Category: NTT Indy

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
TEAM CHEVY FIRESTONE FAST SIX REPORT
JULY 15, 2023

CHEVROLET QUALIFIES FOUR IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES FIRESTONE FAST SIX FOR SUNDAY’S HONDA INDY TORONTO

• Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet for Team Penske, will start on the front row of Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto after qualifying second with his fastest lap of 01:04.4790 on the streets of Toronto.
• Chevrolet was represented in the Firestone Fast Six by four drivers, including McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, and Will Power, who transferred out of the round of 12 to compete for the Honda Indy Toronto NTT P1 Pole Award.
• Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay, as well as Team Penske’s Will Power and Scott McLaughlin, were part of the top-six who transferred out of Group 1 to the round of 12.
• Team Penske’s Newgarden, along with Arrow McLaren INDYCAR’s O’Ward and Rosenqvist, transferred to the Round of 12 from Group 2 in rainy, wet track conditions.
• O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren, set the pace for the Bowtie brand in Practice 2 with his fifth-place lap of 1:00.7054. Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Team Penske, followed in ninth with his lap of 1:00.9153.
• Rookie Agustin Canapino, driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing, will start Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto in his highest career starting position after qualifying 18th today in his first wet session in an open wheel car.

TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 QUALIFYING RESULT:
Pos. Driver
2nd Scott McLaughlin
3rd Pato O’Ward
5th Felix Rosenqvist
6th Will Power

The final warm-up of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend will kick off race day Sunday at 10:15 a.m. ET from the streets of Toronto. The 85-lap, 151.81-mile/244.31-kilometer race Sunday, July 16 will take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. ET live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Tough day for us. I think we missed a lot of our potential in in qualifying. The first round was really solid; the car was excellent. The team did a stellar job with the wet setup. In mixed conditions, we probably didn’t make the right moves, but it was a good session to learn from for the future, and most importantly, I feel really confident in my racecar. I think we have good speed, and can put that to use in the race tomorrow. Hopefully with Snap-on Tools and Team Chevy, we have a great day.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Overall, it was a great day for us. We start second which is another street course front row start. Really loving Toronto. Really happy with these guys and my Gallagher Chevrolet. The car was really good. I think we are due for a wet race. It’s something that I’ve always loved to do.”

Will Power, No. 12 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“A very different story (crossing the line a little bit later). You’re a lot better than sixth. We crossed the line P1 and then everyone had another lap and we went to P6. I was a little frustrated because I at least wanted to stay in the top-four. That’s the game, man. Sometimes it flows for you and sometimes it doesn’t. If it didn’t annoy me then I wouldn’t be quick because you don’t care, but I cared massively because it’s so hard to win these races these days. It’s very hard to get in the Fast Six. I was stoked to get in the Fast Six, I really was. You always want more.”

“You can definitely win from sixth. If it’s a straight-forward race, you kind of have to be in the top-four. But you don’t know. I’ve won from way back, so anyone can win from anywhere in this sport. Who knows? It might rain tomorrow and it might be a very mixed-up race anyway.”

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“That was a gnarly session. That kept me on my toes every single lap. Obviously, it was a drying race track, and it just kept getting better and better. The No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was feeling good; it was all about having confidence in it and really attacking some of the corners that you didn’t quite know what they had in store. We just kept on pushing, and it’s a second-row start for the team tomorrow. It’s a great starting position to challenge for the podium and the win.”

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“I feel like this was a huge statement from the whole team. The No. 6, 7, and 5 (teams) just came together. I didn’t want to intrude. I was looking out from the truck one time, and it was just covered with papaya shirts around the car. I feel for them. That was a lot more work than we had to do. It was very unfortunate how we damaged the tub from a very low impact. We were unlucky with how the wing folded into the tub and punched a hole through it. So we had to change the car. We did a seat fitting 20 minutes before the session and were still fiddling around with belts and pedals and steering wheels and stuff. It was kind of an odd feeling but in a way you don’t have anything to lose. You just have to restart. I’m super-proud that we came through into the Fast Six and finishing P4.”

“It was a hell of a day. That was a lot of work, but we ended up P5 in the end, an amazing recovery from a crash in Practice 2. I sent it in a bit too hard into Turn 5 and hit the wall. I didn’t really hit hard but unfortunately damaged how the front wing came into the tub, so we had to build a brand new car ahead of qualifying. Basically the whole team, the 5 and 7 crew as well, came out, and there was just like a bee hive around the No. 6 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for like three hours between practice and qualifying. We did a seat fit 50 minutes before we jumped in, and we were still doing things for the belts and stuff. To end up in the Firestone Fast 6 and P5 after that was just a huge statement to this whole team, having got together and got it done. It was more work than we needed, but we made it through.”

Did rain help overcome some of the problems with a backup car?

“It’s hard to say, but the car felt really good. If you didn’t tell me then I wouldn’t have felt a difference. Obviously, it was really wet in the beginning and really fun. It was reminding me of go-kart days where you play around with different lines, braking off-line. Sometimes you try something and it doesn’t work so you’re almost crashing, then the next lap you get it right. It’s really rewarding when you shave off one or two seconds just by driving better. We went through it and a lot of people made mistakes, and we just kept it clean as well. I’m really proud of the whole team with how we got through it.”

On his outlook for Sunday:

“I think we feel good. I think in a way, we are actually better in the wet. I wouldn’t be sad if it were raining, but obviously, it mixes everything up quite a bit. We’ve been strong all weekend except for that crash. We’ve been up there pretty much all the time. We’ll see what the weather does. Normally this is a pretty good track for me so we’ll try and go for a podium.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

”My steering wheel failed in the braking zone, and I didn’t have the ability to shift or pull clutch. I’ve never seen anything like that. It’s a real shame because the car was great and had what we needed to qualify without a problem. We will regroup and be ready to fight from the back tomorrow.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“That was a heck of a thrash for the team after Felix (Rosenqvist) had a bit of an off in practice and unfortunately put a hole in the chassis, so we had all hands on deck. We had people jump in from all three crews to get the No. 6 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet out there. Felix didn’t disappoint to put it up there in the top five. Two cars in the top five is a great result, but at the end of the day our cars are very strong in the wet, and we had an electrical issue with Alexander’s steering wheel that cost him the chance. I have no doubt that he would have been right up there with them. That’s something we need to learn from and fix, some work to do there that’s the team’s doing. All in all, we’re ready to race tomorrow.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 20 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“A little bit of poor timing. Didn’t get our second run in. Just waited a little too long maybe, and just didn’t get the second run, but whatever. It was quicker, but it is what it is.”

