Scott Dixon ready to defend title at Honda Indy Toronto, his ‘home’ race – Toronto | 24CA News
Toronto simply looks like residence to Scott Dixon.
The New Zealander typically jokes that as the one IndyAutomobile race in a Commonwealth nation, the Honda Indy Toronto is basically his yard.
He’s additionally received 4 occasions on the road course round Exhibition Place, together with a dominant efficiency in 2022, for the second-most victories within the race’s historical past.
“I think you can never really rest on last year’s performances,” mentioned Dixon, who received twice in 2013, when there was two races in Toronto, and once more in 2018. “The track changes over time, right? It’s city streets.
“What was there one year is definitely going to be different.”
The monitor has modified since Dixon’s victory a 12 months in the past, with the floor between Turns 8 and 11 redone for a much less bumpy experience. That contains the pit lane — nestled between BMO Field and the Horse Palace — which has been expanded by two bays this 12 months to accommodate 27 automobiles.
Dixon mentioned these small adjustments make road programs a lot enjoyable.
“It looks a lot smoother and a lot more consistent, at least one kind of material,” mentioned Dixon of the resurfacing. “Going into Turn 1 looks like they’ve changed a bit too with a pretty big patch going in there.
“They’ve got a large painted crosswalk there too that would be very slippery, especially if it rains.”
There’s an 80 per cent likelihood of rain in Toronto on Saturday throughout IndyAutomobile race’s qualifying and 40 per cent likelihood on Sunday’s race day. Thunderstorms are anticipated each days.
Dixon is second within the IndyAutomobile Series standings behind Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palou of Spain. Palou has 377 factors after 4 wins, two poles, eight top-five finishes and 9 top-10s this season. Dixon has 267 factors with 5 top-five placings and eight top-10s. Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden is third with 261 factors.
Devlin DeFrancesco, the one Canadian at present driving on IndyAutomobile, is tied for twentieth within the standings. He’s wanting to be racing in his hometown once more after making his Toronto debut final 12 months.
“Even coming last year I didn’t feel pressure, I felt more support than anything,” mentioned DeFrancesco, who drives for Andretti-Steinbrenner Autosport. “I’m excited to be back here.
“Love being in the city of Toronto.”
Two-time defending Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner Tom Blomqvist will make his IndyAutomobile debut within the race, changing the injured Simon Pagenaud within the No. 60 automobile for Meyer Shank Racing.
Pagenaud was damage simply over every week in the past throughout follow at Mid-Ohio when his brakes failed, and he was compelled to ship his automobile right into a spin in a determined try to wash some velocity. The automobile hit a gravel entice on the exit of a nook and rolled seven occasions as items flew into the air earlier than lastly coming to relaxation on its aspect towards a barrier.
Blomqvist solely discovered on Tuesday he would drive in Toronto.
“The only resource I’ve had really is YouTube videos so yeah, I’m coming on here pretty blind,” mentioned Blomqvist, who spoke with 2019 Honda Indy Toronto champion Pagenaud in regards to the course. “Simon did say you’ll be fine, track’s not too difficult but then listening to these guys it sounds like he was lying.
“I haven’t really got high expectations of myself.”
DeFrancesco chimed in with some help for the Brit. “You’ll be fine. Just send it.”
Green Savoree Race Promotions, which operates 4 of the 17 annual IndyAutomobile races, is within the remaining 12 months of its contract with Penske Entertainment to run the one
Canadian occasion on the schedule. Honda Indy Toronto president Jeff Atkinson mentioned negotiations are going “very well” and that his group can have an replace on the race’s future quickly.
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