And granted, that would be tough for the Andretti driver to do, as he has started second in two of the three races.

6. Scott McLaughlin (LW: 5)

McLaughlin rebounded from a sour Thermal with a sixth-place finish at Long Beach. The Penske driver only dropped on this list because other drivers are surging.

5. Felix Rosenqvist (LW: 8)

With finishes of seventh, fifth and fourth, the Meyer Shank driver just seems to be doing everything right and putting together solid days. Few would be surprised if he challenges for a win soon.

4. Kyle Kirkwood (LW: 10)

The win at Long Beach vaulted Kirkwood to second in the series standings behind Palou. And the Andretti driver didn’t just win at Long Beach, he won from the pole — the first time a driver has done that this year.

3. Pato O’Ward (LW: 2)

Is O’Ward too high on this list with his second at Thermal as his only top 10 of the season? Probably. But he has looked strong at times, and he has a McLaren teammate pushing him.

2. Christian Lundgaard (LW: 6)

Lundgaard has back-to-back, third-place finishes and has just been flat out impressive the last couple of weeks. The move to McLaren is already bringing some of the best out of him.

1. Alex Palou (LW: 1)

Palou remains the class of the INDYCAR field with his two wins and a second-place finish. Say what you want about whether he has all the speed in his car, but he is racing with incredible craft and ability.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.