Round 10: Honda Indy Toronto. Exhibition Place, Toronto. July 15-17.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 14 Jul 2022, 13:37 (Ref:4119513)

Round 10: Honda Indy Toronto. Exhibition Place, Toronto. July 15-17.

This weekend the Honda Indy Toronto makes a welcome return to the IndyCar calendar, after a two year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Originally a CART event, this is the second longest running street race on the calendar after Long Beach and is one of seven Canadian circuits to have held an IndyCar race, the others being Canadian Tire Motorsport
Park, Mont-Tremblant, Sanair, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton.

In the spring of 1985, Molson Breweries in-house promotional division, Molstar Sports & Entertainment, proposed the running of a CART race at Exhibition Place in Toronto, as an alternative to the Candian F1 Grand
Prix, which was sponsored by rival brewers Labatt's. The race was first held the following year on July 20, 1986 and was known as the Molson Indy Toronto. It was won by Bobby Rahal, driving a March 86C-Ford
Cosworth DFX for Truesports.

With the demise of CART, the race morphed into a Champ Car World Series event, changing its name to the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto, continuing until 2007, after which Molson dropped sponsorship of the event.

The Steelback Brewery signed a multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal to become the event’s title sponsor, renaming it the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto and though unification of the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League was announced on February 22, 2008, the race that year was cancelled. It returned in 2009, after Andretti-Green Racing, acting as the event organiser and promoter (later Green-Savoree Promotions), had purchased the assets of the former Grand Prix of Toronto, as well as signing a multi-year agreement with Honda Canada Inc.

Since then the event has remained on the calendar, being traditionally held in mid-July, though in 2015 the race was moved to June, as it clashed with the Pan-American games also being held in mid-July and of course
it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This year the Honda Indy Toronto is back in it's traditional mid July slot, a long with the return Honda Fan Friday.

After the cancellation of the 2020 race, a new three-year agreement was reached in September 2020 between Exhibition Place and Green Savoree Toronto to host the event through 2023.

Some Trivia:
The driver with the most wins: 7, Michael Andretti: 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001.
The team with the most wins: 8, Newman/Haas Racing: 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004.

-

Track:
The original 1986 track length was changed from 1.784 miles (2.871 km) to 1.755 mile (2.824 km) in 1996, due to construction of The National Trade Centre building, which led to the pit straight being lengthened and last turn being altered.

In 2016, major changes were made to the track. The Pit Lane was moved to the North side of the track, starting at Turn 9 and extending back onto Princes' Boulevard past Turn 11. The hospitality suites were also moved to the North side and the Turn 11 grandstands are now on the south side
of Pit Lane. However, the paddock remains in its original location, linked by a pedestrian bridge.

1986 original track layout:

1996-2015 layout:

2016 & Current layout:

Length: 1.755 miles - 2.824 km
Turns: 11

Lap record:
Gil de Ferran. July 17th, 1999. 57.143 seconds, 110.565 mph (177.937 km/h).
Walker Racing,
Reynard 99i-Honda HRS V8t,
CART FedEx Championship Series.

Previous race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...rossi/4495369/

Pole:
Simon Pagenaud, 58.4293, 110.041 mph (177.094 km/h).
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet IndyCar V6

Winner:
Simon Pagenaud,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet IndyCar V6

Laps: 85
Distance: 151.81 miles (244.314 km)
Race Time: 1:30:16.4388
Average Speed: 100.900 mph (162.383 km/h)

Cautions: 2
Laps: 2 - 3, 85 - 85
Laps: 12

-

Practice and Qualifications
Practice 1 - Friday, Jul 15
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM ET

Practice 2 - Saturday, Jul 16
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Qualifications - Round 1 Group 1 - Saturday, Jul 16
2:00 PM - 2:10 PM ET

Qualifications - Round 1 Group 2 - Saturday, Jul 16
2:20 PM - 2:30 PM ET

Qualifications - Round 2 - Saturday, Jul 16
2:40 PM - 2:50 PM ET

Qualifications - Firestone Fast 6 - Saturday, Jul 16
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM ET

-

TV Coverage:
Peacock, July 17, 3:00pm ET. 7:00pm UTC
Sky Sports F1, 8:00pm BST

broadrun96 · 14 Jul 2022, 14:29 (Ref:4119519)

Think we have improved enough to challenge for a new lap or pole record this weekend? It's been 3 years and was first year of the universal aero kits but with added weight of aeroscreen now. I'll try to catch FP1 tomorrow

broadrun96 · 14 Jul 2022, 14:36 (Ref:4119521)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

TV Coverage:
NBC, July 17, 3:00pm ET. 7:00pm UTC
Sky Sports F1, 8:00pm BST

I don't think the race is on NBC, this is the Peacock only race isn't it? It's not listed in my YouTubeTV listings at all this weekend and Indycar's page lists Peacock and Indycar Live

**bjohnsonsmith** · 14 Jul 2022, 14:59 (Ref:4119523)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I don't think the race is on NBC, this is the Peacock only race isn't it? It's not listed in my YouTubeTV listings at all this weekend and Indycar's page lists Peacock and Indycar Live

So it is. Thanks for that, my mistake.

broadrun96 · 15 Jul 2022, 11:58 (Ref:4119574)

well for the 86 people who have Peacock Premium, this isn't bad, from NBCSports presser for the event:

"TV: Sunday, 3 p.m. ET on Peacock Premium. The first exclusive IndyCar race on Peacock will feature less than five minutes of commercial interruption throughout the race coverage."

https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/20...ian-lundgaard/

NaBUru38 · 15 Jul 2022, 14:42 (Ref:4119586)

The Nascar Cup race also starts at 3 pm...

broadrun96 · 15 Jul 2022, 22:32 (Ref:4119628)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Nascar Cup race also starts at 3 pm...

