By: Spencer Neff
July 14,2023

This weekend, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES makes its lone stop outside the United States of America. The Honda Indy Toronto, which is set for its 37th race since 1986, is the second-longest running street course race on the schedule.

The circuit set around Exhibition Place is only surpassed by Long Beach. Before the field attacks the streets of Canada, here’s a look at some of the paddock’s biggest stories.

Headlines

After leading 48 of 80 laps, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou earned another dominant victory, winning the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. It was Palou’s third consecutive victory, fourth of 2023 and eighth of his career.

25 years after CGR’s Alex Zanardi won in Toronto to match the modern era record of four consecutive victories, the Spaniard looks to do the same. In his first and only start to date in Toronto, he started 22nd and charged his way to sixth.

Teammate Scott Dixon, who tied Mario Andretti with 52 career victories by winning last year, is 110 points back of Palou and is still in search of his first victory of 2023.

Ten years ago, Dixon swept the doubleheader weekend at Toronto. If he were to win again on Sunday, he would join Michael Andretti as the only drivers to win in consecutive years at Toronto. Andretti did so on three separate occasions (1991-92, 94-95 and 2000-2001).

Among other stores to watch this weekend will be the debut of Tom Blomqvist. Blomqvist, a regular for Meyer Shank Racing’s IMSA Sports Car program, will drive the No. 60 as Simon Pagenaud has yet to be cleared following his July 1 practice crash.

Fast Facts

Pit Assignments

Spotter Guide

Race weekend: Friday, July 14-Sunday, July 16 Track: Streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place, an 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary street course Race distance: 85 laps / 151.81 miles Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. Twitter: @HondaIndy, @IndyCar, #IndyTO, #IndyCarInstagram: @HondaIndy, @INDYCAR, #IndyTO, #INDYCARFacebook: @HondaIndyToronto, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARTikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAREvent website: www.HondaIndy.comINDYCAR website: www.INDYCAR.com 2022 race winner: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 2022 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 59.2698 seconds, 108.480 mph Qualifying record: Gil de Ferran, 57.143 seconds, 110.565 mph, July 17, 1999 (Note: Josef Newgarden set a qualifying mark of 58.4129 seconds, 110.072 mph, for the current layout in 2019.) Race telecast: Honda Indy Toronto 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday, July 16, TSN (Canada)/Peacock (USA) (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for Peacock’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Kevin Lee and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters. Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product in the United States, and TSN+ in Canada. The race telecast of the Honda Indy Toronto will be streamed exclusively on Peacock in the United States. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Joel Sebastianelli, Alex Wolff and Georgia Henneberry are the pit reporters. The Honda Indy Toronto race (1:30 p.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award Qualifying (2:50 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.comand the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (all times local): Friday, July 14 3-4:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, Peacock/TSN+ Saturday, July 15 10:35-11:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes green flag or 60 minutes), Peacock/TSN+) 2:50-4:20 p.m. – Qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock/TSN+ Sunday, July 16 10:15-10:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock/TSN+ 1:30 p.m. – Peacock/TSN on air 1:53 p.m. – Honda Indy Toronto “Drivers, start your engines” 2 p.m. – Honda Indy Toronto (85 laps, 151.81 miles), Peacock/TSN (Live).

Fast Facts By INDYCAR Media, Header Image By Chris Jones/INDYCAR