On his first street course with Ed Carpenter Racing, what’s on the checklist?

“Just getting through every session. Trying to make the car better. Trying to get everybody forward. Happy to see Rinus (VeeKay) get through there.”

Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“I’m confident with the car. We are really fast in the dry. In the Fast 12, I’ve never driven a car in the rain on a street course. I’ve only driven a car once in the rain in Malaysia, and that was about five years ago now. It was a good showing to move up to the Fast 12. This weekend has kind of been a struggle but we’ve persevered. The crew did a great job. We have a good pace for tomorrow. It looks like it is going to stay dry so that’s good. We’ll make it a good one.”

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“I think we need to qualify a little better. We looked better in practice and made some good strides. Honestly, finding two-tenths to break into the top-10 was something that I think was going to be doable for us. With the rain, it exposed our weaknesses in our car, which is unfortunate because I couldn’t do anything about it other than being a passenger. I’m really upset, the fact that we couldn’t get it sorted. I’ve come from behind here before to finish 11th, so I’m sure we can have good strategy. Our racecar is actually pretty decent. We seem not to be killing the tires. Our third and fourth runs on the primary tires actually have been really good. I think we’ll be able to hang in there, pass some cars and try and move forward into the top-15.”

Benjamin Pedersen, No. 55 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“We’re just trying to figure out where we lost a bit of relative speed compared to practice two. Obviously in Practice 2, we didn’t run the alternates, just the primaries, but then for some reason in qualifying when we put the alternates on, we just lost pace and overall grip compared to the primary, so we’re just trying to understand that. It looked like our teammate in the other group, despite it being wet, was struggling with the same things with overall grip so yeah, it’s very difficult. We’re just trying to get it in the window. It just seems very fragile right now if you don’t get one element right on the setup and it just kind of causes the car to struggle a lot. Then when we managed to get everything close, it’s just barely hanging on. So yeah, working really hard to get it right for the race. That’s where it matters. Hopefully it’s dry, we can charge forward and just have a clean race.”

Callum Ilott, No. 77 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“Pretty eventful qualifying. It rained just before our group. For some reason, I end up in the group with more people. Not ideal, but it is what it is. We did a decent job where we were always running in the top-six up right until the right last lap, and I just got pipped by a couple of people who managed to pull a lap out of nowhere. It was very, very close to getting into the top-six. It’s tough but I know we had good speed for it. There are a few things we need to improve for the next time if it rains. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Our car is good in the dry here, so we should be strong. Starting off 16th, we’ll keep it clean and see what we can do.”

Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“It was fun. It was the first time in my life in an open wheel car to qualifying in the rain. Everything is totally new for me. The first few laps, I was very lost, but in the end, really good. I think the team did a really good job. Thanks to the whole team for an incredible job. We are in the middle of the pack, for the first time. I’m really happy so far, and we will go for the race tomorrow.”

Grade yourself on this season so far…

“I’m very happy and I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m improving step-by-step, so again, it’s a big, big step coming to the touring cars in my entire life. I’m really grateful for Ricardo (Juncos), Brad Hollinger, the whole team, for giving me this opportunity. I really want to have a good second part of the season. Tomorrow, we will have the opportunity to do the whole race.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, driver of the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet – End of Day Press Conference:

Scott McLaughlin, driver No. 3, Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet this weekend with another front row start. We talked a lot about tiptoeing around this racecourse when the conditions are like that. How difficult was it for you, Scott?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was tough. I was sideways at one point on the side of the track, so you just have to really gather your thoughts, and you’ve got to just methodically sort of feel the track and the way that it dries off.

We’ve had a really fast car all weekend, so I knew if it dried off, it was going to be okay. But even in the wet conditions with what we got, it was really good.

So I would have loved to have seen if we didn’t wait so long between Q1 and Q2 to have a crack at real wet, but yeah, really provided of everyone on the Gallagher Chevy.

The car was very good. Congrats to Christian. Great lap. I think we benefited a lot by being able to be the last couple to the finish line.

He still pumped us by four-tenths, and we have to figure that out and see how we go.

Q. This question is for both of you. There’s I think a 40% chance of rain tomorrow. What did you learn about this course and how it handles when it’s wet?

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: It’s slippery.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s just so tough. You go.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: Yeah, it’s just tricky. I mean, you’re just trying to find your way around. And in qualifying it’s split groups, right, so you do have more visibility than you will in the race situation.

I mean, luckily, I’m out there in the front, so I won’t have to deal with that at least in the beginning.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I’ll probably pass you, but that’s fine.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: We’ll see. As long as it’s only you.

I think it’s just important, too, to keep the car off the wall really. It’s so tough and super tricky. We see cars go off. I know that we are pushing to the absolute maximum today, but again, we’re just trying to search for grip.

I’m sure we haven’t explored all of it yet, but I do pray for it to stay dry just to — it’s more fun.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: From my perspective it’s probably one of the toughest street courses I’ve ever combatted in the rain from a difference, yeah, from what I learned in Australia, but from the difference in bitumin and concrete and trying to stay off those.

Then concrete dries quicker than the asphalt and trying to figure that out, and you have to do that in split seconds and trust that the car is going to start.

You go into turn three at 185 miles an hour, and you are like, okay, I am going to brake at the 300-foot mark and hopefully she sticks in the middle.

It’s a tough confidence thing, but when you get it right, these are the most rewarding conditions in any motorsports. This is fun.

Like Christian said, though, I think if we get some dry tomorrow, that would be great and great for the fans. Fans got a little nice little, you know, moist fixture today, so now we’re going to fire and get dry tomorrow and have a good time in the sun in Canada. Beautiful place.

Q. As a follow-up to you, Scott, there was some talk that you might be penalized. You weren’t or at least it didn’t affect where you sat, where you are going to be on the grid. Were you concerned about being penalized and how that might affect you?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I was on the red limiter there for about 15 minutes post-qualifying trying to figure out whether I’d got it done. I was hard on the chip, but we figured it out.

I understand the rules, but I certainly am glad that we can keep our P2 and press on because I think a lot of people went faster after that anyway. So it was really null and void at that point.

Q. This one is obviously for Scott. Scott, if there was — at the moment it looks like a 50% chance of it raining tomorrow. Are there certain parts of the track where potentially standing water because of it being a street course could become a problem?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Not from what I’ve seen. I mean, I think there’s some spots, but that’s a street circuit thing.

No, from what I saw, it was tough, but it’s a very pretty well-drained street circuit and was okay. You’re not going to get it perfect everywhere, but I think we would be fine.

