IndyCar Series drivers will find the 1.96-mile, 14-turn Edmonton City Centre Airport circuit is distinctively different from the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course -- last weekend's venue du jour.
Airport runways and taxiways to rolling terrain.
Left- and right-hand 90-degree corners to sweeping turns.
Concrete and tire barriers to sand runoffs.
Majority of racing surface is 75-feet wide to about 50 feet.
Both are physically and strategically challenging in their own right, which contributes to the depth and breadth of the IndyCar Series schedule. This week, it's the inaugural Rexall Edmonton Indy in provincial capital - a venue that transitions from Champ Car to Indy Racing League stewardship.
Eight IndyCar Series drivers entered in the 95-lap race July 26 (5 p.m. ET; ESPN and indycar.com) have competed on the circuit in the event's three years, (as ChampCar Series drivers) which leads to whether they'll enjoy a decided advantage.
When racing at a new track, Dan Wheldon ensures that he studies the in-car camera footage from other drivers that have driven on the track and have been competitive. He prefers to look at the most recent footage to gauge his approach at the venue. He also looks at the telemetry that the TCGR team is able to provide. Finally he'll take advantage of the track walk around the airport circuit with his engineers when he arrives in Edmonton this weekend.
Wheldon will make his first trip to Edmonton. He anticipates, "it seems to flow like Cleveland with a surface that may be like Nashville."
Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) has won five of the first eight IndyCar races this season, a feat that was matched one other time in CGR history in 1998 when Jimmy Vasser and Alex Zanardi combined to win five of the first eight races under the CART banner. Both Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon donated their Iowa winnings last weekend to relief programs for the victims of floods and tornados in Iowa.
Wheldon commented, "It's very small in the grand scheme of things, but we're very proud to be able to do something. Hopefully it will put a smile on people's faces."
Wheldon and Dixon both have five starts at Richmond since 2003 and have scored one win and two podium finishes a piece. Wheldon has finished in the top-10 at every race on the Virginia short track.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s (TCGR) Dan Wheldon celebrated his birthday in victory lane Sunday by winning his second race of the season at Iowa Speedway in the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Teammate and polesitter Scott Dixon finished fourth in the No.9 Commit Honda Dallara to extend his lead in the IndyCar Series championship race from 35 to 48 over Helio Castroneves.
Wheldon started third on championship points after qualifying was rained out and took the lead out of a caution flag with 60 laps to go after his team made the decision not to pit. The move paid off, as Wheldon held off Andretti Green Racing drivers Hideki Mutoh and Marco Andretti down the stretch.
“What a great day for Target Chip Ganassi Racing," Wheldon said, "and a great birthday present. My wife and I drove from Chicago to Iowa earlier this week and we saw the flooding and it was just heartbreaking. Scott and I are glad we could help out as best we could this weekend. I hope the race today put a smile on the faces of the people of Iowa and took their minds off the challenges and most difficult times they are facing.”
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