Tuesday, August 2, 2022

INDYCAR: Toronto Tidbits

It’s A Beauty Eh! To be Back Up North Eh! Like Take Off eh, Hoser! Like where’s Good ‘Ol Bob & Doug McKenzie Eh?

 

Everybody already knows that Scott Dixon scored His first IndyCar win of the season Up North Eh! Upon Indy Cars return to Toronto after a three year’s absence, where the Kiwi’ scored His 52nd IndyCar victory.  His first since last May at Texas Motor speedway. (TMS) Tying Him for second with the legendous’ SuperMario’, aka Mario Andretti for All-time IndyCar victories.

 

While Racer’s Marshall Pruett Cheekily noted in his Podcast with Leigh Diffey how All of the Noise surrounding Andretti Autosport’s Drivers Dustup at Mid Ohio and A.J. foyt’s Parking Tatiana Calderon’s No. 11 entry had vanished courtesy of the ‘lil Kerfuffle over Alex Palou…

 

Have to say I’d previously never been impressed by Dalton Kellett, who I’ve known about since His being a Mid-pack Indy Lights Driver for Andretti Autosport.

 

As Dalton spent three years driving for Mikey A’s concern, with a best season finish of seventh Overall. Which He repeated in His fourth and final Lights season for Juncos Racing in 2019. Although I tend to recall He was a very bright Engineering Student then.

 

And I know I shouldn’t be so easily swayed, but after listening to Marshall Pruett’s MP1289 Podcast with Dalton, I came away with a totally different opinion of this Kuhnaidiun’ Driver, who seems to be a very Cool person!

 

Thus, this made it very cool that ‘Ol SuperTex’, nee Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. wanted to come Up North Eh! And watch His young Charge Dalton Kellett running in front of His Home Crowd in Toronto. As I enjoyed Larry foyt’s reply to Alex Wolff about A.J. staying out of trouble on His Bulldozer in Texas. With Larry saying it’s a little Hotter there, so A.J’s Happy to be Here in Toronto where it’s a little cooler.

 

Equally cool was Dalton’s wanting to do something special for both His No. 4 A.J. foyt Racing’s Dallara Chevy and Helmet. Which I only learned via one of the multiple pre-recorded interviews that IndyCar Radio Network Pitlane Reporter Alex Wolff did with this Hoser.

 

As Alex asked Dalton to tell us a little bit about the Plaid “Flannel” motif on the engine cowling.

 

While Dalton also expounded upon His special tribute Helmut with some of His favourite Kuhnaidiun’ Artists on it. Notably Rush, with Rush’s 2112 Album and Neil Young’s Harvest album amongst others on his “lid.”

 

As Here’s the Marshall Pruett Podcast with Dalton Kellett which completely made me “See” this Kuhnuck’ Racing Driver in a whole different light!

 

https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/podcast/mp-1289-the-week-in-indycar-june-29-with-dalton-kellett/

 

Sticking with the A.J. foyt enterprises concern, another Marshall Pruett Podcast I recently listened to featured Marshall Catching Up with Tatiana Calderon. And I couldn’t help coming away not Hoping that Tatiana will be able to resume driving Foyt’s No. 11 entry again shortly. And that RockiT will soon get their Act together!

 

https://marshallpruett.podbean.com/e/mp-1295-catching-up-with-tatiana-calderon/

 

Believe it was IndyCar Radio Network Pitlane Reporter Joel Sebastianelli interviewing the Homeboy I’d previously anointed the moniker of DeCrashFesto’ too.

 

For which even though I’d Heard the story before, Pre-season on another Marshall Pruett Podcast. I tend to forget about Devlin DeFrancesco’s traumatic early life. Having been Born 15 months Prematurely, weighing less than two pounds and spending His first Four months in an Incubator!

 

Thus I’ll Begrudgingly say Kudos to the Toronto native for giving back to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Midtown Toronto that DeFrancesco claims Saved His life!

 

As Sebastianelli asked Devlin to explain the significance of His special “Kit” as the Brits’ enjoy saying. Over why His Firesuit and Helmet were adorned in special Sunnybrook Health motifs. Along with mentioning how Devlin had raised $250,000 for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center’s Prenatal Center. To which DeFrancesco emphatically said without them, I wouldn’t be Here!

 

Thus I suppose I should have been “viewing” Devlin as a Scrapper since Season’s beginning, Eh? Even though I’d Heard during another Marshall Pruett Podcast Pre-season about DeFrancesco being Born 15 weeks Early, weighing under two pounds and spending His first four months of life in an Incubator! I tend to overlook this amazing story…

 

While recall that during Saturday’s Round 1’s  Group 2 Qualie’ session, Devlin brought out a local Yellow Flag that was immediately followed by Alex Palou causing a Red Flag when His car stopped Ontrack.

 

Yet DeFrancesco correctly advanced to the Fast 12 shootout round, since He hadn’t caused a Full course Yellow or Red Flag. Although He was then subsequently Docked His two Fastest laps during the Fast 12 Shootout and Not allowed to advance any further for having impeded Colton Herta during the First round session. Since Devlin couldn’t See Herta coming when backing up onto track in what He described as a Blind Corner.

 

Yet it’s nice knowing that DeFrancesco got His Highest Qualifying result to Date of P12 at His Home track.