Race Report: Bommarito Automotive Group 500

 Race Report: Bommarito Automotive Group 500

MADISON, Ill. (June 15, 2025) -- Santino Ferrucci claimed his third straight top-five finish Sunday night in a chaotic race at World Wide Technology Raceway that took some surprising turns of fortune.

Kyle Kirkwood won the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 and was followed across the line by Pato O'Ward, Christian Rasmussen (his career best finish), Scott Dixon after a fortunate combination of his masterful fuel saving and a timely yellow, and Ferrucci.

Ferrucci is smiling after a strong run. Newly promoted race engineer Adam Kolesar (L) and Team President Larry Foyt listen.

Ferrucci started 19th in the No. 14 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet but quickly made his way to 11th by lap 12. Will Power's caution for a right front tire failure brought out the caution on lap 47.

Everyone pitted on lap 50 and when the race restarted, Ferrucci went from 11th to ninth. He eventually moved up to seventh, and when everyone made their final pit stops for fuel and tires, Ferrucci stayed out and did not pit. He led eight laps and then pitted on lap 246, taking only a splash of fuel. and rejoined the race in seventh. He moved into fifth with three laps to go. He moved to 11th in the IndyCar standings.

“Honestly, I think the team did a really good job!" Ferrucci exclaimed. "Our car was really phenomenal. Starts and restarts were great, pit stops, everything was. We ran a very solid, very clean, very smart race. Taking fuel at the end instead of four tires and fuel and pitting earlier, I think was the right call, and we were able to jump a car. Overall, really happy with the performance and excited to have three top-fives in a row!”

Malukas outdrags pole winner Will Power fo take the lead at the start.

Driving the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet, David Malukas took the early lead from his fourth starting spot and led the first 50 laps of the 260-lap event. He relinquished the top spot (after a pitstop) to Scott McLaughlin, after teammate Will Power brought out the caution on lap 47. Power explained that his right front tire failed, which sent him into the wall and out of the race.

Malukas flirted with the top three positions for the first half of the race, leading a race-high 67 laps. He was running second when a freak accident occurred.

On lap 130, race leader Josef Newgarden t-boned rookie Louis Foster who had hit the wall in turn 4 and ricocheted across the track into Newgarden's path. Newgarden's car made heavy contact, flipped upside down and skidded down the front straight. Both Foster and Newgarden escaped injury.

Malukas became the leader again and when the cars pitted during the caution period, he and Scott McLaughlin incurred a penalty which officials said was the due to improper lane usages after launching from their pitboxes. Both drivers were ordered to give up three spots. Malukas went from first to fourth, McLaughlin from second to fifth.

Malukas was running third when the next round of stops came, and he pitted on lap 191. Kirkwood pitted on lap 193 and when Kirkwood was coming out of the pits, Malukas went to the outside to pass Kirkwood who bobbled and drifted high. Malukas reacted and got into the marbles and pancaked the wall in turn 4 but kept going. He assessed the car during the ensuing caution period he triggered. Working his tools, he was able to compensate for the car being damaged. However, he did not have a good restart and he dropped back to 15th as he got bounced around as all were jockeying for position. He finished 12th.

"Had a good race, until the two mistakes," Malukas said.  "Obviously, I was a little bit ambitious on (trying to pass) Kyle and then just messed up that restart, and it kind of dominoed us backwards. ..After that impact took the car out of whack, I was just surviving till the end just to bring her home. But there were a lot of positives. I mean, it was a good first half of the race. Really fast car this weekend, we're getting there. Just need to put everything together.”

Asked to explain how he had the confidence to continue to run the car after the impact in turn 4, he replied, "I messed up from my side, and I was like, 'Man, I need to try as much as I can just to bring this thing home and get as good of a result as we can for the guys'. I was definitely a little bit scared going into one and two and not knowing where the car is going to be at, but it managed to be okay in the end."

The next round in the NTT INDYCAR Series is the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America which will be broadcast by FOX starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.