Ryan Hunter-Reay eager for more good memories in Toronto
TORONTO (AP) — Ryan Hunter-Reay's last race was just five days ago, but it's already a distant memory for the veteran IndyCar driver.
Hunter-Reay finished last at last weekend's Iowa Corn 300, completing just 105 of 300 laps due to engine issues.
''I've almost burned that one out of my memory,'' he said Thursday.
The 35-year-old will aim to get back on course in Toronto this Sunday when he races at a track that's been kind to him in the past. Hunter-Reay led for 36 laps and won here in 2012.
''It's great to be back in Toronto,'' Hunter-Reay said. ''This place has some great memories here and it was a big part of our championship run in 2012.''
Hunter-Reay finished fourth at Road America on June 26, and was in the top 10 for both races in Detroit. But even with six top-10 finishes overall, he is still looking for a win and is 13th in the standings.
''There's no other racing series like this in the world and that's what I like about it is every week - you need to change and adapt and be ready to really think outside the box on how you set the car up, how you need to be as a driver and how you need to approach the race weekend making changes each week,'' Hunter-Reay said. ''It's a true challenge.''
Hunter-Reay has looked good on street tracks this season. Aside from his success in Detroit, he started off the IndyCar schedule with a third-place finish in St. Petersburg.
The 2012 series champion then went on a bit of a rough stretch, including a 24th place finish at the Indianapolis 500, a race which he won in 2014.
Hunter-Reay said track positioning will be very important this weekend.
''It's such a small window here to get it right, because of the bumps, to get those shock settings and spring setting and the damper settings just right, you're talking three-, four-tenths of a second here,'' Hunter-Reay said. ''If you're out of that window, you're basically, relatively speaking in IndyCar terms, out to lunch. You have to be right there within a tenth or two of a second to be fighting for that pole position on Saturday.''
