How close was Tony Kanaan to driving? Nolan Siegel's status, possible backup drivers for Toronto
The few minutes of contemplating coming out of retirement came after the team's 20-year-old driver Nolan Siegel was found to have suffered a 'mild concussion' from his severe one-car crash on Lap 248 Saturday afternoon in Race 1 of IndyCar's doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway. Siegel initially underwent concussion testing with IndyCar's medical team Saturday in the moments after his crash, and due to the severity indicated by the G forces measured the accelerometer in the drivers' earpieces, Siegel was required to be rechecked early Sunday morning in order to determine whether he'd be cleared to run at 1.
At 9:30 a.m., the team learned their first-year full-time driver would not be allowed to race, and not long after, the team determined it would not run the No. 6 Chevy that Siegel had qualified fifth for the race.
An hour before Sunday's green flag, Kanaan sat down with select reporters to explain why the team elected not to run the race, why neither Kanaan nor anyone else would start the car and the process the team will undergo in the coming days to have someone, Siegel or otherwise, ready to pilot the No. 6 machine come Friday's event-opening practice on the streets of Toronto.
Kanaan said he went to bed expecting Siegel to be cleared, but given the tight timeline around the doubleheader weekend and the lengths the team had to go through just to ready the car for Sunday, and the risk of a new, last-minute driver crashing after starting last (27th) on the grid due to the driver change and the tight turnaround ahead of Toronto, the risks outweighed the rewards of starting a substitute driver.
What Kanaan said he didn't immediately think of Saturday evening while solidifying his decision not to have anyone else but Siegel start Sunday's race was the team's Leaders Circle battle and the points impact the No. 6 would suffer by not starting Sunday's race if Siegel was not cleared.
Drivers and cars that qualify for a race, but don't start, receive half points for the effort, meaning three points for finishing 27th instead of the minimum of five for pulling off pit lane and taking part in the parade laps. After crashing from seventh place Saturday and dropping to finish 24th , a 20-point points reduction, the No. 6 car sat 21st in entrant points after Race 1, just one spot above the cutline of the top 22 charter-holding entrants that will be slotted in at the end of this season to receive the roughly $1.2 million payout from the series — deemed the Leaders Circle program.
At that point, the No. 6 was 19 points clear of 22nd (the No. 45 of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) and 40 points clear of the first car on the outside looking in (the No. 77 of Juncos Hollinger Racing).
So Sunday morning, after having been made aware of that and learning that Siegel would not be cleared to race, Kanaan inquired to series race director Kyle Novak about the ability of setting up that emergency on-track session last minute, in order to give Kanaan the opportunity to start and park and earn the No. 6 the extra two points, points Kanaan hopes and believes won't be make-or-break in the team's pursuit to hold onto a Leaders Circle spot, but available points nonetheless.
It was in those few minutes as Arrow McLaren waited to hear whether IndyCar would go one step further in making an exception for the unique circumstances that Kanaan entertained the idea of hoping into the cockpit of a racecar again on the grid and took the initial steps of preparing himself for such an endeavor.
'My stuff isn't even here; that's how badly I don't want to (race), but Pato's suit fits me, as well as his seat, so I put his seat in the car and sat in it just in case,' Kanaan said. 'We were pending (IndyCar's) decision and thought, 'Why wait and rush it? Let's just sit there and get started.''
'A lot of salt to get rid of.' How will Pato O'Ward celebrate Synk 275 win? Gifting Josef Newgarden Kit-Kats
But when Novak reaffirmed IndyCar's position that they had needed to know by Saturday night in order to schedule the session and that one was necessary for Kanaan or anyone other than Siegel to start the race, Arrow McLaren was fine living with how the process had taken place.
'Internally, I've said, 'I'm not even thinking about (not making the Leaders Circle) because we're not a team that shouldn't be in the top 22,' Kanaan said. 'Sometimes, IndyCar does something where 'This is the rule, but it's up to our discretion,' but I'll pick my battles. It's fine. I'm not here to create more chaos.
