Live from the Honda Indy Toronto: Dario wins from the pole
TORONTO -- We're coming to you live from Exhibition Place, site of today's Honda Indy Toronto. Another week, another mini-road trip to an IndyCar Series event. We'll have to see what's in store for today -- Justin Wilson's win for victory-starved Dale Coyne Racing was a pretty great story last week at Watkins Glen.
10:50 a.m. I was dropped off out front and joined a lot of fans making their way to the venue.
This is such a great city. Everytime I cover this race I promise myself that I have to make the short trip up here -- truly one of the world's best cities. And of course, I haven't tripped here since I last covered this race a few years ago.
10:54 a.m. Arrive in the media room, which this year is located outside the track as part of Exhibition Place's National Trade Center. You can actually walk out of the media room and across the busy, wide hallway to see the frontstretch leading to the very sharp Turn One -- from where I'm sitting, I can see some sunshine and a grandstand through the doorway. Kind of nice to have a glimpse of the track.
In past years that I covered the race here, the media room was inside the track in the Automotive Building. But it wasn't easy to step out of the room and see the track -- you literally covered the race from a room without windows without seeing the track at all. I always feel like I'm giving away a trade secret when people ask me where I get to watch the race -- essentially the only way to effectively cover a race (especially on a street/road course) is by watching television -- not unlike what a lot of people will do on their couch today.
11:28 a.m. A whole lot of photographers are on the move out of the media room. That means only one thing -- the food is being served.
11:34 a.m. A nice selection of tasty wraps and sandwiches. But nothing to drink! Advantage, Watkins Glen -- by at least a few laps.
11:37 a.m. Race grand marshal Gene Simmons, the famous tongue-brandishing member of KISS, is shown on the closed-circuit television awarding the winner of Miss Honda Indy Toronto. Shockingly, he looks like he is enjoying his role.
12:37 p.m. After some housekeeping, I'm heading outside to get a look at prerace activities.
12:50 p.m. Firehawk, the Firestone tire mascot, throws T-shirts into the bleachers. A few attempts are weak. He is booed by the crowd. Good to see mascot taunting is a universal language.
1:17 p.m. Here's some video of Gene Simmons' command to start engines, from outside the frontstretch, looking across to pit lane (thank you, new iPhone). From right to left, the frontstretch goes past pit lane and on to Turn One.
1:19 p.m. We're off and racing and Will Power has a bummer of a start from the second spot -- while all the cars made the sharp turn into Turn One, he coasted into the corner with a cut tire due to contact on the start. No such problems for Dario Franchitti. Graham Rahal had some contact on the start, which forced him in for a pit stop. Ryan Briscoe had a flat right rear, necessitating a pit stop.
1:31 p.m. We're back to racing after Dan Wheldon's spin brought out the yellow. As soon as I typed that, Ed Carpenter's nose of the No. 20 car is stuck into the wall.
1:45 p.m. Paul Tracy got a huge roar in prerace introductions, and he's getting more cheers from the hometown fans as he's moved up to fifth in the running ourder after starting 15th. Alex Tagliani leads with Tracy second after Franchitti went to the pits.
1:55 p.m. Tagliani left in front as Tracy comes in for a great pit stop. Tracy comes out roaring and passes rookie Mike Conway; Conway tries to catch up and really slams his back end into the wall. Ouch.
1:57 p.m. Tagliani in and out smoothly on lap 35 (of 85); Mario Moraes assumes the lead.
2:07 p.m. Helio Castroneves leads Ryan Hunter-Reay and Tagliani and we're more than halfway through -- 44 of 85 laps.
2:13 p.m. Castroneves into the pits and surrenders the lead, leaving Tagliani and Tracy on top again. On lap 51 of 85. After a couple of early yellows, this race is flying.
2:20 p.m. Speaking of flying, check out the view from the outside of near start/finish. The sounds alone are pretty cool (thank you again, iPhone).
2:23 p.m. Graham Rahal spins as Castroneves was coming into the pits; Rahal went inside Carpenter in a turn and Carpenter's rear banged into Rahal's front. Tagliani leads Dixon, Moraes and Matos -- all four only have had one stop so they will be coming in with nearly everyone else.
2:32 p.m. Jimmy Vassar is "flabbergasted" that Tracy had to allow Franchitti in front of him after a pitting issue related to the start of the caution period. Soon after, Dario makes a slick move past Helio for the lead as we approach 20 laps to go. Tracy is now stalking Helio.
2:35 p.m. The media room -- and many living rooms -- erupt in an "OHHHHH!" Tracy roared along side Helio, and the two went side-by-side before Helio banged Tracy into the wall. Wow. Helio made it to the pits, but he has too much damage and his day is done.
2:41 p.m. Under caution, Dario leads Briscoe, Justin Wilson, Will Power and Danica Patrick. Going green, some nice action as Will Power gets past Wilson and Wilson holds off Patrick.
2:45 p.m. Dixon passes Patrick for fifth while E.J. Viso and Moraes have some troubles. Speaking of troubles, Kanaan is out of his car after a bad day.
2:47 p.m. Moraes, Thomas Scheckter and Tagliani involved in an incident that brings out the caution. With 11 laps to go, Franchitti had more than a one-second lead on Ryan Briscoe, who was followed by Power, Wilson, Dixon and Patrick.
2:49 p.m. Scheckter waited for Tagliani to come around again and he threw something at his car before finally ducking into a safety vehicle. Replays showed Sheckter waiting, waiting, then pointing to his head as he hurled his golves at Tagliani. Good stuff.
2:54 p.m. The field takes the green -- there are seven laps to go. Dario and Briscoe check out on Power, although he catches on to Briscoe soon enough. Dario doesn't look like he'll be caught, especially with all the racing behind him -- Wilson and Dixon are battling each other, and they're not too far behind Power. Great move by Dixon to pass Wilson.
2:57 p.m. Approaching five laps to go, Dario leads Briscoe by 1.8 seconds; four laps to go it is 2.2; three left 2.3; two left 2.1.
3 p.m. White flag for Franchitti, who has a 2.1-second lead.
3:01 p.m. Dario Franchitti WINS the Honda Indy Toronto.
Ashley Judd, his wife, is being interviewed by ESPN. Hey, bring her in the media center!
Time to write. Final top 10 according to scoring monitor: Dario, Briscoe, Power, Dixon, Wilson, Patrick, Hunter-Reay, Andretti, Tagliani, Matos.
5:44 p.m. My story is complete at buffalonews.com. Dinner, drive and a ??-minute wait at the border to come.
---Keith McShea


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