Like I said before, I wish we sort of went a bit faster between Q1 and Q2 to get a good idea. I think the guys that ran in group two in Q1 probably got the best sort of look at the track to see what it’s like.

Certainly we’ll be looking at my teammate Josef’s data and footage tonight just to figure out a few things. Yeah, I think it’s pretty good so far.

Q. Then you mentioned before too, and it’s one thing that I’ve been following, this mixture of the concrete and then the asphalt surfaces. There obviously is an issue itself just in the dry, but in the wet that makes it even harder to manage those two surfaces, doesn’t it?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it is. Yeah, sometimes it’s grippy. Sometimes it’s not.

Honestly there’s different concrete surfaces out there, like there’s a polished one and then a grippy one, a coarse one. You sort of have to spot them because you can see it with the sheen on the road.

But, yeah, it’s a lot of fun. This track is wicked in the dry and even more fun now after driving in the rain.

Q. I know you’ve been good in the wet in the past. I think 2019 at Bathurst you were strong in qualifying there in the wet. How difficult has the transition been to driving an open-wheel car in the wet? Obviously everything is new to you in an open-wheel car, but that transition racing in the wet, how has that been for you?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It’s surprisingly not that bad. A race car, whether it’s a go-kart, whether it’s an INDYCAR, or a Supercar, they all sort of have the same sort of tendencies in the rain.

So it’s more actually just learning the tire and seeing how much you can hurt it, especially when it dries out. This tire actually it just dies when it dries out. More than any other tire I’ve been on before.

Yeah, that’s probably the biggest thing, learning the tire, and thankfully sort of jumped on it. But, yeah, I’ve always said I loved the rain. Being from New Zealand, it’s just we grow up racing in the rain nine times out of ten.

Q. You looked pretty angry when you got out of the car. Did you feel like the penalty was going to take things away?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, they held me on the limiter. Yeah, I was — you know, I knew that everyone went faster from that point, so I was like — I get I should lose my time at that point, but I shouldn’t lose my best time because everyone went faster, and I didn’t hold anyone up. So, yeah, I’ve got to count to five sometimes (laughing).

Q. Scott, semi-seriously, not totally, but two weeks ago a Kiwi got the run around in the rain, and he won the race. If it does rain tomorrow, should we expect you’re going to win because now a certain portion of the racing world thinks that you guys are awesome at that and are ringers in that circumstance?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Massive shout-out to Shane. That was an awesome drive and great for our sport Down Under.

I’m also going toe-to-toe with a Dane, and there’s also plenty of good drivers. There’s a Swede in the Fast Six and a Mexican. Everyone knows how to drive in the rain.

I feel like I’m very excited just to see how we go. Yeah, New Zealanders, like I said, we enjoy the rain.

Me and Shane, it’s funny, in Supercars we used to always have awesome battles in the wet, and we would swap out the front with a few others. It was awesome to see him win.

Yeah, it’s just nice to have some change. We are due for a wet race. I’m telling you. We haven’t had a wet race in so long.

CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD: How long was you conversation in mid-Ohio in terms of rain? We were, like, Oh, it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain. It never rained.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I went to bed and thought 100% it was going to rain, and it didn’t. So I was very surprised.

FELIX ROSEQVIST, driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet – End of Day Press Conference:

What are you learning?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, pretty different experience this year. Seems like there’s some new repaves and patches on the track. Initially the session was really slippery, and everyone was just waiting for the track to go quicker, but it didn’t seem to happen.

Then it kind of got traction and the lap times tumbled. But it was a new challenge. I would say it was the most different it’s been to get back here.

I think Turn 9, Turn 10, Turn 11 was like a complete rethink in terms of driving lines and just how we approach it, really. Some other corners that were better, I thought, like Turn 6 was less bumpy, Turn 3 was less bumpy. They improved some places, and some places are harder as a driver.

Quite challenging I thought, but good session for us. The car felt good, and I think all of us in the team were pretty up front all session.

Q. Can you throw some detail at us on the 9, 10, 11? Is it because of the way the bumps lay out makes you have to take a different line?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, so approaching 9, you have a new tarmac right on the apex, so you’re kind of turning in with understeer. Then as you hit the apex you grip up, so you kind of have to go in too quick for the grip you have, but then you have to trust that it grips.

Then going into 10, there’s a massive bump right on entry, so you kind of have to go through that. Like there’s no choice, you have to go through it.

Then as a car, it kind of lands on the bump, you have to turn in, and if you take it with too much speed it’s really easy to just go straight. I think we saw a couple of, me including, trying that, and yeah, you’re just mixing it up with different the lines and stuff. Was kind of interesting.

Then 11, the new tarmac kind of ends right at the apex, so you can send it in pretty hard, but then it gets bumpy on exit. Yeah, it’s a complete inverted approach to the section, but I thought it was fun. You could see us working out there for sure.

Q. It sounds a little Mario Kart-y where you have slick spots and then hope that you catch the sticky spots in the right place kind of thing, or you speed up really quickly and slow down in weird spots?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: It kind of reminds me a bit of rally driving, like you have to set the car up before the jump and then you have to land in the right place. It’s like, yeah, a rally approach but way less jumping, obviously. Yeah, it makes you think.

I think it’s kind of rare to have that in INDYCAR, so it’s a new challenge for sure.

Q. Obviously we’re at the halfway point of the season now, so I guess you’ve had a couple weeks off to think about your season as a whole and what you might want to be doing for the second half, I guess. I know your qualifying is basically third best in the series, but obviously your finishes have not been quite as strong as that. What are you focusing on for the second part of the season?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, it’s been some unfortunate races for us, especially the last two ones, just kind of ending up nowhere after basically — not DNF, but being at the back.

I don’t know, I think you approach it a bit differently. Maybe you try to go for a big result. I think there’s probably no chance for us to win the championship.

I think I’m mentally more in a head space where I want to go for like — if I can go for a win, I’ll try all in, and I think a lot of us are in the same position because Alex is just taking off in the standings.

Like I say, we’ve been super fast on one lap, and I think actually the race pace has been mega, as well.

Just haven’t really strung a result together in the last three, four races. Looking forward to just having a solid week, and I feel like we started good here. Normally a pretty good place for us, so yeah, just looking forward to having a smooth weekend.

