IndyCar: Transcript of Derrick Walker’s Toronto media availability

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INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations Derrick Walker spoke to the media after the postponement of race one in Toronto on Saturday. A transcript of that interview is below:

Derrick Walker: We’re talking with promoter, TV, teams in that order. Might be somewhere around 10:30.

Q: Will it be two full races?

DW: It will be two complete races. We’re looking at the lengths now because we’ve moved the schedule around. Now we’re jamming the schedule around.

Q: There seemed to be some indecision on the part of INDYCAR to get the cars out and bring them in. What was the thinking?

DW: No indecision, surprisingly enough. We were just eyeballing the conditions. The conditions looked like almost we could get it in, we were moving back and forward based on the rain.

Q: Was there any thinking as to whether to start the race behind the pace car? Maybe let the cars blow it off?

DW: We tried that for a few laps as you saw… no we didn’t and no we couldn’t (throw the green with the yellow flag). I think it would have been crazy to start the race today. It was just … it didn’t look like a lot of water but when you get out there and look it was enough.

The other factor that happens here is you get a lot of oils coming out, when it comes out on the blacktop. It’s quite slippery and there’s a lot of water. I don’t think we did the wrong thing. We waited and waited and waited; part of the indecision, as you put it, was going as late as we possibly could to hold. We wanted to try to get the race in. Television hung in as late as possible.

We watched the weather channel, watched the rain. We thought if we could get the race started, maybe we could have kept it going. But visibility was just crazy.

Q: Can you tell us for certain, does IndyCar race in the rain?

DW: I’m here to tell you we do race in the rain. But we also do think of our drivers and our fans’ safety. Racing in the rain is great; but, you can’t throw everyone in the fence because the conditions are archaic. I think they were today.

Q: Any opposition from teams or unanimous with teams?

DW: We haven’t actually talked to the teams about what happened. We saw a lot of instant messages and one or two interviews. I think they know what it’s all about. We tried to fit it in and make it work.

The conditions were wet but not as wet as this one was. The slipperiness of that standing water, everybody looked at it and said no way, no way.

Q: Visibility was bad too, as well?

DW: Yes it was. But you have to ask yourself, what do you want? Do you want a good race? Or are we gladiators where we get a couple lions out and see who can eat people in two laps? We’re trying to put on a show here.

Q: Worst case scenario, if it’s like this tomorrow, is there a Plan B to come back?

DW: We’d stay here as long as we could to get a race in. For sure.

Q: You could race Monday, if possible?

DW: There is a slim chance, via the promoter, but I think we can get at least one race tomorrow in for sure.

Q: To clarify the three cars sent to back under red, would they regain their original starting position?

DW: Good question (laughter). To explain, there’s a lot of people getting hot about that issue, guys doing work on their cars.

Basically we looked at it – the stewards looked at it – and the race hadn’t started yet. Yeah he crashed during the pace car, parade laps, Car 12, and he was sent to the back. The race hadn’t started so it was still not a penalty as such. When the race was red flagged and everyone went to their cars, some needed more work than others. When one can work on their car, they all could.

When the 12 car disappeared and went back to the truck, we thought it was gone and never coming back. Well they put it together and brought it back. Then we positioned it at the back. Nobody requested any more time to work on the cars.

At the end of the day, the stewards are trying to get everyone back on track, wheels on and make a race out of it. Tomorrow, to answer your question, it’s not final, but would go off the qualifying positions in order. Second race, probably on points.

We need to allow a three or four hour break, three minimum, for the crews to work on their cars.

Q: What about spare cars for the race?

DW: The rules have it where you don’t have an engine in spare cars. When you take an engine off the truck, or from one car to another, they have a spare, you’d eat up all that time turning it around. I don’t think it would work.

If you have a serious accident, you’ve got three hours, four hours to get it fixed. If they don’t they could jump to a spare car. But I think with the time slot, with serious damage, it should be turned around.

Q: What time do you hope to start the first race?

DW: We’re hoping to be going somewhere around the 10:30 timeframe. Wait until you get the official time frame. Second race pretty close to schedule.

Q: How do you compare the conditions of racing in the rain on a road course like Mid-Ohio to a street course like Toronto?

DW: What you tend to find at a lot of road courses, like Mid-Ohio, is that the water comes roaring down the hill. You get about a six-foot wide river that when it’s really heavy it’s just as bad as the backstraight here. All tracks are susceptible; some don’t have the drainage to get rid of it.

On street courses, you have the walls and some drainage holes, but it doesn’t all run and disappear. A lot lies on the surface. It’s unique to street racing. We generally deal with it. We just couldn’t get it started.

Q: Derrick, to clarify, race results from the first race set the grid for race two?

DW: No. It will be, we have a set of qualifying positions to start the first race. The second race, because it’s not had any qualifying, would probably revert to what the rulebook says, which goes by points, driver points in order. That’s more likely what it will be by the rulebook.

