On Saturday, March 7, 2026, Kyffin Simpson competed in the IndyCar race held in Phoenix, Arizona, finishing in a commendable 10th place. The event marked IndyCar’s return to the Phoenix one-mile banked tri-oval for the first time since 2018, presenting a competitive and demanding track for the drivers.
The race weekend was condensed, with practice and qualifying sessions taking place on Friday. This schedule was necessary as IndyCar shared the venue with NASCAR, with NASCAR’s race set for Sunday. Young driver David Malukas earned his first IndyCar pole position during Friday afternoon qualifying, clocking an average lap speed of 175 mph. Malukas replaced Will Power at Penske Racing, as Power moved to Andretti Autosport but unfortunately crashed in qualifying, relegating him to the back of the grid.
Penske and Ganassi Teams Face Mixed Fortunes
Among the Chip Ganassi Racing drivers, Alex Palou qualified 10th, Scott Dixon 15th, and Kyffin Simpson lined up 19th in his Sunoco-powered Ganassi Honda. As the race began under the intense desert sun, early action thrilled attendees. Palou aggressively advanced through the pack but collided with Rinus Veekay on lap 21, forcing Palou to retire due to damage sustained when his car’s nose struck the SAFER Barrier Wall. Veekay was able to continue.
The competition at the front featured several drivers, including pole-sitter Malukas, Marcus Armstrong of Michael Shank Racing, Pato O’Ward for Arrow McLaren, Christian Rasmussen from ECR Racing, and Kyle Kirkwood driving for Andretti Autosport. Meanwhile, Ganassi’s Dixon and Simpson opted for a more cautious approach, focusing on fuel mileage to reduce pit stops and maintain steady race pace.
Fuel Strategy Pays Off as Newgarden Claims Victory
With fewer than twenty laps remaining, Josef Newgarden surged ahead to seize the lead and eventually won the 250-lap contest. Kyle Kirkwood challenged Malukas in the final stages to finish second, pushing Malukas into third. Scott Dixon’s conservative strategy yielded a seventh-place finish, while Kyffin Simpson’s fuel management secured him 10th place.
“I’m very surprised [with the win]”
Newgarden remarked after the race.
“In the middle of the race, I don’t know that I was fully believing that we had the capability to win. We just kept working through it, and I’m, like, ‘Look, if we get another opportunity, we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to run on the offence.’ We took tires and the thing was like a rocket ship when it needed to be, right at the end of the race. Hats off to the whole crew,”
he added.
Championship Standings Tighten Ahead of Arlington Debut
Newgarden’s victory atop the podium propelled him into the lead of the IndyCar Championship, accumulating 78 points. Kyle Kirkwood holds a close second with 73 points, while Alex Palou drops to fifth place after his early exit, holding 59 points—just three ahead of Malukas. This race marks the first time Palou has lost the Championship lead since June 2024.
The season’s third race takes place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with the first-ever Java House Grand Prix in Arlington, Texas. This event will be run on a temporary street circuit surrounding AT&T Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys, as well as Globe Life Field, the ballpark for the Texas Rangers, promising another challenging contest for Simpson and the rest of the field.
