Qualifying at 2:30 Eastern on FS1.
Practice 2 Results; Qualifying Groups
Toronto Practice 1
Low grip and bumps were the main concerns for drivers in Practice 1 for the Ontario Honda Dealers Toronto Indy. Kyle Kirkwood led the practice session after Will Power led the way in the all car portion and his group. Nine drivers turned laps under 62 seconds.
It appears as if the race is trending toward running primary tires as the preferred rubber in what should be a three stop race.
Results
INDYCAR Announces Streets of Toronto Grid Penalty
| INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, July 18, 2025) – INDYCAR has announced a six-position starting grid penalty for the entry of No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing for an unapproved engine change following the Sunday, July 13 race at Iowa Speedway. The entry was in violation of:Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out. According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Sunday, July 20 on the Streets of Toronto. |
Toronto Preview
With five races remaining on the 2025 IndyCar schedule, Toronto begins the final third of the year. Alex Palou has virtually clinched the championship while second place is very much in play between Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, and Scott Dixon. Just 51 points separate the three drivers.
The 39th running of the race at Exhibition Place faces an uncertain future. The event renews annually, and with the calendar shifts coming in2026 and beyond, this tight track and this ever-changing venue may be a casualty. It would be a shame for IndyCar to lose this race and this city. I have only attended once, but it was one of the best times I have ever had at a race weekend.
Andretti Bounce Back
The team most happy to come to Toronto is Andretti Global. They had a miserable two races at Iowa last weekend with three tire failures and each car crashing at least once.
But Andretti drivers Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood finished 1-2 at Toronto last year, and they have dominated the street courses in 2025. Kirkwood has won at Long Beach and Detroit. Both drivers have a street course pole this season as well.
I will give the nod to Herta as your winner again Sunday, but it very well could be Kirkwood.
The Penske Roller Coaster
In race 1 at Iowa, it appeared Team Penske might have regained some momentum, but that balloon quickly deflated in race 2. The team comes to a track where their last podium is a second place by Simon Pagenaud in 2018 and thei next best finish was in 2023 when Josef newgarden ended the race in fifth place.
Penske’s street course record this season shows a pole for McLaughlin at St. Pete, a podium for Newgarden at St. Pete, Fifth for Power and sixth for McLaughlin at Long Beach, and fourth for Power at Detroit. McLaughlin is the only Penske driver to make the Fast Six this season, adding a sixth place start at long Beach to his pole.
Notes
Nolan Siegel has been cleared by IndyCar Medical to drive this weekend. Siegel had to sit out last Sunday’s race at Iowa after suffering a mild concussion in Saturday’s race 1.
On Monday Arrow McLaren signed Linus Lundqvist as a reserve driver to cover situations like last weekend.
ECR will build a new race shop in Westfield.
Toronto is third of four straight IndyCar weekends., Next weekend’s race at Weather Tech raceway in Monterey will conclude a five races in four weeks stretch. A much deserved but too short one week break follows.
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Fast Facts
From IndyCar:
| Race weekend: Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20 Track: Streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place, an 11-turn, 1.786-mile (2.874-kilometer) temporary street course Race distance: Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto: 90 laps/160.74 miles/258.69 kilometers Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 295 kilojoules (kJ) per lap. Firestone tire allotment: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race .X: @HondaIndy, @IndyCar, #indyTO, #IndyCar Instagram: @HondaIndy, @INDYCAR, #indyTO, #INDYCAR Threads: @INDYCAR ,Facebook: @HondaIndyToronto, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR TikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR Event website: www.HondaIndy.com INDYCAR website: www.INDYCAR.com 2024 race winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda)2024 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 59.5431 seconds, 107.982 mph Qualifying record: Josef Newgarden, 58.4129 seconds, 110.072 mph. July 13, 2019 (Note: Gil de Ferran set the outright lap record of 57.143 seconds, 110.565 mph on July 17, 1999) FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Noon ET, Sunday, FOX (USA)/TSN4/TSN+ (Canada) (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young and Alex Wollf are the pit reporters. The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto race (11:30 a.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award Qualifying (2:35 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA .At-track schedule (all times local): Friday, July 18 3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (45 minutes for all cars, followed by two groups for 10 minutes each), FS2 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live). Saturday, July 19 10:30-11:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes of green flag running or 60 minutes), FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live). 