After an Indianapolis 500 month filled with controversy, it took just minutes for this weekend’s Detroit IndyCar race to give us a fresh altercation as Will Power repeatedly rammed Kyle Kirkwood’s car in bizarre fashion in the first practice session.
Penske driver Power was on a hot lap entering the 90-degree left at Turn 5, which always causes traffic jams here because the lap is short and with just nine corners as far back as Turn 6 the cars are slowing to prep for the next lap and it blocks the track.
Will Power using the chrome horn. #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/34nbVGJY6X
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 30, 2025
Power met Kirkwood at Turn 5 and hit his rear. Power then pushed Kirkwood through the run to Turn 6 and through Turn 6, past David Malukas’s car as he had to stay out of the way to avoid an incident. TV coverage suggested Kirkwood’s Andretti car sustained floor and gearbox casing damage.
A representative of IndyCar said there would be "no action" on the incident, although The Race has followed up to double check there hasn't been a misunderstanding over the incident being discussed and will update here once a reply is received.
This is without a doubt the most absurd thing i’ve had happen to me at a racetrack. https://t.co/vcEktPhMuh
— Kyle M. Kirkwood (@KKirkwoodRacing) May 30, 2025
“I came around and he slowed up in the middle and made contact, so I thought I may as well get a gap now so I just pushed him past the car in front, just moved him out of the way and got a really nice gap,” was Power’s explanation to Fox TV.
“If I hadn’t touched him already…I was like, oh, well, I’ve touched him already, I may as well keep pushing him (laughs) and get myself a gap and finished the run nicely.”
Will Power explains what happened with Kyle Kirkwood during #DetroitGP practice. pic.twitter.com/x1KuIKPQOM
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 30, 2025
Even before he was interviewed, you could hear Kyle Kirkwood shout “I know what you’re going to ask me” in a somewhat mischievous manner as Fox approached him.
“Everyone is going slow around here, the track’s not big enough to fit all the cars and he got frustrated,” said Kirkwood, who also tweeted the video with the caption "Will Plower".
“Whatever, I guess.
Somehow kept it under control