IndyCar crash: Kirkwood and Rasmussen collide at Milwaukee Mile
Kyle Kirkwood and defending Milwaukee winner Christian Rasmussen crashed together during opening INDYCAR practice Friday at the Milwaukee Mile, ending both drivers' sessions early in a heavy collision. The incident landed ahead of the series' only 2026 doubleheader, where championship contender Kirkwood trails Alex Palou by 91 points on the season's final oval weekend.
Key Takeaways
- Kirkwood and Rasmussen collided during Friday opening practice at the Milwaukee Mile.
- Both drivers saw their practice end early after the heavy crash.
- Rasmussen, the 2025 Milwaukee winner, returned in a rebuilt No. 21 car for qualifying.
- Kirkwood posted nervous qualifying laps near 159 mph after the incident.
- The Milwaukee doubleheader is the only one on the 2026 INDYCAR calendar.
What Happened in the Kirkwood-Rasmussen Crash at Milwaukee?
Championship contender Kyle Kirkwood and defending race winner Christian Rasmussen saw their practice end early after the two cars collided in a heavy crash at the Milwaukee Mile, INDYCAR.com reported. The incident unfolded during opening practice on Friday, Aug. 28, when coverage aired on FS1 and FOX One starting at 6 p.m. ET.
INDYCAR highlighted the moment in a video titled "What Was THAT?!" — a blunt reaction to how suddenly both cars came together on the historic 1.015-mile oval at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin. Neither driver's full practice run continued after the contact.
Who Are Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Rasmussen?
Kirkwood enters Milwaukee carrying momentum after winning the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23. He sits second in the championship with 462 points, 91 behind four-time champion Alex Palou, who can clinch his fifth INDYCAR title during this weekend.
Rasmussen arrives as the defending Milwaukee Mile winner. He passed Palou with 16 laps remaining in 2025 to score his first INDYCAR victory at this track. That history made Friday's crash especially notable — the driver who conquered Milwaukee last year and the driver chasing the title both went home early from practice.
How Did the Crash Affect Milwaukee Qualifying?
Both drivers returned for Saturday qualifying, but the practice incident clearly lingered. Rasmussen went out fourth in a rebuilt No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, posting a first lap of 161.015 mph and a second of 160.409 mph, according to Motorsport.com.
Kirkwood was the second-to-last driver to qualify. After a wiggle on his warm-up lap, he managed only 159.919 mph on his first timed lap and 159.234 mph on his second — well off the pace set by pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin's 165.536 mph opening lap. McLaughlin and Palou took poles for Race 1 and Race 2, though engine-change penalties reshuffled the Saturday grid.
Why Does This Milwaukee Doubleheader Matter for the Championship?
The Milwaukee Mile hosts the only doubleheader on the 2026 INDYCAR schedule, with Saturday's Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 and Sunday's Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 closing the final oval weekend of the season. Three races remain, and Palou's 553-point lead puts a fifth championship within reach.
For Kirkwood, every lap counts. A heavy practice crash on the series' oldest continuously operating speedway — open since 1903 — was the last setback he needed while chasing Palou. More on the broader celebrity sports scene is available in our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
When and How Can Fans Watch the Milwaukee Races?
Saturday's race coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with the green flag scheduled for 2:50 p.m. ET. Sunday's Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 starts with FOX coverage at 1 p.m. ET and a green flag at 1:20 p.m. ET, per FOX Sports. Streams are also available on FOX One.
As of race day, the Saturday opener faced a weather delay — a reminder that Milwaukee's tight oval, where drivers cannot stay flat through the corners, already delivered one of the weekend's biggest shocks before the green flag.