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Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Pato O'Ward Wins Toronto, Slices Alex Palou's Lead by 30 Points
INDYCAR Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward isn't ready to concede the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship just yet. The driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet drove that point home in Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto by winning his second race in eight days as Palou finished 12th. SEE: Race Results Palou entered the weekend with a 129-point lead over O'Ward, the largest leader's margin this point system has ever seen this deep in a season. But 30 points evaporated at Exhibition Place, dropping their separation to 99 points with four races remaining. A race win can be worth as many as 54 points. 'Oh, man, I can't say I saw this (win) coming,' O'Ward said. 'But I was feeling so good on the (primary) tires all weekend really. We were just struggling to get the alternates to work in qualifying. Sadly, that's the one you need to transfer. 'But I knew we had a great car under me to race with, and (the crew) nailed it on the strategy.' The win was the first for O'Ward in Toronto and his ninth in the series overall. He started the race in the 10th position but felt luck was going to be with him after a bird dropped an unlikely present on the car and a crew member in the morning practice. 'That's going to be a good day today, and it was,' the Mexican driver said. 'I'm stoked for everybody (on the team). I would have never expected to have gone this much better in Toronto because it's been the most challenging circuit for us in the past.' Joining O'Ward on the podium were a pair of drivers scoring season-making finishes. Dale Coyne Racing's Rinus VeeKay (No. 18 askROI Honda) finished second with Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) finishing third. VeeKay scored his fifth career podium finish but first since a race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2022. Simpson earned the prestigious spot for the first time in his two years in the series. NTT P1 Award winner Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), who won last year's race, finished fourth to lead a contingent of Andretti Global drivers. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Delaware Life Honda) and Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. This was a race of different strategies. O'Ward was in the majority starting with a set of the less-favorable alternate Firestone Firehawk tires, and he was able to have them removed with a stop just ahead of the Lap 3 caution. Thus, he only had to use that set for the better part of two green-flag laps and while that forced him into a three-stop strategy, he was able to run the primary compound the rest of the way. Palou started second, and he and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon were among the few starting on the primaries. Given an assortment and length of caution periods in the first half of the race, the strategy had a strong chance of working out. But ultimately, it didn't, with both CGR drivers reduced to spending the final segment mid-pack. Dixon finished 10th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. 'Well, I chose the strategy, so that's what we did wrong today,' Palou said. 'I was pushing for that strategy. I thought it was going to give us the best opportunity to win. I wanted to be up front trying to avoid being trapped in traffic. 'Honestly, (days like this) happen. We knew it was going to be a risky strategy rather than starting on alternates. It was kind of working. We were able to open up a big gap after that first yellow, but it was not enough today. Not our day.' Palou still has reason to be optimistic. Of the four races left on the schedule, he has won twice at each of the next two road courses: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (2022 and 2024) and Portland International Raceway (2021 and 2023). O'Ward won last year's race at The Milwaukee Mile, which hosts the third of the season's final four. The combination of the various tire strategies in play and Toronto's tight confines around the 11-turn, 1.786-mile street circuit created action aplenty, and there seemed to be contact of some degree at every corner. It was arguably the most exciting of the four street races this year, with 226 on-track passes (most in the event since 2014) and 201 passes for position (most since 2019). Both totals were fourth-most overall for racing on the downtown streets of this Ontario city. Often in the middle of the action was Team Penske, which saw its challenging season continue. First, the left rear lug nut of Scott McLaughlin's car came off following a pit stop, pushing the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet into the Turn 2 wall. Then, Josef Newgarden and his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet were collected by an incident that started with Dale Coyne Racing rookie Jacob Abel (No. 51 Abel Construction Honda) taking light contact from fellow first-year Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Louis Foster (No. 45 Droplight Honda) in Turn 1. In the mess that ensued, Abel's car landed on top of Newgarden's. Later, Will Power's No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet lost a side-by-side battle in Turn 3, hitting the left-side wall. Roger Penske's drivers finished 11th (Power), 23rd (Newgarden) and 26th (McLaughlin). Ed Carpenter Racing also had a difficult day, with both Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 Splenda ECR Chevrolet) and Alexander Rossi (No. 20 Java House ECR Chevrolet) hitting the wall with right-rear tires. Rasmussen was side by side with Power at the time; Rossi appeared to veer to the right after bouncing over a bump. Unfortunately for Rossi, a section of the concrete barrier split that corner of the car apart, creating a significant amount of damage and debris. The race ended under caution when the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Felix Rosenqvist wiggled and was struck from behind by Nolan Siegel's No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. That ended Rosenqvist's day as he had twice taken front-wing damage due to contact with Power. Only 26 car-and-driver combinations took the green flag as Santino Ferrucci and his No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet were held out of the race due to a damaged car and a bruised right hand in the morning practice. Ferrucci hit the Turn 7 wall on the left side, sending the car sliding into the Turn 8 run-off area. All four corners of the car were damaged with only about three hours to make repairs. Besides, Ferrucci's right hand was badly bruised and swollen. Practice for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca begins Friday at 5 p.m. ET (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 95-lap race, the 14th of the 17-race season, is Sunday at 3 p.m. on FOX. recommended Item 1 of 1
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Pato O'Ward Wins Toronto, Slices Alex Palou's Big Lead by 30 Points
INDYCAR Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward isn't ready to concede the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship just yet. The driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet drove that point home in Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto by winning his second race in eight days as Palou finished 12th. SEE: Race Results Palou entered the weekend with a 129-point lead over O'Ward, the largest leader's margin this point system has ever seen this deep in a season. But 30 points evaporated at Exhibition Place, dropping their separation to 99 points with four races remaining. A race win can be worth as many as 54 points. 'Oh, man, I can't say I saw this (win) coming,' O'Ward said. 'But I was feeling so good on the (primary) tires all weekend really. We were just struggling to get the alternates to work in qualifying. Sadly, that's the one you need to transfer. 'But I knew we had a great car under me to race with, and (the crew) nailed it on the strategy.' The win was the first for O'Ward in Toronto and his ninth in the series overall. He started the race in the 10th position but felt luck was going to be with him after a bird dropped an unlikely present on the car and a crew member in the morning practice. 'That's going to be a good day today, and it was,' the Mexican driver said. 'I'm stoked for everybody (on the team). I would have never expected to have gone this much better in Toronto because it's been the most challenging circuit for us in the past.' Joining O'Ward on the podium were a pair of drivers scoring season-making finishes. Dale Coyne Racing's Rinus VeeKay (No. 18 askROI Honda) finished second with Chip Ganassi Racing's Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) finishing third. VeeKay scored his fifth career podium finish but first since a race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2022. Simpson earned the prestigious spot for the first time in his two years in the series. NTT P1 Award winner Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), who won last year's race, finished fourth to lead a contingent of Andretti Global drivers. Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Delaware Life Honda) and Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. This was a race of different strategies. O'Ward was in the majority starting with a set of the less-favorable alternate Firestone Firehawk tires, and he was able to have them removed with a stop just ahead of the Lap 3 caution. Thus, he only had to use that set for the better part of two green-flag laps and while that forced him into a three-stop strategy, he was able to run the primary compound the rest of the way. Palou started second, and he and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon were among the few starting on the primaries. Given an assortment and length of caution periods in the first half of the race, the strategy had a strong chance of working out. But ultimately, it didn't, with both CGR drivers reduced to spending the final segment mid-pack. Dixon finished 10th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. 'Well, I chose the strategy, so that's what we did wrong today,' Palou said. 'I was pushing for that strategy. I thought it was going to give us the best opportunity to win. I wanted to be up front trying to avoid being trapped in traffic. 