'Would it be cool for you guys to talk about me being on the grid and (Scott) Dixon making fun of me (for coming out of retirement again)? Sure, but really, I truly, truly love what I'm doing now. I always loved driving an Indy car, but I have no desire to go against these guys and get beat, cause I'll get mad.'
According to the rule book, drivers who have not participated at any point in on-track activities during the weekend are not allowed to even take the green flag – a rule that came into play a year ago at Iowa Speedway as Jack Harvey was balancing a debilitating back injury between qualifying and Race 1, but Dale Coyne Racing was not allowed to have anyone else start Race 1.
Kanaan said he only would've performed a start and park, meaning he'd take the green flag and immediately pull into pit lane and retire the car, as the only option instead of pursuing another driver.
'I don't disagree with the rules, and rules are rules,' Kanaan said. 'I didn't want to think Nolan wouldn't be in the car, and I didn't think I was going to field a car and run the whole race starting from dead last.
'And even if that wasn't me, to do what? And then if you do more damage, you have to turn (the car around for Toronto), so the decision was made to not run the car if Nolan wasn't going to run it. That was pretty much set in my mind.'
As Siegel heads back to Indianapolis from a disappointing weekend at Iowa Speedway, his next 72 hours or so will include almost constant round-the-clock work, recovery efforts and evaluation that will ultimately determine whether he's back in the car Friday afternoon in Toronto. It's a moment where Siegel and Arrow McLaren will really lean on its head of human performance, health and wellness Ryan Harber, who for years and years had been Kanaan's physiologist and who the team hired in the offseason away from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
'You feel that intensity.' Will IndyCar return to Iowa Speedway? Pivotal weekend may decide future
'(Siegel) needs to rest. We need to keep an eye on if he's sleeping more. (He'll do) mild workouts, and we'll put him on the simulator,' Kanaan said. 'And then Thursday morning, he's going to get his evaluation to (possibly) be cleared.'
Kanaan said the team doesn't yet have a backup driver lined up in case Siegel isn't cleared for Toronto, but he expects to have that settled by Monday and have said backup driver in the shop to begin the preparation process. Essentially, Arrow McLaren will ready both Siegel and his potential stand in this week so both possibilities are covered.
Among the names mentioned include recent Indy 500 one-off drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and Harvey, who is in his first year as pit reporter for Fox's IndyCar broadcasts, as well as 2024 IndyCar Rookie of the Year Linus Lundqvist, who raced last year for Chip Ganassi Racing and who achieved one pole and two podiums but whose ride was lost as the team scaled back from five full-time cars to three due to the series' launched charter system.
Lundqvist has been in attendance at most IndyCar races this season, including this weekend, both to try and continue conversations and remain visible in hopes of future full-time opportunities coming together, while also remaining a possible stand in for an injured driver.
Kanaan also name-dropped Theo Pourchaire, who made his IndyCar debut a year ago with Arrow McLaren at Long Beach in injury fill-in duty for David Malukas, and who then made five starts with the team through mid-June and had been announced as the driver of the No. 6 for each remaining race in 2024 after the Indy 500. Pourchaire was then unceremoniously cut to make room for the team to hire Siegel full-time, though the young Frenchman filled in for an injured Alexander Rossi last year at Toronto.
Pourchaire is racing in ELMS in the LMP2 class while also serving as a test and development driver for Peugeot, and his calendar next weekend would appear to be open if called upon.
History at Iowa: Myles Rowe becomes first Black driver to win IndyCar or NASCAR race at Iowa Speedway
'I'm going to sleep on it and think about what's the best fit, because it's also going to be a guy who's going to sit there all week and who then might not drive,' Kanaan said.
Since the team will have to leave for Toronto on Thursday before knowing the results of Siegel's reevaluation, and because there's always a chance his symptoms flare up after getting back in the car, Kanaan said the team will bring that backup driver with them for the entirety of the Toronto race weekend.