Q. It feels less like there’s something specific that you need to change, like just as an example you’ve got too much understeer in the car, it’s not necessarily looking at for the second half of the season that you need to change, it’s more outside of your control have impacted your performances?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: I mean, I think we’ve had both, right. We had races where I’ve made mistakes like Indy, Texas. I think those two sting for sure. It was completely in my hands. Then we had probably more races where it’s just been completely out of our control, like Road America, mechanical issue, and then lap 1 Mid-Ohio I got taken out by my countryman.

Yeah, there’s been a lot of that stuff going on, so obviously you fall pretty quick in the standings. I think like one, maximum two DNFs is what you can have if you want to go for a title.

I mean, I think as a group obviously we try to reduce our mistakes, but in some way it’s out of our control. We try not to think too much about it. The pace has been really good, especially race pace this year has been awesome, so just try to get it together.

Q. You talked about the new tarmac and how sticky it is and you’re looking at grip, and tomorrow we’ve got rain predicted for most of the day. How will that affect the car?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: I don’t even want to know. I’m not jealous of Tom because that was actually — I think that felt kind of foreign to all of us, especially in the beginning of the session. Then it gripped up quite well.

Yeah, in the wet it’s going to be hard. I haven’t been here in the wet. I think some of the veterans, sort of the true veterans have been here in the wet, but I can only imagine. Like 9, 10, 11 is going to be really tricky. That new tarmac might be slippery, I think, in the wet. Yeah, I don’t know, it’s just going to be a free-for-all.

Q. Felix, following up on looking at the second half of the season, how would you define the second half going well? Is it getting a win? Is it where you end up in the standings at the end of the day or is it something else?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: You mean in the standings? I don’t know. I think like we’re not here to be P12 or P11. I think a win or something like that would be a good way to kind of end at the end of the season. I think there’s some good tracks for us coming up. Just kind of — I think more than anything, being able to string together some race results and feeling like we didn’t leave anything on the table would be a rewarding feeling after having some troubled races.

Yeah, I know we can be there if we just do the job. Yeah, just going for the win.

About Chevrolet

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TORONTO (Saturday, July 15, 2023) – In a qualifying session full of surprises and mixed conditions, Christian Lundgaard sprung the final twist by capturing the NTT P1 Award for the Honda Indy Toronto on Saturday.

Lundgaard, 21, from Denmark, earned his second pole of this season and of his young NTT INDYCAR SERIES career with a time of 1 minute, 4.1567 seconds in the No. 45 Vivid Clear Rx Honda fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Lundgaard’s other pole came at the GMR Grand Prix in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The pole proved how RLL’s focus on improving its pace on temporary street circuits like the 11-turn, 1.786-mile course around Toronto’s Exhibition Place is paying off. The three-car team’s previous best qualifying performance this season on a street course was 11th by Lundgaard at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding in early March.

“I have a history, at least in go-karts, of being fast in the rain,” Lundgaard said. “I’ve only driven in the rain only once in this car, which was Indy GP last year, and we weren’t competitive.

“The Hy-Vee Vivid Clear Rx car today was there. I can’t thank this team enough. I know this is wet, and it’s tricky, but looking at where we were on street circuits earlier this year and last year, we’ve made huge progress.”

Live coverage of the 85-lap race starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network in the United States and TSN in Canada. The 30-minute morning warmup starts at 10:15 a.m., with live coverage on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network in the U.S. and TSN+ in Canada.

Every driver in the Firestone Fast Six session switched to Firestone slick tires on a drying track after using rain tires during the slippery second session. That created some fish-tailing, heart-in-throat moments, as all six drivers scrambled for grip in the few areas where the track remained wet. A handful of drivers brushed the wall during the thrilling, unpredictable final session as the rear of their cars side-stepped and sashayed exiting corners.

Scott McLaughlin will start second, tying his season best, after a lap of 1:04.4790 in the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet. McLaughlin spun early in the Firestone Fast Six and lost his best time to that point as a penalty for triggering a local yellow, but he turned his quickest lap in the final moments of the session – like nearly every driver – as the circuit began to dry following an intense shower earlier in qualifying.

Pato O’Ward qualified third at 1:04.5500 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Marcus Ericsson will join him in the second row after qualifying fourth at 1:04.9091 in the No. 8 Huski Ice Spritz Honda.

Felix Rosenqvist will start fifth after a lap of 1:04.9423 in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, as Arrow McLaren and Team Penske each put two drivers in the Firestone Fast Six. Reigning series champion and all-time INDYCAR SERIES pole record holder Will Power was the second Penske driver in the first three rows, qualifying a season-best sixth at 1:05.0703 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

The three-round qualifying session was almost as noteworthy for who missed the Firestone Fast Six as for those who made the final group.

Championship leader Alex Palou, who leads by 110 points over teammate Scott Dixon, encountered the first hiccup of his dominant season in the first round. He failed to advance as light rain started in the final 90 seconds of his group while he and other drivers were on slick tires and will start a season-low 15th in the No. 10 Journie Rewards Honda. Palou’s worst previous starting spot this season was seventh at St. Petersburg and Texas.

“We really didn’t put together everything we had,” Palou said. “We had a lot more pace than that, and we couldn’t improve on alternates (tires). It’s a shame we’re going to have to start from the back, but we know we have a fast car and can make it from there.”

Reigning Toronto race winner Dixon also didn’t make the Firestone Fast Six, just missing advancing from the second group by .1128 of a second. He will start seventh in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Kyle Kirkwood, fastest in Friday practice and second in practice Saturday morning, will start eighth in the No. 27 AutoNation Honda. Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, third in the standings, will start 11th in the No. 2 Snap-on Tools Team Penske Chevrolet.

Saturday qualifying puts MSR Hondas 13th and 20th

Toronto, Ontario (15 June 2023) – After recruiting Tom Blomqvist on short notice to substitute for the recovering Simon Pagenaud in Toronto following a brutal accident at Mid-Ohio, the 2022 IMSA Champion has impressed the team with his rapid gains that he has made in his INDYCAR SERIES debut.

With just one single day of INDYCAR testing under his belt (October 2021) ahead of the weekend, Blomqvist made the most of the Toronto track time as he clocked in 63 laps before his first INDYCAR qualifying run on Saturday. And to add to his already growing lists of firsts, Blomqvist had the added challenge of a sudden downpour just minutes before he was set to take the track for his 10-minute qualifying session.

“The rain definitely spiced things up for my baptism of fire, let’s say,” said Blomqvist. “I survived, which is the most important thing. I am learning every step of the way. I think now I have about two hours and 10-minutes of driving in the car, so it’s always a steep learning curve for me.”

