Pato O’Ward Dominated The Latter Part of The Race On The Streets Of Toronto, Securing A Decisive win.

 

Even with a comfortable lead, he stayed fully focused and didn’t allow distractions or thoughts about the championship gap to affect him.

He specifically avoided checking where his main rival, Alex Palou, was during the race.

Palou, who has had an incredible season with seven wins, ended the day in a distant 12th place.

O’Ward acknowledged the impact of the result, noting, “It’s only, like, [down to] 99,” referring to the points deficit to Palou.

He emphasized the need for consistency, stating his team would require more strong weekends like this one to stay competitive.

His goal is to keep the title conversation alive until the season-ending race in Nashville.

To achieve that, O’Ward must reduce the gap to 54 points or less heading into the final race.

The next race will take place at Laguna Seca Raceway, a track that has traditionally suited Palou.

Palou can’t mathematically clinch the championship at Laguna Seca, regardless of the outcome.

However, he can seal the title at Portland if he leads O’Ward by 108 points after that race.

Alternatively, if Palou is 54 points ahead after Milwaukee, he could clinch there instead.

As it stands, O’Ward is the only realistic challenger in the title hunt.

The next contenders, Kyle Kirkwood and Scott Dixon, trail by 173 and 174 points respectively.

O’Ward acknowledged the urgency of the situation, stating they’ll need to start racing more aggressively.

He reflected on his mindset during the race, admitting he had to "get his elbows out" to open the door to victory.

One such aggressive moment included a brush with Will Power, which caught the attention of race officials.

The two drivers made contact, with Power slightly tapping the barrier as a result.

INDYCAR launched a review to assess if O’Ward could have avoided the incident.

After reviewing the footage, officials ruled it a racing incident, clearing O’Ward of blame.

O’Ward expressed remorse for Power but defended his approach, especially given the high stakes.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown weighed in, stating that if not for Palou, many would view O’Ward’s season as exceptional.

rown held onto optimism, saying on FOX Sports that miracles can happen in motorsports.

“The championship is not over,” Brown insisted, though he admitted a miracle might be required.

Brown emphasized that unpredictability is part of what makes racing exciting.

The focus now shifts to instilling belief within the team that every race presents a win opportunity.

Toronto hasn’t typically favored O’Ward, making this victory even more impactful.

Team principal Tony Kanaan echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of confidence within the crew.

Kanaan revealed the team had an intense meeting the night before the race, urging belief in their ability to win.

He concluded that victories like this inject confidence into the team and show they’re capable of taking the next big step.