By Canadian Press

Lundgaard takes pole at Honda Indy Toronto, IndyCar season leader Palou 15th

Jul 15, 2023 | 2:50 PM

TORONTO — Christian Lundgaard has the pole for the Honda Indy Toronto.

Lundgaard had the best lap in the Firestone Fast 6 on a wet street course at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

Scott McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward were second and third, respectively.

IndyCar standings leader Alex Palou was one of the drivers eliminated in the first round of qualifying.

Palou has won four consecutive races but will start 15th in Sunday’s race.

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Reigning Honda Indy Toronto champion Scott Dixon didn’t advance past the second round of qualifying and will be seventh on the grid.

He’s second in the IndyCar season standings behind Palou, his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate.

The first group completed its qualifying round but then heavy rain put a track hold on the street course around Exhibition Place.

When the second group started its laps, Agustin Canapino spun out on the slick, wet road but quickly recovered without doing any damage to his car.

Graham Rahal spun out shortly after, with his front wing going into a wall and having to be replaced.

The sun came out in time for the second round of qualifying, but some sections, especially Turn 8 in the course’s northwest corner, still had puddles as the top 12 went out.

O’Ward put in the best lap of the second round of qualifying in his last go-round to bump Dixon from the Firestone Fast 6.

Toronto’s Devlin DeFrancesco, the only Canadian driver in IndyCar, was 22nd.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2023.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press