Bringing the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda home in one piece after a tricky session, Blomqvist qualified 20th out of IndyCar’s 27 car field. Of the 27 drivers racing in Toronto, 15 of them qualified 18th or lower in their debut INDYCAR race, with eight of them starting 20th or lower.

The NBC broadcast team (the race will be aired on Peacock on Sunday, 1:30pm ET) pointed out that multi-discipline standouts including Kevin Magnussen, Scott McLoughlin and Jimmie Johnson all started 21st in their respective debut IndyCar races.

Tasked with learning a new car and new race series on one of the most difficult circuits on the calendar, Blomqvist’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by MSR owner Mike Shank.

“I put him in the car as a test, I wanted to see how he adapted to something that was totally different,” said Shank. “I know he can be hard on himself – all drivers want to be up front – but we are happy with where he is at. He is progressing just like we wanted him to and making all the right strides to keep improving. We’ve definitely thrown a lot at him and it’s been like drinking from a fire hose for him, but he’s doing great, and just where we thought he would be.”

Blomqvist’s MSR teammate Helio Castroneves will start on the seventh row in 13th after just missing out on the transfer by seven one-hundredths of a second in his No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda. The qualifying run marks his his best qualifying result of the season.

Not only is Castroneves focusing on his own season, but he has been a valued resource for Blomqvist as he continues to learn the nuances of IndyCar.

“I have to say, INDYCAR is the most competitive series in the world that I have competed in, in a long time,” said Castroneves. “He’s [Tom] done an incredible job jumping in, not hitting the walls, giving feedback and most importantly getting the experience. Now, throwing in the rain during qualifying he has really shown his potential. I know the team doesn’t have expectations for him this weekend, they just want to see him improve and take in as much as he can, and I think he is doing just that. I’m really happy to see him get this experience and do what he’s doing and I think he’s only going to improve during the race tomorrow.”

Meyer Shank Racing will look to regroup overnight and get prepared for Sunday’s 85-lap Honda Indy Toronto with live coverage beginning at 1:30pm ET on Peacock. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage on XM Ch. 160.

TORONTO (Friday, July 14, 2023) – Andretti Autosport showed off its street-circuit prowess during practice Friday for the Honda Indy Toronto, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES team took three of the top four spots on the time sheet, led by Kyle Kirkwood.

Kirkwood was quickest in the 75-minute session on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary street circuit around Exhibition Place in Canada’s largest city, turning a best lap of 1 minute, .8075 of a second in the No. 27 AutoNation Honda. Kirkwood’s strength on rough-and-tumble, concrete-lined street circuits came as no surprise, as he won the Acura Long Beach Grand Prix from the pole on a street course in April.

“It went phenomenal for us,” Kirkwood said. “We kind of led the whole session. Andretti Autosport does a fantastic job at setting up these street-course cars, specifically. Fingers crossed. You expect to see some more of that. It’s a good start for us, but we’ve got to keep the thing going.”

Up next is a 45-minute practice at 10:45 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:50 p.m.

Kirkwood’s Andretti Autosport teammate Romain Grosjean was second in practice Friday at 1:00.8575 in the No. 28 DHL Honda. Grosjean also has shown speed this season on street circuits, as he won the NTT P1 Award at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding in March. He also finished second to Kirkwood at Long Beach.

Felix Rosenqvist was third at 1:00.8607 in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, the quickest Chevy-powered driver.

Andretti Autosport’s street party continued with Colton Herta fourth at 1:00.9135 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. Herta has won the NTT P1 Award at the last two races this season, on natural road courses at Road America and Mid-Ohio.

Scott McLaughlin rounded out the top five at 1:00.9700 in the No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet.

All eyes this weekend are on championship leader Alex Palou, who is trying to become just the sixth driver since 1970 to win four consecutive INDYCAR SERIES races, joining Al Unser (1970) Al Unser Jr. (1990), Alex Zanardi (1998), Cristiano Da Matta (2002) and Sebastien Bourdais (2006). Palou, who leads the series by a healthy 110 points, ended up 12th at 1:01.3233 in the No. 10 Journie Rewards Honda.

Tom Blomqvist is another driver attracting attention this weekend. Blomqvist is making his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut with Meyer Shank Racing as a replacement for 2016 series champion Simon Pagenaud, who was not cleared to drive after a violent flip in practice July 1 during The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid. 2022 IMSA champion Blomqvist was 26th at 1:03.7979 in the No. 60 AutoNation/Sirius XM as he took a methodical, patient approach to learning an unfamiliar car and circuit.

Live coverage of the 85-lap race starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network in the United States and TSN in Canada.

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT
JULY 14, 2023

FELIX ROSENQVIST LEADS CHEVROLET, FINISHES THIRD IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES FIRST PRACTICE IN TORONTO

• Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, led Team Chevy in finishing third after the first practice session of the Honda Indy Toronto event with his fastest lap of 1:00.8607.
• Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin followed Rosenqvist for the Bowtie brand, finishing fifth in the afternoon practice with his fastest lap of 1:00.9700.
• Chevrolet occupied six of the top-10 after the session, with Rosenqvist (third), McLaughlin (fifth), Alexander Rossi (seventh), Pato O’Ward (eighth), Josef Newgarden (ninth), and Will Power (10th) representing Chevrolet on the leaderboard.

TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT:
Pos. Driver

3rd Felix Rosenqvist
5th Scott McLaughlin
7th Alexander Rossi
8th Pato O’Ward
9th Josef Newgarden
10th Will Power

A second practice at Exhibition Place kicks off Saturday morning activities for the NTT INDYCAR Series Saturday at 10:35 p.m. ET. Qualifications and the Firestone Fast Six for Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto on the streets of Toronto take place following, starting at 2:50 p.m. ET. The final warm-up of the weekend will start race day Sunday at 10:15 a.m. ET. All practice and qualifying will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160. The 85-lap, 151.81-mile/244.31-kilometer race Sunday, July 16 will take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. ET live on Peacock.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

Will Power, No. 12 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Pretty good session. Definitely a lot of track evolution, so we’ll see if we can make some improvements overnight. Still happy with where we were when we finished.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Good day for us in the Gallagher Chevy. P5. Put a lap in there at the end on the green (alternate) tires, so I think we’re in good spot, but we’ve got to push on for more.”

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“We had a good start here in Toronto. It was a very messy session for us, but I was able to get a good read on what the car was doing pretty much all around the lap. We just never had a lap when the tire was at its optimal, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow and trying to make it a little bit better, and we’ll see what we’ve got.”