2:30-4 p.m. – Qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live). Sunday, July 20 8:32-8:57 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live). Noon p.m. – FOX/TSN4 on air 12:15 p.m. – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto “Drivers, start your engines” 12:22 p.m. – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (90 laps/160.74 miles/258.69 kilometers), FOX (USA) /TSN4/TSN+ (Canada), (Live). Race notes:The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto will be the 13th race of the 2025 season. There have been four different winners in 12 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Pato O’Ward (Iowa Speedway-1), Scott Dixon (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), and Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit and World Wide Technology Raceway) and Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Road America, Iowa Speedway-2) have all won in 2025.The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto will be the 39th INDYCAR SERIES race held on the streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Colton Herta won on the streets of Toronto from pole position in 2024.Scott Dixon is the winningest active INDYCAR SERIES driver at Toronto with four victories (Dixon won both races in 2013, the 2018 race and the 2022 race). Michael Andretti has the most wins at the track with seven. Dixon, three-time Toronto winner Will Power (2007, 2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2015, 2017), Christian Lundgaard (2023) and Colton Herta (2024) are previous race winners entered this year. Drivers who have won poles at Toronto entered in this year’s race are Will Power (2011, 2015), Scott Dixon (2013 Race 2, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2018), Colton Herta (2022, 2024) and Christian Lundgaard (2023). The polesitter has won the race nine times since the first race in 1986, most recently by Herta last season. From 2009-2019, the eventual NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion won the Toronto race six times. Dario Franchitti won in 2009 and in 2011. Ryan Hunter-Reay won in 2012, Scott Dixon swept both races in 2013 and won the single race in 2018 and Josef Newgarden won in 2017. Seven other drivers have claimed the INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season they won at Toronto: Bobby Rahal (1986), Al Unser Jr. (1990), Michael Andretti (1991), Alex Zanardi (1998), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Paul Tracy (2003) and Sebastien Bourdais (2004). Twenty-four drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Exhibition Place. Scott Dixon and Will Power (18) have made the most starts at Toronto among the entered drivers. Eleven entered drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 245, Power 162, Josef Newgarden 120, Christian Lundgaard 54, Graham Rahal 29, Scott McLaughlin 28, Rinus VeeKay 18, Colton Herta 98, Pato O’Ward 3, Marcus Ericsson 2 and Felix Rosenqvist 1). Chip Ganassi Racing has won eight times at Toronto: Michael Andretti (1994), Alex Zanardi (1998), Dario Franchitti (2009, 2011) and Scott Dixon (2013 both races, 2018, 2022). Team Penske has five wins at the track: Paul Tracy (1993), Will Power (2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2017) and Simon Pagenaud (2019). Team Penske has 10 pole positions at the track: Danny Sullivan (1988, 1990), Emerson Fittipaldi (1993), Helio Castroneves (2000), Gil de Ferran (2001), Will Power (2011, 2015), Simon Pagenaud (2017, 2019) and Josef Newgarden (2018). Scott Dixon has finished on the podium in seven of his last 14 starts at Toronto and has 12 consecutive top-10 finishes. He has 12 top-five finishes in his 18 Toronto races…Will Power has finished on the podium in five of his 18 Toronto starts. Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 352nd consecutive starts, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 252nd consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 215th consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for starts with his 408th start May 25 at Indianapolis and will extend his record to 412 with a start Sunday…Dixon’s win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 6 – his 59th INDYCAR SERIES win – extended two ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he currently holds: Seasons with a win (23), Consecutive Seasons with a win (21). Dixon’s second-place finish at Iowa Speedway on July 13 extended two additional ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he currently holds: podium finishes (145) and top-five finishes (215). |
Toronto Schedule
All Times Eastern
ED CARPENTER RACING TO BUILD NEW HEADQUARTERS IN THE CITY OF WESTFIELD
From ECR:
| ECR Will Move Its Operations to Grand Park Sports Campus in Hamilton County, Indiana |
