Reviewing the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series races with a look at 2013, too. Today, it's races 10-11.
Honda Indy Toronto – Sunday, July 8 on streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place
Following his final service stop with 30 laps remaining in the Honda Indy Toronto, Ryan Hunter-Reay was enjoying a Sunday drive on the Exhibition Place street circuit.
Hunter-Reay, in the No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Chevrolet, inherited the lead on Lap 57 when JR Hildebrand pitted and upped his margin over Tony Kanaan from .6040 of a second to 4.0794 seconds in the matter of five laps on the 1.75-mile, 11-turn course.
Though Charlie Kimball replaced Kanaan as the protagonist on Lap 72, the challenger didn't matter. Hunter-Reay pulled away by 7.6 seconds with 10 laps left and -- staying ahead of restart pileups in Turns 1 and 3 with three laps left -- went on to his third consecutive victory.
Hunter-Reay crossed the start-finish line under caution, with Kimball securing a career-best runner-up finish and Mike Conway coming from the 11th starting spot to place a season-high third (the first podium for A.J. Foyt Racing since Brazil in 2010). Tony Kanaan finished fourth and Oriol Servia was fifth.
Hunter-Reay, who entered the race three points behind front-runner Will Power in the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings, heads to the Edmonton Indy with a 34-point lead as Power's No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car finished 15th (contact with the car driven by Josef Newgarden on Lap 56).
Helio Castroneves, who finished sixth, overtook Scott Dixon (out early with an engine issue) for third (46 points back). Ten different teams were represented in the top 10 of the standings.
Box score: CLICK HERE
2013 date: Doubleheader weekend, July 13, 14
Tickets and info: www.hondaindytoronto.com
Watch the entire race
Edmonton Indy – Sunday, July 22 at Edmonton City Centre Airport
Helio Castroneves earned a bit of redemption at Edmonton's City Centre Airport.
The Team Penske driver held off Takuma Sato by .8367 of a second to win the caution-free Edmonton Indy on the 13-turn, 2.224-mile temporary airport circuit.
Will Power, who started 17th because of a 10-grid spot penalty for an unapproved engine change, charged to third and Graham Rahal tied his road/street course best finish of the season in fourth. Alex Tagliani, who led a field-high 49 laps after starting fourth, finished fifth.
Castroneves had been the runner-up in three of the past four Edmonton races, and was leading late in the 2010 contest when he incurred a penalty for blocking. Scott Dixon went on to win the race and Castroneves was credited with 10th place.
The last Indy car street/road course caution-free race was Portland in 2007 under Champ Car sanction. The last caution-free oval race was 2011 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Castroneves, who was celebrated with his usual exuberant fence climb, gained one position in the championship standings with his 27th Indy car victory (second of the season) -- 23 points behind Ryan Hunter-Reay, who finished seventh.
Box score: CLICK HERE
Watch the entire race