Agustín Canapino returned to the IndyCar and this Sunday he finished 18th in the Laguna Seca Racecourse. With the Dallara-Chevrolet of the team Hollinger Racing Juncosthe Argentine did a good job on the Californian stage where the Monterey Grand Prixvalid for the eighth date of the season.
After his absence at Road America because team-manager David O’Neill did not see it well after the controversies generated on social networks by the touch he suffered from Theo Pourchairehe Reef Titan return.
It was in one of the most challenging settings of the year, despite not being an oval. Is that in Laguna Seca It is usually run in September and in this year’s edition there was greater tire wear due to higher temperatures. It also offers difficult sectors, such as the emblematic “Saca corchos” curve, where the remembered Uruguayan was killed in an accident on September 11, 1999. Gonzalo “Gonchi” Rodríguezwith a car Team Penskealso in the IndyCar (at that time called CART).
Agustín started thirteenth and, at the beginning, was surpassed by the Americans Joseph Newgarden (Team Penske) and Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing). After the first 20 laps (of a total of 95), Canapino He gained two places because pit stops to change tires began.
The Argentine made his stop in round 24 and they put the soft compound on him so that he could adhere faster to the asphalt, but it also generated greater degradation. The multiple Argentine champion continued to have a neat race and after the first two neutralizations (hits from Linus Lundqvist and Nolan Siegel), managed to place ninth. Although he later lost ground, as he bit the ground in a slight mistake, he was able to continue and finished in 12th place.
On lap 48, Agustín made his second pit stop and returned to the track in 24th place. But the four-time TC consecrated rider was able to recover and with 30 laps remaining he was nineteenth. With another batch of entries to the pits, Canapino advanced another five places.
The Argentine’s strategy was based on three stops in the pits and in round 72 he made his last stop. However, the 34-year-old runner from Buenos Aires knew how to make good times and manage rubber consumption.
With 20 laps left, the New Zealander Marcus Armstrong (Chip Ganassi Racing) touched with Christian Lundgaard (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing), got confused and after avoiding impact with the tires, he spun 360. Luckily no one hit him, but the Dallara-Honda of the ocean car went in the opposite direction and the competition was neutralized.
After the restart of the competition, Canapino He finished fifteenth and advanced one place due to the abandonment of English Jack Harvey (Dale Coyne Racing), due to failures in the Honda engine. His Dallara was left at the exit of the pits, but until he managed to get it out of the dangerous zone, the race had another yellow flag and was neutralized.
Although Canapino was involved in an incident since with nine laps remaining he touched Kyffin Simpson (Chip Ganassi Racing), who spun and was hit by Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing). His cars were left off the track and this forced a new stoppage of the race.
For that maneuver, Canapino He was penalized with a pass and go and finished 18th. Agustín could not capitalize on a good result with a car that showed potential in the previous test.
Regarding the fight for victory, the American Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) had a great start and beat the polesitter, the Spanish and current champion, Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing), who then lost ground. Kirkwood He stopped in the pits to put on new rubber and the local team took the lead. Alex Rossi (Arrow McLaren). The procedure was changing and Palou recovered to the point of regaining control at the end of turn 43. Later the local Colton Herta (Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian) was the one who took the lead, but on lap 64 Palou surpassed Hertha and again he placed first.
Then the Iberian stopped to change the tires in the pits and newgarden He inherited the privileged position. Although in the penultimate neutralization he entered the pits and Palou He moved forward again. The Catalan achieved his second victory of the season (the previous one was in the Indy GP on the Indianapolis mixed circuit) and regained first place in the championship. The winner was escorted by Hertha and Rossi.
The next date will take place on July 7 on another mixed circuit, in Mid-Ohio. There the IndyCar will have passed the midpoint of his current year and Agustín Canapino will look for a better result.
