HPD Trackside -- Honda Indy Toronto IndyCar Race Report

Taking advantage of track position and a well-timed caution flag, James Hinchcliffe thrilled his hometown fans with a third-place finish Sunday at the Honda Indy Toronto. It was Hinchcliffe’s second Verizon IndyCar Series podium of 2016 and best result since finishing third at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis in May.

Starting sixth, Hinchcliffe survived jostling for position through the opening laps, but faded to the second half of the top 10 runners through the middle portion of the 85-lap, temporary street circuit contest. Making an early final pit stop, on Lap 55, proved to be the small break Hinchcliffe and his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda needed, as the caution flag waved just three laps later. Those who had not already pitted were forced to make their final stops during the caution, resulting in significant shuffling of the running order.

When the green flag waved on Lap 62, Hinchcliffe was running third behind leaders Tony Kanaan and Will Power. On a similar strategy, Takuma Sato emerged in fourth for A.J. Foyt racing, with Mikhail Aleshin seventh in the second Schmidt Peterson entry. Kanaan, however, needed to make one final stop for fuel, doing so on Lap 76, as did sixth-running Spencer Pigot.