Photo from torontograndprixtourist.com
Soaring temps and a third rate track in a nation of second raters have our blood boiling.
Canada’s lone race on IndyCar’s schedule is one too many, making us especially ill-tempered and downright salty this week. Our special prediction of the weekend is that come Sunday evening following another disastrous so called race north of the border you’ll find yourself in an irritable mood, too. Then – to top it all off – there’s those entitled, over officious border agents to negotiate on the way home.
Photo from aliexpress.com
Pole prediction perhaps means less at Exhibition Place than most road courses, as the winner’s come from P1 a third of the time lately – the exact same fraction as those winning from eleventh starting position. The other two winners over the last six contests started fourth and fifth, so in wild and wacky Canuck land clearly anything can happen – just look at their juvenile Premier. That’s why we’re going with Graham Rahal snagging his second pole of the season – and only the fourth of his career. He’ll edge Penske’s “Mad” Will Power, angering almost no one.
First out of the race – and this is where our Canuck hosts begin to get hot under the collar – will be hometown boy James Hinchcliffe. Hinch was recently dubbed a “megastar” of IndyCar by the Canadian press, whatever that is. He’s already suffered three DNFs this season and now all of a sudden has a new teammate. Due to all this, unfortunately his temperament won’t be improving come Sunday. Neither will that of his throngs of fans, so be extra vigilant when leaving.
Photo from usatoday.com
Our biggest surprise of the race will be the result of usually crabby Conor Daly. He’s run well at Detroit in the past, which is a similar (and similarly awful) track, and really needs a strong finish this weekend. The fact that he’s driving for the clueless and listless A.J. Foyt Racing will make his showing that much more impressive.
Race winner will in fact come from pole position for the third time in the last seven races in Canada. Ragin’ Graham Rahal will snag his third win of the year and seventh of his career. Son of ‘Stache swept Detroit in June and Toronto’s snaking circuit is almost indistinguishable from one of America’s worst street courses.
Photo from indycar.com
That’s the type of race you can expect from a half assed track on the crumbling streets of TO. On the bright side, just think how crest-fallen all those Canadians will be after again watching an American beat their token driver to win their token race. That’s enough to brighten our mood considerably.