'Honestly, (days like this) happen. We knew it was going to be a risky strategy rather than starting on alternates. It was kind of working. We were able to open up a big gap after that first yellow, but it was not enough today. Not our day.' Palou still has reason to be optimistic. Of the four races left on the schedule, he has won twice at each of the next two road courses: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (2022 and 2024) and Portland International Raceway (2021 and 2023). O'Ward won last year's race at The Milwaukee Mile, which hosts the third of the season's final four. The combination of the various tire strategies in play and Toronto's tight confines around the 11-turn, 1.786-mile street circuit created action aplenty, and there seemed to be contact of some degree at every corner. It was arguably the most exciting of the four street races this year, with 226 on-track passes (most in the event since 2014) and 201 passes for position (most since 2019). Both totals were fourth-most overall for racing on the downtown streets of this Ontario city. Often in the middle of the action was Team Penske, which saw its challenging season continue. First, the left rear lug nut of Scott McLaughlin's car came off following a pit stop, pushing the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet into the Turn 2 wall. Then, Josef Newgarden and his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet were collected by an incident that started with Dale Coyne Racing rookie Jacob Abel (No. 51 Abel Construction Honda) taking light contact from fellow first-year Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Louis Foster (No. 45 Droplight Honda) in Turn 1. In the mess that ensued, Abel's car landed on top of Newgarden's. Later, Will Power's No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet lost a side-by-side battle in Turn 3, hitting the left-side wall. Roger Penske's drivers finished 11th (Power), 23rd (Newgarden) and 26th (McLaughlin). Ed Carpenter Racing also had a difficult day, with both Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 Splenda ECR Chevrolet) and Alexander Rossi (No. 20 Java House ECR Chevrolet) hitting the wall with right-rear tires. Rasmussen was side by side with Power at the time; Rossi appeared to veer to the right after bouncing over a bump. Unfortunately for Rossi, a section of the concrete barrier split that corner of the car apart, creating a significant amount of damage and debris. The race ended under caution when the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Felix Rosenqvist wiggled and was struck from behind by Nolan Siegel's No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. That ended Rosenqvist's day as he had twice taken front-wing damage due to contact with Power. Only 26 car-and-driver combinations took the green flag as Santino Ferrucci and his No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet were held out of the race due to a damaged car and a bruised right hand in the morning practice. Ferrucci hit the Turn 7 wall on the left side, sending the car sliding into the Turn 8 run-off area. All four corners of the car were damaged with only about three hours to make repairs. Besides, Ferrucci's right hand was badly bruised and swollen. Practice for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca begins Friday at 5 p.m. ET (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 95-lap race, the 14th of the 17-race season, is Sunday at 3 p.m. on FOX. recommended Item 1 of 1
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Warming Up: Everyone Will Be Chasing Colton Herta Today in Toronto
INDYCAR It has been an Andretti Global weekend at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, with last year's race winner, Colton Herta, winning the NTT P1 Award for the third time in four years and Kyle Kirkwood leading a practice session and earning the sixth starting position for today's race. But in the morning warmup session, it was Arrow McLaren at the front. SEE: Session Results Christian Lundgaard, who won the 2023 race, and Nolan Siegel were 1-2 in the practice, although the times were more than six seconds off Herta's pole-winning pace as teams weren't pushing to the maximum as track conditions were not as they will be when the race is held. The Canadian morning offered a damp surface at Exhibition Place. Herta's best lap was a full 20 seconds slower than he qualified; Kirkwood's was 37 seconds slower. So, those weren't really laps to consider. The lone incident in the 30-minute session was Santino Ferrucci's trouble in Turn 7. The driver of the No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet hit the wall hard with the left slide, leading to a long slide into the Turn 8 run-off area. All four corners of the car were damaged, a tall repair ask for the crew with such limited time before the race. The broadcast begins at noon ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The green flag will wave at approximately at 12:22 p.m. The winner of this event has come from the pole each of the past two years and three times in the past four years. This is the fourth and final street race of the season. After qualifying 11th, four-time Toronto winner Scott Dixon will start 17th as his No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing will serve a six-position grid penalty for an unapproved engine change. Dixon is one of five former series winners at Exhibition Place. The others are Team Penske's Will Power (three wins) and Josef Newgarden (two). Single winners are Lundgaard and Herta (2024). This race is 90 laps, which is five more than have been utilized through its history except in 2014 when it was a doubleheader. recommended Item 1 of 1
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Marcus Armstrong Continues to Impress, Climb in Standings