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| (WESTFIELD, Ind.) July 15, 2025 – ECR (Ed Carpenter Racing), an automotive racing organization, announced today plans to relocate its operations to the City of Westfield. ECR will build a new state-of-the-art racing headquarters as part of the Grand Park District Master Plan, a visionary blueprint designed to enhance and expand the existing Grand Park Sports Campus. ECR is currently the only NTT INDYCAR SERIES team that will be headquartered in Hamilton County. The new ECR headquarters and performance campus will be located just south of the Grand Park Event Center on the west side of Grand Park Boulevard. The 76,000-square-foot facility will serve as the central hub for ECR’s professional racing operations and house advanced engineering and technical development spaces with a strategic retail and fan engagement component. Designed to be both functional and inspiring, the facility will feature a public viewing area into the team’s operations, a full-service merchandise store, and an on-site Java House café to elevate the fan experience. The project will also include the construction of the first city-funded parking garage at Grand Park, enhancing access and convenience for visitors and setting the stage for future developments within the master plan. Founded in November 2011, ECR is now in its 14th season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition. The team’s ownership group is comprised of four Indiana businessmen: Ed Carpenter, Ted Gelov, Tony George and Stuart Reed. Gelov, owner of Heartland Food Products Group, joined the team prior to the 2025 season. Heartland FPG is also headquartered in Hamilton County and is best known for their consumer brands Splenda and Java House Coffee. The announcement of a new race shop is the latest in a string of milestone achievements for the team. “Establishing ECR’s permanent home at Grand Park is a defining moment for our organization,” said Gelov, co-owner of ECR and CEO of Heartland Food Products Group. “This new headquarters will not only serve as the foundation for our racing operations and technical development, but also as a place where fans can truly connect with our team, our partners and the sport of INDYCAR. As a long-time Hamilton County resident and business owner, I’m proud to invest in this community and help bring a new level of energy, innovation and opportunity to Westfield.” ECR competes full-time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with drivers Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen. Carpenter gets behind the wheel each May to round out the team’s three-car lineup in the Indianapolis 500. “We are very excited about this project and how it will impact the growth of ECR into the future. The opportunity to build a world-class facility within Grand Park was something we could not pass up,” Carpenter stated. “The demographic of Grand Park and its annual visitors is not only a great opportunity for our team to reach new fans, but also a great opportunity for INDYCAR itself as we continue to capitalize on the current momentum of our sport. We are very focused on building a unique and best-in-class facility that will support our team and also showcase our brand to visitors each and every day.” “ECR’s decision to relocate and expand at Grand Park is a major milestone for our city and a testament to the strength of our vision for Grand Park’s future. This project brings new opportunities for our residents, visitors, and local economy,” commented Westfield Mayor Scott Willis. “Attracting a professional sports team like ECR further solidifies Grand Park as a premier destination for sports and innovation. We are excited to welcome ECR to our community.” Westfield Economic Development Director Jenell Fairman added, “ECR perfectly complements the sports innovation district identity that the City of Westfield envisions for Grand Park. Exposing amateur and youth sports competitors and leaders to a professional racing organization will be a catalyst for sports technology advancement in the Grand Park District.” Groundbreaking is expected early 2026 with project completion in early 2027. |
| About the City of Westfield Westfield is the fastest-growing city in Indiana and the sixth-fastest-growing city in the country. Westfield is home to more than 50,000 residents in Hamilton County, situated north of Indianapolis. The city is known for its 400-acre Grand Park Sports Campus, connectivity to US-31 and State Road 32, and nationally recognized public schools. |
| About Ed Carpenter Racing Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) first entered the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012. The Indianapolis-based race team has proven its versatility by collecting wins across each type of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and speedways. ECR is led by team co-owner Ed Carpenter, three-time pole winner of the Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014 and 2018). For the 2025 season, Alexander Rossi has joined the team as driver of the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet while Christian Rasmussen has been elevated full-time driver of the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet. Carpenter completed ECR’s three-car lineup in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500. More information on Ed Carpenter Racing may be found at http://www.ecrindy.com/. |
| About Heartland and Java House Brands Heartland Food Products Group makes its products, including Splenda® its ultra-smooth Java House® Cold Brew Coffee, in Indianapolis. Go to JavaHouse.com and Sweet Splenda Brands to learn more about these iconic brands. |
A Final Word on Iowa
The racing was great, the crowd n ot so much. 2025 was the polar opposite of last year. it will take more than great racing to bring back attendance. Iowa’s doubleheader lacked several ingredients for success.