'I don't want to go through what I did last year, staying up all night flying Pourchaire in from Europe,' said Kanaan, referring to the real-life planes, trains and automobiles episode he lived a year ago to secure a replacement for Rossi at Toronto. 'So we'll have a backup in place.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
New mural at Dodger Stadium honors Fernando Valenzuela
Nine months after his death, Fernando Valenzuela stands immortalized in a new mural on the loge‑level wall at Dodger Stadium—a vibrant fusion of art and legacy unveiled Saturday. Painted by Mexican American artist Robert Vargas, the mural shows Valenzuela tipping his cap to the sky in a Dodgers Mexican‑heritage jersey — featuring a green sleeve, red sleeve, white center — alongside two striking images of Valenzuela in his pitching stance. Vargas said the mural is meant to symbolize unity within the Latino community. 'I felt it very important to show that the Latino community has a place within these walls and has had a place within these walls,' Vargas said. He wanted to reflect Valenzuela's spirit that still lives in the hearts of many fans and feature the man behind the player. 'What he did in the community, is what resonates so much more for me than just the player — but the man, the person that he was,' Vargas said. Valenzuela played for the Dodgers from 1980-90. He grew up in Etchohuaquila, a small town in Mexico, and took Major League Baseball by storm in 1981, earning rookie of the year and Cy Young honors. Latino fans who previously felt little connection to the Dodgers were thrilled to see one of their own winning, sparking Fernandomania. Valenzuela wore the No. 34 and it remains a popular jersey worn by fans at Dodger Stadium. Claudio Campo choked up as he gazed at the tribute. Traveling from Phoenix with his son to celebrate the boy's 11th birthday, Campo shared memories of a player whose greatness felt deeply personal. Valenzuela's nickname, 'El Toro,' are inked on Campo's left arm. 'He was a staple for the people that didn't have anything and then where he came from showed that anything is possible if you go ahead and revive what you are,' Claudio said. Fans holding Valenzuela bobbleheads given away by the Dodgers took their pictures in front of the new mural Saturday night. Longtime fan Dulce Gonzalez held back emotion as she showed off her shirt with the name 'Valenzuela' written across it, describing the reason she started watching baseball. 'He was the first Latino player I could truly connect with and be proud of,' she said. For Gonzalez, Valenzuela's story resonated because he came from the same roots, offering representation she had longed for. 'We are a melting pot of races here, people love baseball from all races, but because I am Latina, I feel a little bit more connected,' she said. Her son, Nicolas, dressed in a red and green Dodgers Mexican heritage jersey, said Valenzuela helped heal some wounds after Mexican American families were displaced from their homes in Chavez Ravine shortly before Dodger Stadium was built on the same land. 'He really opened the city up to the Dodgers after a long difficult entry and he really represented triumph over adversity,' Nicolas said.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Shapovalov reels in Mifel Tennis Open men's singles title with straight-sets victory
LOS CABOS - The tropical area at the tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula is best known for its beaches, resorts and sport fishing. Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., reeled in a big catch of his own Saturday with a victory in the men's singles final of the Mifel Tennis Open in one hour 11 minutes. Shapovalov defeated seventh-seeded American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-2 to win the ATP 250 event at the Cabo Sports Complex. The first set took only 35 minutes to complete. Shapovalov led most categories in the final. He had six aces, won 20 points while receiving, won three games in a row, and won nine service games. He had one less unforced error (23-22) than his opponent. Kovacevic had two aces, two double faults, and won six service games. The 26-year-old Shapovalov won the Dallas Open in February, and now has three career ATP titles. He advanced to Saturday's championship match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Australian Adam Walton in the semifinals. Kovacevic upset the top-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the other semifinal. Shapovalov will be one of the featured Canadians at the 2025 National Bank Open in Toronto, which gets underway on Saturday, July 26. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Harris throws for three touchdowns, Saskatchewan Roughriders dump B.C. Lions 33-27