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“It is a pretty different experience this year. It seems like there are some new repaves and patches on the track, so initially the session was really slippery and everyone was just waiting for the track to go quicker, but it didn’t seem to happen. Then it kind of got traction, and the lap times tumbled. It was a new challenge, I’d say. It was the most different it’s been to get back here. I think Turn 9, Turn 10 and Turn 11 were a complete rethink in terms of driving lines and just how you approach it, really. Some other corners were better, like Turn 3 and Turn 6 were less bumpy. They improved some places, while some places are harder as a driver. So, today was quite challenging I thought, but it was a good session for us. The car felt good, and I think all of us as a team were pretty up-front all session.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“It was a good start to the weekend. The No. 7 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet rolled off strong. It’s in the window and was competitive through the whole session, so we’ll make some minor adjustments overnight and keep developing it as the day goes on tomorrow.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“Practice 1 was a great start to the weekend for the team. As always, it’s super tight. I think we need to find a little bit to fight with the Andrettis who looked pretty strong today, but there’s time there. I have no doubt that we’ll dig deep and find something overnight.”

Callum Ilott, No. 77 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“Overall, pretty positive session for us. I think we ended up P13. Track’s had a couple of changes with new tarmac here and there. Quite challenging compared to last year with a few unexpected bumps. It’s part of the game. Overall, a couple of things to work on, couple of directions to go, but I think P13 is a solid first practice for us. Hopefully we can work off of it and aim for the Fast 12 tomorrow in qualifying.”

FELIX ROSEQVIST, driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet – End of Day Press Conference:

Q. What are you learning?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, pretty different experience this year. Seems like there’s some new repaves and patches on the track. Initially the session was really slippery, and everyone was just waiting for the track to go quicker, but it didn’t seem to happen.

Then it kind of got traction and the lap times tumbled. But it was a new challenge. I would say it was the most different it’s been to get back here.

I think Turn 9, Turn 10, Turn 11 was like a complete rethink in terms of driving lines and just how we approach it, really. Some other corners that were better, I thought, like Turn 6 was less bumpy, Turn 3 was less bumpy. They improved some places, and some places are harder as a driver.

Quite challenging I thought, but good session for us. The car felt good, and I think all of us in the team were pretty up front all session.

Q. Can you throw some detail at us on the 9, 10, 11? Is it because of the way the bumps lay out makes you have to take a different line?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, so approaching 9, you have a new tarmac right on the apex, so you’re kind of turning in with understeer. Then as you hit the apex you grip up, so you kind of have to go in too quick for the grip you have, but then you have to trust that it grips.

Then going into 10, there’s a massive bump right on entry, so you kind of have to go through that. Like there’s no choice, you have to go through it.

Then as a car, it kind of lands on the bump, you have to turn in, and if you take it with too much speed it’s really easy to just go straight. I think we saw a couple of, me including, trying that, and yeah, you’re just mixing it up with different the lines and stuff. Was kind of interesting.

Then 11, the new tarmac kind of ends right at the apex, so you can send it in pretty hard, but then it gets bumpy on exit. Yeah, it’s a complete inverted approach to the section, but I thought it was fun. You could see us working out there for sure.

Q. It sounds a little Mario Kart-y where you have slick spots and then hope that you catch the sticky spots in the right place kind of thing, or you speed up really quickly and slow down in weird spots?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: It kind of reminds me a bit of rally driving, like you have to set the car up before the jump and then you have to land in the right place. It’s like, yeah, a rally approach but way less jumping, obviously. Yeah, it makes you think.

I think it’s kind of rare to have that in INDYCAR, so it’s a new challenge for sure.

Q. Obviously we’re at the halfway point of the season now, so I guess you’ve had a couple weeks off to think about your season as a whole and what you might want to be doing for the second half, I guess. I know your qualifying is basically third best in the series, but obviously your finishes have not been quite as strong as that. What are you focusing on for the second part of the season?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Yeah, it’s been some unfortunate races for us, especially the last two ones, just kind of ending up nowhere after basically — not DNF, but being at the back.

I don’t know, I think you approach it a bit differently. Maybe you try to go for a big result. I think there’s probably no chance for us to win the championship.

I think I’m mentally more in a head space where I want to go for like — if I can go for a win, I’ll try all in, and I think a lot of us are in the same position because Alex is just taking off in the standings.

Like I say, we’ve been super fast on one lap, and I think actually the race pace has been mega, as well.

Just haven’t really strung a result together in the last three, four races. Looking forward to just having a solid week, and I feel like we started good here. Normally a pretty good place for us, so yeah, just looking forward to having a smooth weekend.

Q. It feels less like there’s something specific that you need to change, like just as an example you’ve got too much understeer in the car, it’s not necessarily looking at for the second half of the season that you need to change, it’s more outside of your control have impacted your performances?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: I mean, I think we’ve had both, right. We had races where I’ve made mistakes like Indy, Texas. I think those two sting for sure. It was completely in my hands. Then we had probably more races where it’s just been completely out of our control, like Road America, mechanical issue, and then lap 1 Mid-Ohio I got taken out by my countryman.

Yeah, there’s been a lot of that stuff going on, so obviously you fall pretty quick in the standings. I think like one, maximum two DNFs is what you can have if you want to go for a title.

I mean, I think as a group obviously we try to reduce our mistakes, but in some way it’s out of our control. We try not to think too much about it. The pace has been really good, especially race pace this year has been awesome, so just try to get it together.

Q. You talked about the new tarmac and how sticky it is and you’re looking at grip, and tomorrow we’ve got rain predicted for most of the day. How will that affect the car?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: I don’t even want to know. I’m not jealous of Tom because that was actually — I think that felt kind of foreign to all of us, especially in the beginning of the session. Then it gripped up quite well.

Yeah, in the wet it’s going to be hard. I haven’t been here in the wet. I think some of the veterans, sort of the true veterans have been here in the wet, but I can only imagine. Like 9, 10, 11 is going to be really tricky. That new tarmac might be slippery, I think, in the wet. Yeah, I don’t know, it’s just going to be a free-for-all.

Q. Felix, following up on looking at the second half of the season, how would you define the second half going well? Is it getting a win? Is it where you end up in the standings at the end of the day or is it something else?

FELIX ROSENQVIST: You mean in the standings? I don’t know. I think like we’re not here to be P12 or P11. I think a win or something like that would be a good way to kind of end at the end of the season. I think there’s some good tracks for us coming up. Just kind of — I think more than anything, being able to string together some race results and feeling like we didn’t leave anything on the table would be a rewarding feeling after having some troubled races.

