Hunter McElrea’s first weekend as an NTT IndyCar Sequence driver confirmed two issues: He’s quick, and he’s courageous.
The Highway To Indy veteran got here near successful final 12 months’s Indy NXT title after taking a pair of wins and a runner-up place behind Christian Rasmussen, and along with his sights set on reaching IndyCar, McElrea tried all through the offseason however was unable to safe a seat on the grid.
A possibility to race in IMSA’s LMP2 class as a substitute appeared, and that’s the place the 24-year-old Kiwi positioned his focus whereas persevering with to seek for methods to interrupt into IndyCar. Practically 10 months faraway from his final outing in an open-wheel automotive, McElrea examined for Dale Coyne Racing at Mid-Ohio forward of constructing his debut final weekend in Toronto, and from the outset, he was fast within the No. 18 Honda.
McElrea made an announcement within the first observe session on Friday by working 18th, seven spots forward of teammate Toby Sowery, and on Saturday morning, he improved to sixteenth to Sowery’s twenty fourth, which was among the many finest placements for the staff in any street or road course observe session this 12 months.
“It actually felt prefer it was inconceivable for me to get a shot, after which there was one lifeline being thrown to me, and it was with Dale on the hardest observe to make your debut in IndyCar,” McElrea advised RACER. “I had buddies telling me to not do it as a result of it was Toronto, however I couldn’t move it up and I used to be so proud of what the group at Coyne gave me.
“They stated it was one of the vital aggressive turns they’ve had to date this 12 months, and I really feel like we may have really challenged to make it into the [Firestone] Quick 12 if I hadn’t made a mistake to begin qualifying. I raised my hand and apologized to the staff; it wasn’t, clearly, how I’d needed it to go.”
McElrea slid into the tires and stalled at Flip 8, the identical location the place Alexander Rossi crashed and injured himself on Friday. The crash ended McElrea’s first qualifying session and left the No. 18 Honda beginning twenty fifth.
He rose at excessive at tenth within the race and frolicked battling with fellow rookies Linus Lundqvist and Nolan Siegel, and chased Graham Rahal previous the midway level of the 85-lap contest. McElrea tapped the wall on his out lap after making his remaining pit cease, which led to a suspension failure and a end of twenty fourth. He left Canada stuffed with loads of newfound expertise to make use of.
“I used to be actually having fun with myself within the race and we obtained into some good scraps with some quick guys,” he stated. “We obtained good pit stops performed and have been making quite a lot of progress, I felt. Really, I handled each lap prefer it was my final, from first observe to the race, as a result of I needed to take pleasure in all the things about this as a lot as I probably may in case it was my final. I gave it all the things I had all the time.
“Sadly, I obtained into the wall a little bit bit, and didn’t suppose it was unhealthy sufficient to cease issues, nevertheless it was worse than I assumed and we needed to retire the automotive. It wasn’t how we needed to finish the race, however I believe I confirmed by capabilities in addition to I may, given the circumstances.”
Now McElrea returns to looking for one other shot to race in IndyCar.
“I actually wish to say thanks to Dale, as a result of if he hadn’t made this attainable for me, I doubt I’d ever get the prospect to point out what I can do,” he stated. “And I do know if I can get one other probability, I can do even higher. We have been quick all weekend, so I simply hope folks seen.”
