When Kyffin Simpson crossed the finish line in Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto, he earned his first ever IndyCar podium by finishing in third.
A combination of strategy and strong pace on the tricky street course helped him climb all the way up from 13th to do so, gaining more positions than any other driver.
Simpson has been on the rise in the past month, earning five top tens in the past seven races after earning none in his rookie year in 2024.
His strong run has given the 20-year-old a lot of confidence heading into the final four races of the year.
“Yeah, I mean, early on it was looking like it wasn’t going to be a very good race for us,” said Simpson with a rare show of emotion. “Got that turned around real quick. We ended up with a really good spot after that.
“[My confidence is] very high right now. As a [pit] stand from me to Taylor to Luke, my engineer, to all the pit guys, we’ve all been making big strides all year.
“Pit stops have gotten better and better with each race. Strategy has been on point all season. I feel like I’ve learned a lot this year, just gotten more and more comfortable.
“Qualifying has been a big step up this year. Yeah, just everything’s kind of coming together for us.
“We’re in a good spot. We got some work to do on the ovals. As far as road and street courses go, I think we’re looking pretty good.”
Simpson now sits 14th in the points standings, well above his 21st position in last year’s standings.
Every race that he continues to improve helps to secure a place in the series for years down the road.
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