Yeah, I know we can be there if we just do the job. Yeah, just going for the win.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE
JULY 14-JULY 16, 2023

CHEVROLET HEADS NORTH TO CANADA FOR THE HONDA INDY TORONTO

DETROIT (July 12, 2023) – The 10th round of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR Series season sees Team Chevy hit the streets for the fourth of five street circuit events, the Honda Indy Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this weekend. Racing around the tight 11-turn, 1.786-mile/2.874-kilometer course at Exhibition Place, Chevrolet seeks to add to their seven wins, seven earned NTT P1 Pole Awards, and 599 laps led.

Sweeping the podium three times since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era at Toronto, including in 2014 for both Race 1 and Race 2, as well as 2015’s race, the Bowtie brand boasts 19 podiums in total at Honda Indy Toronto.

Finishing on the podium in 2022’s event, Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, noted anticipation of this year’s event, saying, “It’s good to be back in my favorite city in the world. I love Toronto, and I love the track there. I’ve had some of my best career highlights there, including my first podium finish with the team last year, so I’m excited to return.”

With two victories and a pole award in Toronto, Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, said of the annual event and Canadian fans, “It’s definitely a crowd favorite. We love the city, [and] we love the fans. They’re normally very knowledgeable on the history of INDYCAR.” In discussing the course, Newgarden continued saying “It’s a tough street circuit, a challenge for all of us. For our team, it’ll be a great opportunity to hopefully have a good weekend, good points for the championship and try to roll into the summer with more strength.”

“We’re all excited to return to the Streets of Toronto,” said Rob Buckner, IndyCar Program Manager for Chevrolet at General Motors. “Canada has always been INDYCAR country, and the enthusiasm of the fans is infectious at Toronto. The lakefront location adds to the atmosphere.

“The stretch of different types of tracks the Chevrolet-powered teams compete on in June and July every season provides multiple opportunities to showcase the flexibility of the cars to maximize performance on different configurations as well as the talent of the drivers to perform well,” continued Buckner. “As at any street race, execution and strategy are key at Toronto. Qualifying and track position will play huge roles in the outcome of the race. We’re ready to go all-out and help our teams start up front and stay there come Sunday.”

The Honda Indy Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada kicks off with Practice 1 Friday, July 14 at 3 p.m. ET, with Practice 2 starting Saturday at 10:35 a.m. ET. Qualifications and the Firestone Fast Six also take place Saturday, starting at 2:50 p.m. ET. A final warm-up will start race day Sunday at 10:15 a.m. ET. All practice and qualifying will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160. The 85-lap, 151.81-mile race Sunday, July 16 will take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. ET live on Peacock.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Excited to go to Toronto. It’s definitely a crowd favorite. We love the city, we love the fans. They’re normally very knowledgeable on the history of INDYCAR. It’s a tough street circuit, a challenge for all of us. For our team, it’ll be a great opportunity to hopefully have a good weekend, good points for the championship and try to roll into the summer with more strength.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“For me, it’s my second year going into Toronto. Always love street circuits, and Toronto has so much history. Going there is a lot of fun and they put on an awesome event. The Canadian people really make the event, and it’s always a buzz. So, I’m excited to go back there and have another crack at a really cool race track.”

On learnings from last year and what can be applied to a second race…

“I think the more laps I can do, the better for me. We did as many laps as we could, and qualified in the Firestone Fast Six last year; we were really strong. But I know with that experience under my belt, and how I know the race travels in that, I feel like we can go better again. It’s just going to be laps and making the most of what I know from last year, and studying what I learned.”

With Detroit returning to the streets, and having St. Pete and Long Beach, what do you feel you’ve learned and can also apply to a second event in Toronto for you?

“I think what we learned with Firestone, and the tires, that’s a big deal. Toronto always comes at a time when everyone is really on top of their setups with street courses, and the tires and stuff, so I’m excited to go there. I think we’re going to have a really strong package regardless.”

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“We’re back to street racing, so I expect it to be a fight just like every other street course that we go to. Anything can happen. I always look forward to going to Toronto; it’s a nice city with a great atmosphere, and we have awesome Canadian fans.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“First and foremost, I’m really excited to be back here in Toronto for the race. This city always brings an amazing crowd and energy that fuels all of us at the track. The street course in Toronto is tight and technical, but that’s exactly what makes it so challenging and rewarding. We’ve had great pace on street courses this year, and we need to continue that trend to gain back the couple spots we’ve lost in the championship over the past two events.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“Toronto is a special event, not only for me with it being run on the streets in my hometown but also for the Canadian team members we have, including part-owner Ric Peterson. I remember riding my bike over to this track when the thought of making a living in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES was just a dream. Now to be here ready to fight for the pole and the win is “pinch-me” stuff. The Canadian winters serve up some bumpy roads that keep our damper experts busy, and the long blast down the Lakeshore serves up some great racing. Let’s go have some fun.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 20 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“Toronto has always been a huge hit on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar with some of the most passionate fans we race in front of. The Canadian fans make this event what it is! This will be my first street course race behind the wheel of the No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevy, so we’ll be working through our long test list of items in both practice sessions ahead of qualifying.”

Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“I am very excited to go to Toronto! I like the city a lot, it’s so nice to be up there. I love the atmosphere surrounding the race and the track itself, there’s so much to look forward to this weekend! It’s another street course, which creates great opportunities for us. I am planning on staying out of the chaos and getting a good result for BITNILE.COM! Hopefully, we are up to speed right away and can turn the season around.”

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“I very much enjoyed racing at the Toronto Street course in 2019. We definitely had a strong weekend considering it was my first time there as a rookie. I do very much look forward to coming back to Toronto even though the car is different and I’m in a different team. We’ve been working very hard and very diligently, on our street course set up to try and improve from the team last year. Unfortunately, this is one of the few tracks I can’t practice on my simulator so I will be relying off of old videos and notes.”

Benjamin Pedersen, No. 55 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“This will be my first time in Toronto. I haven’t raced there in any Junior Formula series, but I am really excited to learn a new track and it looks like a very enjoyable street circuit. We will be racing against guys that have a lot of experience, guys that have literally been there for 20 years. The team has had a lot of success in the past on street circuits so I am excited to see what we can accomplish together.

“In terms of prep, the big thing is looking at video and data and trying to get as much sim time as possible. It will really be just getting up to speed as quickly as possible, getting the car in a window where it is performing and getting the most lap time out of it as possible. I am really focused on giving the team a strong result.”