Q: Derrick, were you planning to go green when Will Power had his accident, and if you had made it to the green is it your opinion or experience you could had continued to race?

DW: Difficult to say. Will Power, Briscoe, pace car, a few people were diving off. We became increasingly skeptical that each time we tried we saw someone slip off. In hindsight, I’m glad we didn’t.

Q: Was the intent to go green?

DW: We were always trying. You can ask your fellow journalist, Curt (Cavin) was in race control and saw the whole drama unfold.

2023 SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Motocross season opener: Jett Lawrence rockets to the top

SuperMotocross Rankings season opener
Align Media
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As the SuperMotocross season heads outdoors, the NBC Power Rankings change significantly with results from the Motocross opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. The Power Rankings assign a numeric value to each individual moto (90 points maximum) as well as the overall standings (100 points) and averages that number over the past 45 days. Included in the Power Rankings are results from the final five Supercross rounds, which fit into that 45-day timeframe.

Dylan Ferrandis finished on the podium in his first race back after experience a concussion in Supercross Round 4 at Houston. – Align Media

It didn’t take long for Jett Lawrence to rocket to the top of the SuperMotocross rankings – only about 74 minutes in fact. Lawrence dominated his first moto and beat his teammate Chase Sexton, the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross champion, to the line by 10 seconds. He had to fight a little harder for the second moto win as Sexton stalked him throughout the race and ended up less than a second behind.

Beginning this week, we have added the SuperMotocross points’ ranking beside the rider’s name and in one fell swoop, Lawrence went from being unranked in the 450 class to 26th. To qualify for the inaugural SuperMotocross’ guaranteed 20 positions that automatically make the gate for the three-race championship series, Lawrence needs to be inside the top 20 in combined Supercross and Motocross points. The bubble is currently held by Justin Starling and Lawrence needs to make up 44 points to overtake him.

Sexton’s second-place finish in the overall standings at Fox Raceway marked his ninth consecutive top-five finish. After the race, Sexton compared the battle he had with Lawrence to the one he experienced with Eli Tomac in last year’s Pro Motocross championship. These two riders had a significant advantage over the field in Pala, but there is still a lot of racing to be completed.

MORE: Jett Lawrence wastes no time, wins first 450 race

After missing 13 rounds to a concussion, Dylan Ferrandis told NBC Sports that he was not going to do anything risky in the season opener at Fox Raceway. If he dialed back his effort at all, one would be hard-pressed to notice. He finished third in both motos and was third in the overall standings. Ferrandis began the weekend just outside the top 20 in combined SuperMotocross points and climbed to 19th. In the next few weeks, he will get a little more breathing room over the cutline and then challenge for wins.

Adam Cianciarulo’s three-race streak of top-five finishes ended with a sixth-place overall at Fox Raceway, but that was enough to advance him one position in the NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings and land him eighth in the combined points standings. His individual motos were moderate, but Cianciarulo is still battling the effects of injury and a nagging loss of strength in his wrist.

Aaron Plessinger returned from injury in the Supercross season finale to finish second at Salt Lake City. He added another top-five to his season total and now has six of those in the 13 rounds he’s made. With Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac not currently racing in Motocross, Plessinger has an opportunity to rise to the third seeding in short order.

450 Rankings

This
Week
Driver (SMX rank) Power
Avg.
Last
Week
Diff.
1. Jett Lawrence (26) 93.33 NA
2. Chase Sexton (1) 92.36 1 -1
3. Dylan Ferrandis (19) 89.00 NA
4. Adam Cianciarulo (8) 82.89 5 1
5. Aaron Plessinger (5) 81.20 9 4
6. Justin Hill (9)
Not racing MX
79.75 8 2
7. Ken Roczen (4)
injured | Not racing MX
79.13 3 -4
8. Jose Butron (30) 75.67 NA
9. Lorenzo Locurcio (29) 75.00 NA
10. Eli Tomac (2)
injured
74.50 2 -8
11. Dean Wilson (10)
Not racing MX
72.88 7 -4
12. Cooper Webb (3) 71.17 6 -6
13. Jerry Robin (32) 70.33 NA
14. Justin Barcia (6)
injured
70.00 4 -10
15. Kyle Chisholm (15) 65.36 11 -4
16. Dante Oliveira (36) 65.00 NA
17. Shane McElrath (11)
Not racing MX
63.63 12 -5
18. Ryan Surratt (38) 63.33 NA
19. Josh Hill (13)
Not racing MX
62.38 13 -6
20. Justin Starling (20)
Not racing MX
62.13 19 -1

Motocross 450 Points


A bad start to Moto 1 at Fox Raceway was not enough to deter Hunter Lawrence. Neither was the fact that he was riding with sore ribs after experiencing a practice crash earlier in the week. He was a distant 10th to start the first race and for most of the 30 minutes, it seemed he would finish off the podium. Lawrence did not win the 250 East Supercross championship by giving in to hopelessness or pain, however.

