Sunday, July 18, 2010

IZOD Honda Indy Toronto 2010 race - Will Power Wins

Posted by car at 9:07 AM

With the Bud Pit girls chosen we are ready for the IZOD Honda Indy Toronto race. The pre-race began at 11:45am with a parade, driver introductions and the famous ladies and gentlemen "start your engines" by actor Greg Kinnear. The race started at 12:45pm and Will Power (centre - note, Will's grandmother is Canadian) took the checkered flag followed by Dario Franchitti (left) and with Ryan Hunter-Reay (right) trailing in third place. There were quite a few accidents and associated cautions as the track conditions were slick - some of the drivers said it was like racing on ice. Here they are on the podium in the Winners Circle immediately following the race - getting a face full of big red and white star confetti. You can see pictures of the post race press conference here. The Bud Pit Crew pageant winners stand by with the trophies.






You can see lots more pictures of the race after the jump.


The crowds for Sunday were pretty good. A lot of people enjoyed the race paddocks and going through pit lane. Most of the drivers get around using scooters, many of them carrying team mates or their significant others. Here is Helio Castroneves of the #3 car as he finishes a practice and signing a bunch of autographs and heads back to the paddock.
Here is a shot into the grandstands along pit lane for the beginning of the main IRL Honda Indy Toronto race as a pair of Canadian Forces jet fighters roar overhead for the starting ceremonies.

The field heads onto the hot track at the start of the race.
With the green flag the drivers make a hard right at turn number one besides the Princes' Gates.
After racing down Thunder Alley along Lakeshore Boulevard the cars enter back onto the Exhibition grounds past turns three into turn 4.
The drivers navigate the corners in between turns nine and ten.
Not all the cars finished the race under their own power, six cars were out of the race due to contacts with other cars. Here is Rapahael Matos of the #2 "Touch the Future" car during the race and after he touched his future in the shape of E.J. Visio in car #8 and a tire barrier at turn 5, this was in lap 64 of the 85 lap race. Cars start to brake hard as they are warned of trouble up around the corner. Another car gets lifted into the air by a tow truck and taken off the track.





I admit that one of my favourite drivers is Danica Patrick of the #7 car. The Go Daddy girl seems to be warming up to the amount of star power she has and seems to smile and enjoy herself more than last year. Danica finished in 6th place after starting in the 12th position. Some people say she is not a great driver but she kicks a lot of ass going around the track to end up 6th. She was joined by another lady driver - rookie Simona de Silvestro of the #78 car, in the top 10 in a field of 26 drivers.





Here are some more photos of the racing action.



 

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