CHEVROLET AT TORONTO (since 2012):

Wins in Toronto: 7

2012: Ryan Hunter-Reay

2014 (Race 1): Sebastian Bourdais

2014 (Race 2): Mike Conway

2015: Josef Newgarden

2016: Will Power

2017: Josef Newgarden

2019: Simon Pagenaud

Pole Awards at Toronto: 7

2014 (Race 1): Scott Dixon

2014 (Race 2): Helio Castroneves

2015: Will Power

2016: Scott Dixon

2017: Simon Pagenaud

2018: Josef Newgarden

2019: Simon Pagenaud

Podiums at Toronto by Team Chevy: 19*

*Chevrolet swept the podium three times in the 2012 V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era at Toronto, including in 2014 for both Race 1 and Race 2, as well as 2015’s race.

Laps Led at Toronto by Team Chevy: 599

2023 CHEVROLET BY THE NUMBERS:

191: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR.

109: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012.

121: Earned poles since 2012.

7: Manufacturer Championships since 2012.

7: Driver/entrant champions since 2012.

12: Indianapolis 500 victories by Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

5: Indianapolis 500 wins by Chevrolet since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era.

26: Wins by Will Power since 2012 – all with Chevrolet power – most of any driver with the same manufacturer.

14: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including the past 11 with Chevrolet power.

9: Wins from the pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver.

44: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver.

*Will Power’s career total of 68 poles makes him the all-time pole winner in INDYCAR.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Four-time Honda Indy Toronto winner Scott Dixon will help reveal this year’s trophies tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. ET at the William Ashley store on Bloor St. West

TORONTO (July 12, 2023) – William Ashley is back as an official partner and the trophy provider of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this Sunday at Exhibition Place, headlining the 35th edition of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, set for July 14-16.

The 2023 versions of the crystal trophies will be revealed tomorrow (July 13) at 10:30 a.m. ET inside William Ashley’s downtown Toronto flagship located at 131 Bloor St. West with help from six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion driver Scott Dixon. Dixon won last year’s Honda Indy Toronto adding to previous wins in 2018 and 2013 (twice).

The celebrated retailer for Tableware, Home Décor and Kitchenware has provided the spectacular William Ashley Waterford trophies to the Honda Indy Toronto winner at every race since 2011. These custom-made masterpieces are crafted by Waterford and hand blown at their factory in Waterford, Ireland. The first-place trophy takes an artisan 48 hours to make and is etched by hand with a remarkable rendering of the Toronto skyline.

Dixon took control of the 2022 edition of the race after passing pole-sitter Colton Herta on Lap 18. The veteran pilot led 40 of the 85 laps, including the final 25 laps, en route to his 52nd career win, tying him with fellow legend Mario Andretti for No. 2 on the all-time INDYCAR SERIES wins list. Dixon will look to repeat his success from last year and win his fifth Honda Indy Toronto in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR).

“It’s been a pretty fun track for us in the past. We’ve definitely had some great results as a team and obviously going back to where we won last year. I love the crowd here and wish we had more Canadian races,” said Dixon. “The one goal is to try to win it and to try and keep this championship headed in the right direction. All of CGR is looking really strong right now and Honda, as well. We’ll keep working, keep our heads down and we’ll see what it brings.”

Media members are invited to attend the event at the William Ashley store at 131 Boor St. West. The trophy will be revealed, and then both Jeff Atkinson, Honda Indy Toronto president, and Scott Dixon will be available for interviews.

Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Honda Fan Friday returns this year for the 12th time at the Honda Indy Toronto, offering complimentary general admission on Friday, July 14, with a voluntary contribution to Make-A-Wish® Canada. Make-A-Wish fundraising activities have been an integral part of Toronto’s marquee racing event for more than a decade. To date, a cumulative total of $905,000 has been raised and each dollar will go toward granting wishes for children living with critical illnesses.

General Admission tickets for the weekend are still available with 2-Day Weekend General Admission tickets priced at $75. Single Day General Admission is $50 for Saturday and $60 for Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free (general admission) with a ticketed adult providing an exceptional family value.

About Honda Indy Toronto:

Honda Indy Toronto is a world-class motorsports festival which takes place annually on a 2.874-kilometre (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary circuit using the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. The event features many attractions, food trucks, interactive displays and activities, and supports local charities. Honda Fan Friday offers general admission courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation. To date, $905,000 has been raised for Make-A-Wish® Canada. As one of Ontario’s largest annual sporting events with the first race held in 1986 first known as the Molson Indy, it has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers including past NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions like Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power as well as Canadian racing greats Scott Goodyear, James Hinchcliffe, Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Wickens, and more. Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco is planned to be in the 2023 starting field. Honda Indy Toronto is owned and operated by Green Savoree Toronto, ULC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (March 3-5, 2023), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid (June 30-July 2, 2023) and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 1-3, 2023).

For more information, visit hondaindy.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @HondaIndyToronto or follow the event on Twitter @HondaIndy and Instagram @HondaIndy using #indyTO.

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 12, 2023) – Snap-on Incorporated – a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools and equipment – has renewed its multiyear partnerships with INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Snap-on will continue as the Official Tools & Equipment Partner of both INDYCAR and IMS. Snap-on first became a partner in 2020 when Penske Entertainment acquired both businesses.

Snap-on Incorporated provides tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professional users performing critical tasks including those working in vehicle repair, aerospace, the military, natural resources, manufacturing and other critical sectors.

As a partner with Snap-on, INDYCAR and IMS will continue to highlight the Makers and Fixers initiative, which celebrates the men and women that keep the world moving, from pit crews to shop technicians to aviation mechanics (and many others).

“Snap-on is deeply rooted in motorsports, and we look forward to continuing this partnership,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp., which owns INDYCAR and IMS. “The tools and equipment provided by Snap-on are an ideal match for the Makers and Fixers who perform at the highest caliber at every INDYCAR event and throughout the IMS season.”

“Snap-on is proud to renew our partnership with INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Samuel Bottum, chief marketing officer of Snap-on. “Our ongoing collaboration supports the exceptional Makers and Fixers who drive motorsports forward. Snap-on provides solutions for technicians to excel in not only motorsports but numerous critical industries. Together we honor their pursuit of excellence on and off the racetrack.”

From its founding in 1920, Snap-on has been recognized as the mark of the serious and the outward sign of the pride and dignity working men and women take in their professions. Snap-on has highlighted hundreds of personal stories from technical professionals around the world on its Makers and Fixers website. You can learn more, share your story, or nominate a Maker and Fixer in your life by visiting @makersandfixers on Instagram or makersandfixers.com.