Promotion seemed nonexistent. I purchased a ticket for the 2024 race, but i did not receive a renewal email. Renewals should be the first line of building track attendance. Sure, not everyone will renew, but at least there is a baseline to work from.
Niche sponsor. I appreciate Sukup stepping up to sponsor this year’s event. The company has been affiliated with Iowa Speedway since the track opened. The main question I received from readers and friends was, “What is Sukup?”
The agricultural storage manufacturer is an Iowa based company, which has been a trademark of IndyCar at Iowa from Ethanol to Hy-Vee, local sponsorship has been a staple of the races here.
Sukup is n t a direct to consumer company, and I believe most fans didn’t see a connection to their lives. There were no opportunities to win tickets, or any product giveaways.
Bad racing in 2024. Last year produced two processional races with minimal passing and little drama which left many fans with a negative feeling toward Iowa. I had not planned to go until after i saw how good the race at World Wide Technology Raceway turned out.
Last year’s ticket prices were not worth the show the fans received. Many stayed home because of 2024.
What can be done? I have seen several good suggestions for Iowa in 2026. They run from heat braces leading to a main event to a mid-week race. I really like the heat race idea, although that was tried once, but the drivers weren’t thrilled about it.
A mid-week race might improve television ratings, but I cannot see where it helps attendance.
What is needed to help draw fans is to make the race weekend an event. The concerts were a great idea, but four concerts over two days was a bit much. A prequalifying concert and a post-race concert would likely work better, if ticket prices could be kept reasonable.
The race needs to be a minimum of 300 laps, and it needs to be on a Saturday night. Green flag should be at a time where at least the fin al hour of the race is under the lights.
IndyCar needs Iowa on its schedule. The action is nonstop, cars are always in traffic, and the strategy games are intriguing. It is a track that takes the series as far back to its roots as possible without going to a dirt track.
I would not be sad to see the double header disappear, but one race at iowa, presented and marketed properly, should be a big draw.
Quick Thoughts- Farm to Fresh 275
It’s Iowa, so Josef Newgarden was inevitable, until he wasn’t. For the second day in a row Team Penske snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. When Newgarden passed Alex Palou for the lead on lap 65, it looked as if he would rule the rest of the day. But two untimely green flag pit stops were for naught as a caution soon followed, miring him deep in the order, He fought back to the lead the first time, but the next time, there were too few laps left for Newgarden to advance.
Alex Palou dominated the Fram to Fresh 276 today in another good race which surpassed expectations heading into the weekend. 229 of the 382 passes were for position. The race saw an on track pass for the lead, and many good battles for positions. When Newgarden fought back t the lead on lap 241, he pushed Palou out of the groove to get by. Palou said there was some contact.
For Palou, today is his seventh win of the season and his first on a short oval. He was on a street course, a superspeedway, a road course, and a short oval. Palou still has a chance to match A. J, Foyt’s 10 wins in 1964.
Race Notes
Team Penske’s day in the sun on Saturday turned to dusk on Sunday. Scott McLaughlin was the victim of a first lap accident and finished last. Will Power retired with an engine issue after 21 laps.
It looked like Newgarden would save the day, but the yellows fell the wrong way, and he ended the day 10th.
Palou’s teammate Scott Dixon was second, and Marcus Armstrong finished third for an all Honda podium. Armstrong’s Meyer Shank Racing team is affiliated with Chip Ganassi Racing.
David Malukas finished fourth after starting third. He had several battles for the lead and stayed up front all day.
Jacob Abel and Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne teammates who shared row 13 at the start, finished 11th and 12th. It was Abel’s best drive of the season.
Christian Lundgaard salvaged what had been a dismal weekend by coming home sixth today after starting 22nd.
Final Thoughts
We headed into this weekend at Iowa unsure of what the on track product would like after last year. The racing was great and came close to the classic old Iowa races.
It is a bittersweet feeling with the future of the IndyCar weekend here in doubt. If this should be the end, I am happy that it ended with two great races.
I will elaborate more on this point tomorrow.
Thanks for following along this weekend. My next road trip is to Portland in August, but I will still post about Toronto next weekend and Laguna Seca the following week.
Results
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 