Lawrence picked off one rider and then another until he found the battle for the top five in front of him at the halfway point. Once the field started to lap riders, Lawrence used the opportunity to continue forward through the grid. He passed third-place Jo Shimoda with two laps remaining and challenged Maximus Vohland for second on the final trip around Fox Raceway, but had to settle for the final spot on the podium. Lawrence dominated Moto 2 and claimed the overall victory in Pala.

Justin Cooper made his first start of the season at Fox Raceway and earned enough NBC Power Average points to climb to second. Partly this was due to consistently strong runs in both motos and a 5-4 that gave him the fifth position overall, but he is also not weighed down with moderate Supercross results. It will take a week or two to see where his strength lands him on the grid.

Motocross 250 Points

In only his third Pro Motocross National, Haiden Deegan scored a second-place finish in the overall standings. – Align Media

RJ Hampshire may feel he has something to prove after finishing second to Jett Lawrence in the 250 SX West division. He certainly rode like that was the case in Moto 1 and easily outpaced the field on his way to victory lane. In Moto 2, he crashed twice on Lap 1 and dropped back to 39th. It took half of the race to get inside the top 20 and salvage points. By the end of the race, he was 11th and while that was enough to get him on the overall podium, it cost him points in the NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings.

Haiden Deegan surprised the field in Houston in his 250 Supercross debut by finishing fifth. At the time, he said his strong result was because there were no expectations. He echoed that statement after the Motocross season opener. His second-place finish in the overall standings was enough to project him five positions up the SuperMotocross Rankings. In 11 rounds in the combined series, Deegan has earned seven top-fives and a worst finish of eighth.

Jo Shimoda did not make his first Supercross race of 2023 until late in the season. He finished fourth on the hybrid track of Atlanta, which had some similar elements to Fox Raceway. His fourth-place finish in Moto 1 of the Motocross opener made it seem likely he would score an overall podium, but a sixth in the second race cost him points in the NBC Power Rankings in a field that promises to be extremely tight.

250 Rankings

This
Week
Driver (SMX rank) Power
Avg.
Last
Week
Diff.
1. Hunter Lawrence (1) 89.56 2 1
2. Justin Cooper (42) 84.67 NA
3. RJ Hampshire (3) 83.67 3 0
3. Haiden Deegan (4) 83.67 8 5
5. Jo Shimoda (16) 82.33 7 2
6. Guillem Farres (46) 79.33 NA
7. Levi Kitchen (6) 79.11 5 -2
8. Max Anstie (5) 77.83 12 4
9. Max Vohland (8) 77.50 14 5
10. Enzo Lopes (10) 76.00 11 1
11. Mitchell Oldenburg (13) 74.25 16 5
12. Carson Mumford (19) 71.22 17 5
13. Jordon Smith (7) 70.56 9 -4
14. Ryder DiFrancesco (48) 70.33 NA
15. Chris Blose (12) 67.00 13 -2
16. Chance Hymas (27) 66.00 19 3
17. Tom Vialle (9) 65.78 18 1
18. Jett Reynolds (55) 63.33 NA
19. Michael Mosiman (28) 62.33 20 1
20. Garrett Marchbanks (64) 59.00 NA

* The NBC Power Rankings assign 100 points to a Main event winner in Supercross and overall winner in Motocross. It awards 90 points for each Moto, Heat and Triple Crown win. The points decrement by a percentage equal to the number of riders in the field until the last place rider in each event receives five points. The Power Ranking is the average of these percentage points over the past 45 days.

POWER RANKINGS AFTER SX FINALE AT SALT LAKE CITY: Chase Sexton ends with win
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 15 AT NASHVILLE: Eli Tomac back on top
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 14 AT NEW JERSEY: The top 20 settle in
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 13 AT ATLANTA: Justin Barcia leapfrogs the Big 3
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 12 AT GLENDALE: Eli Tomac gains momentum
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 11 AT SEATTLE: Cooper Webb, Eli Tomac overtake Chase Sexton
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 10 AT DETROIT: Chase Sexton narrowly leads Webb
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 8 AT DAYTONA: Chase Sexton unseats Eli Tomac
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 7 AT ARLINGTON: Jason Anderson narrowly trails Eli Tomac
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 6 AT OAKLAND: Perfect night keeps Eli Tomac first
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 5 AT TAMPA: Chase Sexton, Cooper Webb close in
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 4 AT HOUSTON: Eli Tomac rebounds from A2 crash, retakes lead
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 3 AT ANAHEIM 2: Consistency makes Ken Roczen king
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 2 AT SAN DIEGO: Ken Roczen moves up, Chase Sexton falls
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 1 AT ANAHEIM 1: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence gain an early advantage