VANCOUVER - Even after a dominant win, Trevor Harris and his team see room for improvement. The Saskatchewan Roughriders struck early on Saturday and jumped out to a 17-1 lead over the B.C. Lions before the end of the first quarter. They finished the night with a 33-27 win that wasn't nearly as close as the final score suggested. On the sidelines, Harris and his teammates felt they were in charge for the entire game — and that feeling may have led them to ease up late, the quarterback said. 'It's a great lesson for us to never let off the pedal,' he said. 'I thought we played a really good four quarters for the most part offensively. But you'd like for us to be able to finish a little bit better in the red zone, and a couple little mistakes here and there. 'But obviously, any time you can get a win on the road against a good B.C. club that's been playing very, very well lately, we'll take it.' Harris connected on 23 of his 30 passing attempts for 395 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the West Division matchup. Kicker Brett Lauther added four field goals for the Riders (5-1), including a 45-yard strike in the first quarter. 'I'm very pleased with the entire team. Just how they responded to all the challenges they put on themselves is incredible,' said Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace. 'But we're always talking about finishing and we want to finish the game even better than we did tonight. That's why I love this group — a win is awesome, and we'll celebrate that. But within those, we'll always try to find and look for ways to get better.' Nathan Rourke chalked up 337 passing yards with three TDs for the Lions (3-4). The Canadian QB made good on 27 of his 41 attempts, had one interception and was sacked once. The Riders had 506 yards of net offence across the game, compared to 373 yards for the Lions. 'I don't think we played well enough to win. I certainly didn't,' Rourke said. 'And I like to give credit where credit is due — I thought their defence, their team, that they outplayed us. But I don't think we're that much further behind. And so I think we beat ourselves.' Saskatchewan struck early on Saturday, with Harris lobbing a rainbow to Dohnte Meyers deep inside Lions' territory less than five minutes into the game. The American receiver nabbed the ball and darted into the end zone for Saskatchewan's first major of the night. The offensive onslaught continued with Harris sailing a 29-yard pass to Joe Robustelli to put the visitors back in scoring position late in the quarter. The quarterback followed up with a short dish to A.J. Ouellette, who dashed five yards into the end zone. Lauther made the convert and the Riders went up 17-1. B.C.'s offence finally found its footing with just seconds to go in the first. Rourke escaped the pocket and fired a 40-yard pass to Ayden Eberhardt, who stepped over the goal line for the Lions' first TD of the night. The two sides traded field goals in the second quarter, with Lauther connecting on 27- and 41-yard attempts and B.C. kicker Sean Whyte sending a 47-yard kick through the uprights. Saskatchewan headed into the locker room up 23-11. The Riders picked up right where they left off out of the break. Less than four minutes into the third quarter, Harris found Meyers deep in the red zone for a 30-yard touchdown. Saskatchewan's biggest problem of the game came midway through the third when Ka'Deem Carey was taken down by Lions linebacker Micah Awe, in a play that left the running back writhing on the turf in obvious discomfort. He was eventually helped off the field by two trainers, putting no weight on his right leg. Mace didn't have an update on Carey's status after the game. 'I don't know much about it, man. Just positive vibes for him,' the coach said. 'But happy as ever that he's part of this organization and he's got a lot of people in this locker room that love him.' B.C. got a spark late in the quarter when Eberhardt reeled in a 39-yard pass from Rourke. The Lions capped the drive with a gutsy play, going for pay dirt on third down where Rourke sent a rocket soaring to Stanley Berryhill III deep in the end zone. The home side then attempted a two-point convert, a move that paid off when the QB spun off a tackle and connected once again with Berryhill on a three-yard toss that cut Saskatchewan's lead to 33-19. With 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter, B.C. added one last major with Rourke handing off to Eberhardt and the receiver rushing in for his second TD of the night. Running back James Butler muscled his way through traffic for a two-point conversion that sealed the score at 33-27. That drive says a lot about the Lions, Rourke said. 'The guys want to fight, they want to play, they want to play for each other, they don't want to give up,' the quarterback said. 'That's what makes it frustrating, is that I think we've got the right pieces this year. We've just got to put it all together.' NOTES Riders receiver Samuel Emilus tallied 78 receiving yards in his return after missing three games with a foot injury. … Lions linebacker Micah Awe made the 500th defensive tackle of his CFL career. … Only Saskatchewan and the Calgary Stampeders have yet to lose a road game this season. NEXT UP Roughriders: Host the Edmonton Elks on Friday. Lions: Host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday, July 27. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2025.
