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Kyle Kirkwood sought his fourth win of the season when the NTT INDYCAR Series went to The Milwaukee Mile last weekend.
He had good reason to be optimistic: He had won at a similar track, World Wide Technology Raceway (commonly known as Gateway), earlier this year.
But it wasn’t meant to be as Kirkwood started sixth and finished 12th. The Andretti Global driver sits fifth in the series standings heading into the season finale this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway.
Andretti Global allowed FOX Sports’ Ed McGregor to shadow Kirkwood and his team throughout the weekend to give fans a glimpse behind the scenes — from practice to qualifying to media and fan events to the garage and even into the pit on race day.
At the Andretti garage, Kirkwood packs up his helmet and gear for Saturday morning practice. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Then it’s off to the track as Kirkwood navigates his scooter around a young fan leading the way. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood climbs into the cockpit for a weekend drive on a beautiful Wisconsin morning. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood runs several laps in his No. 27 Dallara-Honda in the first practice session. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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The Andretti Global crew brings Kirkwood’s car back to the garage for adjustments prior to the next on-track session. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood talks with his crew in the garage after practice. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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While awaiting his early afternoon qualifying run, Kirkwood takes a walk down pit road. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Back at the timing stand, Kirkwood talks with Bryan Herta (black shirt), who runs his strategy, prior to qualifying. Herta is a former driver and car owner — and the father of Kyle’s teammate, Colton Herta. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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After a solid qualifying run of 160.353 mph, good enough for him to start sixth in the race, Kirkwood talks with the media. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Early on race day, all cars go through a technical inspection to make sure they are in compliance with the acceptable measurements and weight. Here, the Andretti Global crew makes a few last-minute tweaks before inspection. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Meanwhile, just hours before the race, the full grid of 27 drivers gather for a fan autograph session. Kirkwood shares a laugh with Andretti teammate Marcus Ericsson just before the signing. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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After the fan session, the Andretti Global drivers get a lift back to the garage from communications manager Michele Bates. Though they’re not driving, Kirkwood and Colton Herta (white hat) keep their eyes on the wheel while Ericsson holds on. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Back at the garage, there are more autographs. Fans bring everything you can think of to sign, including photos, trading cards, jerseys, diecast model cars and, yes, even tires. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Just before going to the track for the race, Kirkwood makes sure his laces are tight. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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In the garage, a crew member wipes down the car. It’s not just to make it look good. The crew wants the car to be as sleek as possible so it can be as fast as possible. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood’s car is about to head to the grid. The team has already disassembled the tent that covers the car and the crew throughout the weekend. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood talks with a Honda engineer on the grid. Honda handles the engines for Andretti Global and several other teams. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Backstage at driver introductions, Kirkwood chats up four-time series champion Alex Palou. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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As crew chief Scott Marks looks on, Kirkwood straps on his helmet before climbing into the car. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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The team affixes Kirkwood’s steering wheel into the cockpit. The high-tech device doesn’t just steer. It features a series of buttons and paddles for critical functions and also provides real-time data for drivers. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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It’s go time. Kyle Kirkwood is ready to race. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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After a nine-year absence from the track, INDYCAR fans showed up at The Milwaukee Mile for the second consecutive year. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Wisconsin fans are known for their passion for racing. Here they line up along a wall on the backstretch to get a closer look. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Here’s what a Kirkwood pit stop looks like from the grandstand … (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Here’s what it looks like in the pit stall. Kirkwood waits for his car to be lowered after fueling. The crew member in front signals him when he is good to go. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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To check tire wear and air pressures, the team must first get the rubber that accumulates during the run off the tread. They do it by heating it and then scraping the area where they will measure the tire pressure. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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The Milwaukee Mile oval on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis opened in 1903. As the sign says, it’s “America’s Oldest Speedway.” (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Kirkwood finished 12th in the race. His face tells you what he thinks about that. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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Drivers often quickly debrief with strategists or engineers. Kirkwood talks here with strategist Bryan Herta following the Milwaukee race. Then it’s off to Nashville for the season finale. (Photo by Ed McGregor/FOX Sports) <!–>
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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.
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