CHEVROLET RACING IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO
STREETS OF TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
July 11, 2019
Chevrolet takes aim at another win on Toronto streets
Chevrolet drivers have won six of the nine races since 2012 return
Seventeen podium finishes, six poles augment statistics
Team Chevy drivers are first and third in standings
Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud in championship hunt
Chevrolet remains strong on variety of racetracks
Bowtie brand has five wins and four poles in 10 races
Sage Karam to drive Carlin Chevrolet entry
DETROIT (July 11, 2019) – Joseph Newgarden’s plan to pad his NTT IndyCar Series championship points lead exiting the Honda Indy Toronto – start up front, avoid carnage, finish strong – is simple yet profound.
And it is race proven. The driver of the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet is a two-time winner (2017, ’15) at Exhibition Place and claimed the pole in ’18. The technically challenging 1.786-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit is fraught with pitfalls and opportunities – from a hard 90-degree right-hand Turn 3 to a long front stretch leading into a tight Turn 1.
“We’ve had some success there and it’s just a really fun course to drive,” Newgarden said. “We have been reviewing a lot of our data from last year’s race at Toronto and some things we’ve learned at road and street courses this year we’d like to try out. We have a solid plan going into the race weekend, and I know my team is putting together a really strong Hitachi Chevy that I can’t wait to drive.”
Nine drivers powered by the 2.2-liter, twin turbocharged, direct-injected Chevrolet V6 engine are entered in the 85-lap race. Team Chevy drivers have secured five wins and four pole starts through 10 races.
Since returning to NTT IndyCar Series manufacturer competition in 2012, Chevrolet has won six of the nine races, secured six pole starts by six different drivers and accumulated 17 podium finishes, including sweeps in 2015 and the second race of a 2014 doubleheader.
The Honda Indy Toronto is the first of three consecutive weekends of competition leading into the championship stretch of the season. Chevrolet drivers will seek to push their momentum July 20 at the .875-mile Iowa Speedway tri-oval, followed by a July 28 visit to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“We are fresh off a test session at Mid-Ohio, which really allowed us to take the time and understand how to attack the second part of the season,” said reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Simon Pagenaud, driver of the No. 22 DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet who has a pair of top-five finishes and a pole start at Toronto the past two years. “We’re sitting third in the championship and are in a really good position going forward. My crew and I are excited and focused on executing in the next three weeks.”
Returning to the Chevrolet camp for the Toronto weekend is Sage Karam in the No. 31 SmartShop Self Storage Carlin entry. Karam last competed in the Indianapolis 500, advancing 12 positions from his starting spot to finish 19th in a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet.
“I’m extremely excited and grateful to get back behind the wheel on a road course again for the first time since 2015. I’m looking forward to the challenge and working closely with everyone on the team to achieve a successful result,” said Karam, who last competed at Toronto in 2013 during his Indy Lights championship season.
Tony Kanaan, driving the No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, will look to extend his record consecutive race streak to 131. He leads all active NTT IndyCar Series drivers with 16 starts on the streets of Toronto.