Pagenaud reinserts himself into NTT IndyCar Championship race with Toronto victory - MotorSportsTalk

TORONTO – Simon Pagenaud is back in the conversation for the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series championship after the driver from France scored an impressive victory in the Honda Indy Toronto on Bastille Day.

By winning the race from the pole and leading 80 laps in the 85-lap contest, this year’s Indianapolis 500 winner has put aside his celebration from winning the Memorial Day Weekend Classic and is ready to focus on another IndyCar title.

Since winning the 103^rdIndianapolis 500, Pagenaud had some major commitments that came with winning the world’s biggest race, including a trip to France. Once Pagenaud returned to the track at Toronto, he concluded the time for celebration was over; it was time to focus on the championship.

“That’s a good point,” Pagenaud told NBC Sports.com. “I think that was definitely a closure to go to France and realize the impact of the biggest race in the world. I had no idea the impact it was going to have in France. It was quite incredible.

“We’re actually going back in August for a media tour with INDYCAR to celebrate with the media there and fans in my hometown as well, which I’m really excited about. (The) Borg-Warner (Trophy) is going to be there. Those are good moments, too.

“I’m definitely switched to championship mode now even though I’m a happy person.”

This weekend on the streets of Toronto, Pagenaud was the fastest in every practice session, won the pole on Saturday and easily won the 85-lap race on Sunday when he was in front for 80 laps.

He defeated Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing in a race that finished under yellow after Pagenaud’s teammate, Will Power, stuffed his No. 12 Chevrolet into the Turn 8 tire barrier.

“What a great weekend really,” Pagenaud said afterwards. “We were really hooked up the whole weekend with a fantastic race car.

“Then it’s Bastille Day in France. Being able to win for France, after winning Indianapolis, it’s been a special year. I’m very proud to fly the French flag here in a cousin country, which is Canada. I’m really excited and proud.

“I guess the French guy is leading the Tour de France today on the bike. I felt like I had to do the same. Super proud.”

Pagenaud’s near-perfect weekend also shows his resurgence in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series points championship. It was his third win of the season, but his first since his spectacular “Month of May” in Indianapolis.

Pagenaud moved up to third in the standings and is now 39 points behind championship leader and teammate Josef Newgarden.

“What a great day for the team, great stops, great strategy and you had to hold off one of the best guys in the business behind you in Scott Dixon,” team owner Roger Penske said in Victory Lane of Pagenaud’s performance.

Dixon’s second place finish has him fourth in points, but he is 86 points behind Newgarden with six races left.

Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport finished third in a Honda and is now just four points behind Newgarden heading into Saturday night’s race at Iowa Speedway. He finished one position ahead of Newgarden, who clings to the championship lead that he has held for 10 of the 11 rounds in the championship.

While Rossi is closing in on Newgarden, Pagenaud is back to within striking distance of the lead. With six races remaining in the season, he promises to fight his way all the way to the final race of the season at WeatherTech Raceway in Laguna Seca, California on September 22.

“If you look at my Indy car career, I’ve been fighting for championships almost every year,” Pagenaud said. “Never count me out. That’s all I can say.

“Maybe here in the end, I’m showing it today, that’s my determination that’s talking, it’s not pretentious, it’s just that I have a great team behind me. We won the biggest race in the world. We just won an awesome race (in Toronto). To be at a driver track where you need to have a really good car, chassis and engine, we showed that today.

“We’ve got all the equipment, all the tools to do so well. Now it’s just a matter of knowing when to push it. It’s a long championship. You’ve got to build it. I’m here and I think Newgarden, Rossi and Dixon know it, like I know they’re here, too.

“It’s going to be a great fight in the end.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay was named to replace Conor Daly in Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 20 Dallara-Chevrolet, starting in the NTT IndyCar Series event next week at Road America.

Hunter-Reay is the 2012 series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner. He finished 11th for Dreyer & Reinbold last month in the 107th Indy 500, his first start since the 2021 season finale. He drove full time for Andretti Autosport from 2010-21.

“We need to improve our competitiveness and I wanted to add a fresh perspective from a driver like Ryan who has a massive amount of experience and success as well as a reputation as a team leader. I am excited to welcome Ryan to the team,” team owner Ed Carpenter said in a team release. “We have worked together in the past as teammates and he tested for ECR at Barber Motorsports Park in October 2021, where he made an immediate impact as we were able to qualify one of our cars on the pole following that test. I am confident that his experience and technical abilities will be an asset to ECR as we move forward toward our goals as a team.”

Hunter-Reay has 18 IndyCar victories, most recently in 2018. He also is a winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, having been a part of winning entries in the 2020 Twelve Hours of Sebring and 2018 Petit Le Mans. Last year, he was an endurance driver for Cadillac Racing while being on standby for Chip Ganassi Racing.

He replaces Daly, whose departure was announced a day earlier in what the driver and team said was a mutual decision.

“I was surprised when I got the call from Ed,” Hunter-Reay said in a team release. “He described how frustrated he was that his team has not been able to realize its potential despite their efforts, investments, as well as technical and personnel changes over the past few years and asked for my help. Ed and I are very close friends and have been for a long time. I’ve worked with the team in the past and they are a very talented group with high expectations and a committed partner in BITNILE.COM.

“This will certainly be a challenge for me as well. It’s a tough situation jumping in a car in the middle of the season without any testing in what I believe to be the most competitive series in the world. Certainly, part of my motivation in saying ‘yes’ to Ed is the great challenge ahead. The last time I turned right driving an NTT IndyCar Series car was in October of 2021 with this team at Barber. However, I remain very confident in both my driving and technical abilities and believe by working with the talented people at ECR and Team Chevy, while representing BITNILE.COM, we will make progress. I am going to do everything I can do to help the team achieve its long-term objectives.”

Said Milton “Todd” Ault, the chairman of sponsor BitNile.com: “It is great for BitNile.com to be aligned with an Indy 500 Winner and an NTT IndyCar Series champion. I have followed Ryan’s career for years and I am confident he will challenge the entire ECR team to perform at higher levels. I wish everyone luck at Road America.”