Simon Pagenaud saw his 190 consecutive race streak come to an abrupt end in the last NTT INDYCAR SERIES race of the season at Mid-Ohio. Now, he’ll have to wait until at least Iowa before he starts another.
For the second straight race, Pagenaud will have to miss as Meyer Shank Racing tabbed Tom Blomqvist as Pagenaud’s replacement in the No. 60 Dallara-Honda for this weekend’s Honda Indy Toronto (1:30 p.m. ET, Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network).
This is all predicated by a frightening practice crash that Pagenaud endured when a brake line failure occurred on the fastest part of the 2.258-mile road course in rural Ohio. As a result, Pagenaud wasn’t able to slow his car entering the right hand turn as his car went over the hill and tumbled end over end nearly 10 times.
The Frenchman was fortunate enough to walk away from the practice crash.
“Oh shit, it’s going to hurt,” Pagenaud said during an interview after his crash on Peacock. “It was a hell of a ride for sure. Something broke, and I couldn’t slow down. I tried to make the corner anyway. I know that gravel is deadly. Michael Andretti has done it. I guess I’m joining another legend, so that’s cool, but that was just trying to bail out.
He was evaluated and released from the onsite care center but not cleared to drive. He had to be reevaluated on race morning.
“I’m ready,” Pagenaud said. “I can get back in now. It’s not a problem. It’s going to be the doctor’s decision. It was a pretty big hit. We’ll see what they say. There’s a protocol to follow. Again, that’s to keep the drivers safe.
“We’ll see what they say. Very unfortunate day for us. But I got some TV time, I guess.”
He ended up not being cleared as Conor Daly was a race day sub. However, at the time, both he and MSR as well as the safety team felt like his visit to Indianapolis for evaluation this week would be a formality as he should be fine.
Unfortunately, Pagenaud was reevaluated this week in Indianapolis and still not cleared to return to his seat for Meyer Shank Racing for this weekend’s race in Toronto.
“The car took off, hit the gravel and just rolled. Just glad I didn’t go over the tire wall. So glad we have the aeroscreen. I’m really thankful for IndyCar and the aeroscreen safety.”
So, for the second consecutive race, MSR finds itself in need of a replacement driver. Last race Daly was already on site at Mid-Ohio as one of the few potential drivers to fill in. This time, the team just walked through the doors of its IMSA program and tabbed another experienced champion to take the wheel.
Two-time defending and reigning Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona winner Tom Blomqvist will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut this weekend, taking the reins of the No. 60 AutoNation / Sirius XM Honda.
“We’re obviously still working to get Simon as healthy as possible,” said team owner, Mike Shank. “He is feeling fine and is ready to get back in the car once he is cleared. The decision to put Tom in the car was an easy one. He’s coming off of an IMSA win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last weekend and I have all the confidence in the world putting him in our Indy car.”
Blomqvist, who won the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech Championship with Meyer Shank Racing, has run primarily in sports cars and prototypes in the last seven seasons after having started his career in open-wheel racing. Last weekend, Blomqvist claimed pole position at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on his way to victory at the track with co-driver Colin Braun.
“First and foremost, I’m thinking of Simon and hoping that he recovers as quickly as possible so that he can get back behind the wheel,” Blomqvist said. “I have to thank Mike and Jim for considering me to fill in this weekend. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what IndyCar has to offer. Diving straight into the deep end is an understatement after only having one test in the MSR Indy car last year. I’m excited but aware of the challenges getting up to speed during a race weekend, so I’m not putting any pressure on myself. Just going to go out there soak it all in and give it all I’ve got.”
This decision has to be one that has MSR with an eye to the future too. Both drivers are currently free agents at season’s end and Blomqvist has been reportedly on their radar as this isn’t his first time he’s been in one of their Indy Car’s. Blomqvist tested in Sebring for the team last October.
The British-born driver came up through the karting ranks and ran four seasons in various Formula 3 series in Europe, scoring 12 wins. He also broke Lewis Hamilton’s record as the youngest champion of the Formula Renault UK series, taking the crown at the age of 16.
His INDYCAR SERIES debut comes in Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto, as the series battles for the 37th time on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile street course that winds through the city’s Exhibition Place grounds.
This weekend’s MSR lineup features drivers on both ends of the seat time spectrum as the rookie Blomqvist will be joined by veteran Helio Castroneves (No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) who is looking to reprise previous successes on the course that lies in the shadow of the Princes’ Gate.
Castroneves has five front-row starts to his credit in Toronto, including pole positions in 2000 and 2004. The Brazilian has led laps in seven of his starts in the Ontario city and has finished on the lead lap in each of his last nine INDYCAR starts there.
Blomqvist takes over the ride that Pagenaud finished seventh with a year ago. It’s unfortunate that Pagenaud can’t be in the car this weekend as he’s had a disappointing year with the team. However, he’s always been good on the Exhibition Place streets.
Pagenaud has alternated with Dixon the last three years. Dixon was first and Pagenaud second in 2018 and Pagenaud first and Dixon second in 2019 and Dixon first and Pagenaud seventh last year. Trends put him on course for a win then this weekend.
He had five straight top 10’s, three of the last four being in the top five there. On the last street course in Detroit, Pagenaud was around the top 10 in all three practice sessions and qualified eighth.
For qualifying purposes in Toronto, 10 of his 11 Toronto starts have seen him make at least the 2nd round. 4 of his last 5 were all in the top 2 rows (4th, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 1st).
Now, it makes you wonder if Pagenaud should just skip everything until Nashville in early August. That would give him a full month off. Missing Toronto is tough but since he’s so deep in points right now, I don’t know if it makes much sense to make a return to the cockpit for Iowa.
That’s a dizzying experience in and of itself with a bullring type venue. With 2 races in 2 days in the warm conditions that they’re going to be facing, that’s asking a lot to come back there from a likely head injury that he’s suffering from right now.
After Iowa is another week off. It may be wise to skip Iowa too but it’s also difficult if cleared for a driver to sit out as well. I get that aspect and I get that it would be frustrating for Pagenaud to miss four races. But, I worry about the lasting impacts of coming back too soon now too.
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