Two-time defending Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner Tom Blomqvist will make his IndyCar debut this weekend in Toronto, the place he’ll exchange the injured Simon Pagenaud within the No. 60 automobile for Meyer Shank Racing.

Pagenaud was damage simply over per week in the past throughout follow at Mid-Ohio, the place his brakes failed and he was compelled to ship his automobile right into a spin in a determined try to clean some velocity. The automobile hit a gravel entice on the exit of a nook and rolled seven instances as items flew into the air earlier than lastly coming to relaxation on its aspect towards a barrier.

Pagenaud was examined and launched from the observe care heart however was not permitted the next day to drive within the race, and IndyCar veteran Conor Daly was drafted as a last-minute alternative. Daly accomplished each lap and completed twentieth.

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Pagenaud hoped to return in Toronto, however IndyCar’s medical employees nonetheless had not cleared him to compete on Tuesday.

“Simon says he is feeling nice and completely able to get again within the automobile as soon as he’s cleared, however he is aware of there’s an IndyCar protocol in place to guard the drivers, so we simply need to comply with these tips,” group proprietor Mike Shank stated. “I do know he was disenchanted to finish his lengthy streak of begins, however everybody desires him to be as wholesome as doable.

“We’re lucky to have Tom obtainable to leap in on such quick discover. He is a champion, has a bit of little bit of expertise within the automobile and is coming off one other massive IMSA win final weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, so this was not a tricky name for us.”

Blomqvist began his profession in open-wheel racing, together with 4 seasons in Method 3 in Europe, the place on the age of 16 he broke Lewis Hamilton’s file because the youngest champion of the Method Renault UK sequence.

The 29-year-old British driver has primarily run sports activities vehicles and prototypes the previous seven seasons, profitable final yr’s IMSA championship with Meyer Shank Racing. However Blomqvist did have an IndyCar check final October at Sebring.

“Initially, I am pondering of Simon and hoping that he recovers as shortly as doable in order that he can get again behind the wheel,” stated Blomqvist, who has been linked to a full-time IndyCar experience with Meyer Shank Racing as quickly as subsequent season.

“I’ve to thank Mike and Jim [Meyer] for contemplating me to fill on this weekend,” Blomqvist stated. “I am positively trying ahead to seeing what IndyCar has to supply. Diving straight into the deep finish is an understatement after solely having one check within the MSR IndyCar final yr. I am excited however conscious of the challenges of getting on top of things throughout a race weekend, so I am not placing any strain on myself. Simply going to go on the market soak all of it in and provides all of it I’ve bought.”

Scott Dixon is the defending champion of the Grand Prix of Toronto, which begins Friday with the primary spherical of follow. There’s one other spherical Saturday, together with qualifying earlier than the race on Sunday.

Blomqvist could have some veteran assist in Toronto from Meyer Shank Racing teammate and four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who received a lower-level Indy Lights race on the observe in 1997 however has by no means received there in IndyCar’s high stage.

“I am very excited to get again to Toronto. It is a very enjoyable occasion attending to run on the streets,” Castroneves stated. “The group has been working so onerous in the previous few races to get some momentum going and I feel we now have made enhancements and realized lots. We’ll take that to Toronto this weekend and have a very good race.”