INDYCAR Marcus Armstrong continued his strong run of form by qualifying third in the No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda for Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. 'It was a good day in the office,' Armstrong said. 'The lap felt pretty average if I'm brutally honest.' The result ties Armstrong's best career NTT INDYCAR SERIES start in his 42nd attempt. His best finish is third, most recently achieved last Sunday at Iowa Speedway. Armstrong has surged from 16th to seventh in points, powered by seven top-nine finishes in his last eight starts. 'We're on a bit of a roll right now, so (Sunday) could be a good one,' he said. Together with Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian teammates Felix Rosenqvist and Helio Castroneves (Indianapolis 500-only starter), MSR has tallied a team-record 17 top-10s in a single season, led laps in eight of 12 races and earned multiple podiums for the first time in team history. Armstrong finished fifth in Toronto last year, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. MSR's best Toronto finish came last year with a sixth from David Malukas. 'Love the circuit from the first laps I drove around here in 2023,' Armstrong said. 'It's a track that I enjoy going to and a city that I really love and even go to in the offseason. Cool place and cool fans. Had some decent results here the last two years.' Sunday's race coverage begins at noon ET on FOX, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. Palou Makes Fast Six for First Time in Toronto Alex Palou earned his best career start at Toronto by qualifying second in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing. In his previous three Toronto starts, Palou was eliminated in the opening round of qualifying, starting 22nd, 15th and 18th, respectively. 'We've normally been struggling quite a lot here in Toronto,' Palou said. 'Honestly, our target was to try and start up front. It's a surprise that we're starting on the front row, honestly.' This marks Palou's sixth front-row start of the season. He said the car improved with each run on track this weekend, including qualifying, a promising sign for him but scary for the 26 other drivers who battle him in Sunday's 90-lap race. The three-time series champion has shown an ability to charge through the field in Toronto, finishing sixth, second and fourth in previous starts. With just one spot left to gain, he'll look to earn his eighth win of the season on Sunday. 'Super proud of everybody's work,' Palou said. 'Happy to be starting on the front row.' Kirkwood Believes He Threw Away a Pole Back on May 31 in Detroit, Kirkwood believed he had a car capable of winning the NTT P1 Award but made a mistake and settled for third on the grid for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. He ultimately rebounded to win the race. On Saturday in Toronto, a similar story played out. Kirkwood made another mistake during the Firestone Fast Six round. The No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda for Andretti Global was on a one-lap strategy to go for pole, but a near-crash just before crossing the timing line spoiled the effort, leaving him sixth on the starting grid. 'Definitely just gave away a pole, without a doubt,' Kirkwood said. 'Just started the lap — the first time all weekend that happened to me — got a huge snap, a bit of understeer. The one time I go through there when it matters for a pole, it bottoms out and I get a huge snap. 'Unfortunately, it just feels like I'm throwing away poles left and right on street courses. That one didn't feel very good, if I'm being honest. Very, very disappointed with that performance. I tried to come into pit lane because I knew the lap was already shot and wanted to get fuel to try another run, but they said no. In hindsight, that probably cost us a few positions because I didn't even complete a lap, So yeah, a lot of dumb things.' Despite the disappointment, Kirkwood has proven he can bounce back. He leads the series with a 2.33 average finish on street courses and finished second in Toronto last year, just behind teammate Colton Herta. He was quickest in Friday's practice session and second on Saturday morning. Herta Sweeps Street Course Qualifying Front Rows Herta earned NTT P1 Award honors at Toronto, completing a clean sweep of front row starts on street circuits this season. Along with his pole in Detroit, Herta also qualified second at both the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. 'I think it just shows what this team is capable of on street courses,' Herta said. 'We continue to be, I feel, a dominant force in the league when it comes to that style of racing.' Though winless so far this season, Herta won last year's Toronto race from pole and has claimed three of his nine career victories on street circuits. He's also been consistently strong in Toronto, finishing second, third, and first in his last three starts. 'They keep impressing me every time we come here,' Herta said. 'The car's still that much faster than everybody else.' Changes To Turn 3 The city of Toronto laid new asphalt in the braking zone at Turn 3 on Friday night, following requests from drivers who noted a newly developed bump since the series last visited in July 2024. Harsh Canadian winters had worsened the surface, making cars unstable under heavy braking and potentially compromising overtaking opportunities in what is considered the best passing zone on the circuit. 'I think they need to grind it,' Will Power said after Friday's practice. 'It will hurt the racing. I'm very apprehensive about going up the inside. There's a massive new bump at the end of the straight, right in the braking zone.' Herta believed that spot was much better on Saturday. 'It was pretty brutal yesterday,' he said. 