Dixon claims third title at Toronto Indy

TORONTO Scott Dixon won the Honda Toronto Indy on Sunday, his third title at the event, while Canadian Robert Wickens finished in third in his first race on Canadian soil in 11 years.

Dixon of New Zealand finished the 85-lap course on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place first, with Simon Pagenaud of France finishing in second and Wickens, from Guelph, Ont., in third.

That’s the third year in a row Canadians have landed on the podium. James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ont., ended in fourth, after two straight years of third-place finishes, while Zachary Claman De Melo of Montreal was in 14th.

Josef Newgarden looked poised to defend his title and win for the third time in Toronto, leading for most of the first 32 laps on a hot and humid day. The start-time temperature was listed at 27 C but felt like more like 35 C.

But on Turn 1 of lap 33, the 27-year-old American hit the wall, allowing Dixon to take the lead and he cruised to victory from there.

Further chaos ensued at the corner as Ryan Hunter-reay, Graham Rahal, Will Power, Max Chilton, Ed Jones, Alexander Rossi and Sebastien Bourdais were involved in a collision. The incident allowed Wickens and Hinchcliffe to surge into third and fourth. Wickens moved up to second on lap 35 to trail Dixon, who led until he pitted on lap 55, but retook the lead shortly after.

This was the first race in Canada for Wickens, an Indycar rookie, since competing in Toronto as part of the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic.

Fans filled the grandstands at the race, which routinely attracted about 170,000 over the course of the weekend during the 1990s and early 2000s.

A representative for Green Savoree said Sunday he expected the three-day turnout to be between 125,000 and 145,000.