On USA. Some dudes ruining a nice walk in the garden are on the main show

Last2LiftOff · 15 Jul 2022, 23:29 (Ref:4119629)

Nice intro. BJ, thanks for that.

Up here it's shown on the TV guide as being broadcast also on Sportsnet 360. FWIW. (And we'll find out if that's accurate on Sunday.)

broadrun96 · 16 Jul 2022, 00:58 (Ref:4119630)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last2LiftOff

Nice intro. BJ, thanks for that.

Up here it's shown on the TV guide as being broadcast also on Sportsnet 360. FWIW. (And we'll find out if that's accurate on Sunday.)

Hey, Canada isn't getting screwed for a race finally. Only takes it being their home race. And Canada returns the favor, catching FP1 and there's people filling the grandstands to watch on a Friday. Well done Toronto

Last2LiftOff · 16 Jul 2022, 01:05 (Ref:4119631)

broadrun96 · 16 Jul 2022, 01:50 (Ref:4119637)

Honda Cub vs Honda Grom, Penske vs Ganassi.

And it appears Ganassi leaves the key in their bikes, Hinch stole a JJ Carvana branded bike, first one has a flat battery. Penske doesn't do branding, they're HIS bikes. And yes, they're color coded and branding on the tanks for Ganassi.

mstets · 16 Jul 2022, 04:18 (Ref:4119645)

Interesting to read about crew issues for Toronto:

https://racer.com/2022/07/15/indycar...es-in-toronto/

I remember my first pit stop as a tire changer at a CART race in 1984. Driver comes on the radio and says "fuel only". I had come from Trans Am where the driver made the call on tires and I hadn't been informed that it was standard procedure to change tires on CART pitstops. So I assumed we weren't changing tires and carried my left rear tire back to the pit wall, narrowly missing getting collected by the car coming into the pit box. Then had to scramble to get it back and changed before fueling was done. Just an example of what can go wrong with crew members that are new to their jobs. I would assume that crews are much better prepped these days.

mstets · 16 Jul 2022, 04:40 (Ref:4119646)

Good to see some pace out of the RLL cars in P1. Rahal had the third best time, and Lundgaard was 11th. Will be interesting to see if their pace holds up in qualifying.

With Palou evidently on the way out at CGR, I could see Lundgaard taking over that ride.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 16 Jul 2022, 20:47 (Ref:4119681)

Qualifying Result:

Colton Herta takes pole and great to see three Rookies make it into the top ten places, with Malukas in the Fast Six. Championship leader Ericsson is 9th and reigning champion Alex Palou is way down in 22nd.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 19:30 (Ref:4119737)

Almost a clean start, as Sato loses it at Turn 2. The car's a bit of a mess.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 19:34 (Ref:4119738)

FCY as Sato drives slowly back to the pits.

broadrun96 · 17 Jul 2022, 20:13 (Ref:4119739)

Missed the start. Veekay and Grosjean trying to fight and box. Think Grosjean definitely does NOT like the AA car setup, well off multiple apex

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 20:18 (Ref:4119741)

2nd FCY as Rosenqvist and Rossi tangle, with Rossi going into the wall at Turn 3. This could play into Newgarden's hands, who is 16 sec. behind Herta and Dixon.

broadrun96 · 17 Jul 2022, 20:19 (Ref:4119742)

Rosenquist HAS to be penalized for that. No way in hell he could have made that corner. Tire to tire and punted left, couldn't handle the car and had to correct and right in to Rossi

Oh shut up Felix, Rossi is not a bump racer. Don't try to pretend Rossi was bumping you, you almost hit him twice trying before that corner. You're gonna get your ass kicked BAD next year with him on your team

Mogster · 17 Jul 2022, 20:23 (Ref:4119743)

Ridiculously tight pit lane.

broadrun96 · 17 Jul 2022, 20:27 (Ref:4119744)

And no action taken from Indy RC. Ok, so NASCAR is in charge and this race will be a mess. Turned it off after that

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 20:28 (Ref:4119745)

No action to be taken, for Roseqnqvist/Rossi incident. Not sure I agree with that.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 20:33 (Ref:4119746)

3rd FCY as a piece of concrete comes away at Turn 1.

Mogster · 17 Jul 2022, 20:35 (Ref:4119747)

Track surface breaking up. Fist sized chunk of concrete sat on track…

**bjohnsonsmith** · 17 Jul 2022, 20:39 (Ref:4119748)

And another caution, as Kirkwood and Johnson tangle.

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