'I didn't really mind it because I think it adds character and whatnot. But it was on a limit. It was very aggressive. I think you saw quite a few guys have mistakes because of it. 'It's a very difficult part of the track to be standing on the brakes like that and have the bump there. 'I thought INDYCAR did a good job. I think there are no problems at all with it.' Odds And Ends · Arrow McLaren confirmed that both Pato O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard will have new Chevrolet engines installed for Sunday's race. According to team principal Tony Kanaan, the change was prompted by Chevrolet after detecting a potential issue. As this will be the fourth engine of the season for each driver – within the limit -- no grid penalties will be applied. O'Ward rolls off 10th. Lundgaard starts 19th. The 2023 race winner started 16th and climbed to seventh last year. · Scott McLaughlin admitted to making a driver error by missing the Turn 5 apex during his qualifying run and will start 15th in the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet. He was second and fourth, respectively, in practice this weekend and had averaged a fifth-place starting position in three previous street course starts this season. This marks the first-time in four Toronto appearances that McLaughlin was eliminated in the opening round of qualifying, having previously started sixth, second and fourth, respectively. · Callum Ilott had 20.5 average starting spot through the opening eight races of the season. Ilott starts 12th in the No. 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet and improved to 15th the last five races. · Kyffin Simpson will start 14th in the No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, marking his best street course start this season. He previously climbed from 17th to finish 10th at Long Beach and surged from 19th to finish fifth in Detroit. · Will Power will start fourth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, the fourth time he has qualified in that position at Toronto. He previously won the race from fourth in 2016. · By qualifying fifth, Graham Rahal (No. 15 United Rentals Honda) earned his first Toronto top-five start since qualifying second in 2017. He finished ninth that year. Rahal also qualified fifth in Detroit but suffered a six-spot grid penalty for an engine change. · Honda has won 11 of the 12 races this season and 12 of the last 13 on street circuit events dating back to Toronto in 2022. The manufacturer also secured eight of the top nine starting positions for Sunday's race. · Andretti Global and Chip Ganassi Racing drivers combined for nine of the last 12 top-three finishes at Exhibition Place, including a podium sweep last year. Their drivers share the front row and have three of the top six starters. · Green Flag for Sunday's 90-lap race is 12:22 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. recommended Item 1 of 1
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood 'Freaking Fast' in Toronto
INDYCAR Colton Herta is back on top of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. After settling for the 10th spot in Friday's time chart, the veteran NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver who won last year's race at Exhibition Place from the pole paced the morning practice today. SEE: Practice 2 Results Last year in this event, the driver of Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian's No. 26 Gainbridge Honda led a 1-2 team finish with Kyle Kirkwood second. Today, Kirkwood was also second in the No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda. Herta's best lap time was 1 minute, .0578 seconds. Kirkwood's best was 1:00.1578. The two drivers are about a half-second faster than the next-best driver. Herta has been the top qualifier two of the past three years at this track. "These Andretti guys are freaking fast," Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward said after the session. Next on the schedule is NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 90-lap race will be at noon ET (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). One of the session's objectives was to adjust to modifications to an area of the track approaching Turn 3. That's at the end of the long straight, and drivers reported a significant bump in the braking zone. There was work done overnight to improve the situation. Late in the session, Dale Coyne Racing rookie Jacob Abel hit the wall in Turn 6 and then crashed in Turn 7. Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan said the cars of O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) would undergo engine changes this evening in preparation for the race. Kanaan said Chevrolet had previously wanted to change the engines after the race but moved up its schedule. Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) leads active drivers with four victories at Exhibition Place. Team Penske's Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) has three race wins here while teammate Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet) has two. Lundgaard (2023) and Herta (2024) are the other previous Toronto race winners in this 27-car field. Last year's podium featured Herta, Kirkwood and Dixon. The winner has come from the pole each of the past two years and three times in the past four years. This is the fourth and final street race of the season. The last events on the calendar will be held on a pair of road courses (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway) followed by two oval tracks (The Milwaukee Mile and Nashville Superspeedway). recommended Item 1 of 1
