TORONTO – The streets around Exhibition Place have been a happy hunting ground for Aaron Telitz.
After finishing on the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires podium in each of the last two years and sweeping a pair of Indy Pro 2000 race wins en route to the championship title in 2016, the Wisconsin native led from flag to flag for Belardi Auto Racing in Saturday’s Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto Presented by Allied Building Products.
The victory was Telitz’s first since the final round of his rookie season in 2017.
Championship leader Oliver Askew finished second for Andretti Autosport with his closest championship rival, Dutchman Rinus VeeKay, taking third for Juncos Racing.
Telitz who is competing on a race-by-race basis, upstaged the series regulars by qualifying on pole position this morning. He then took full advantage by accelerating immediately into the lead. Behind, VeeKay, who qualified second, was jumped by third-place qualifier Askew on the run toward turn one.
Telitz put his head down and extended his lead over Askew to more than two seconds inside the first three laps. Already out of push-to-pass range (1.5 seconds), Telitz traded fastest laps with Askew and then VeeKay in the opening stages of the 35-lap race as he extended his advantage to as much as five seconds before easing his pace and taking the checkered flag 2.9776 seconds clear of Askew.
In doing so, he became the sixth different winner this season.
“Having Belardi call me back to run with them again, that they had the confidence in me to get the job done, this just feels awesome,” said Telitz. “It is such a relief, after not winning at all last year. I hate how the crash at the beginning of the season defined my year (in 2018), but it knocked all the wind out of our sails. But this year is completely different. I had even more confidence coming into this weekend than I did at Road America. Hopping into the car against guys who have been here all year, I thought I’d get my butt kicked so getting the podium there really gave us confidence. As well as I know this track I felt as though I had a leg up here. I got a good start and, after the first lap, I had to just stay out of push-to-pass range. It was about not making mistakes and bringing it home.”
Second place for Askew enabled him to double his lead over VeeKay to a still meager six points with 10 of 18 races now in the books.
Ryan Norman couldn’t match the top trio and instead had his mirrors filled for most of the race by the distinctive yellow BN Racing/Team Pelfrey Dallara-AER of Englishman Toby Sowery.
Only midway around the final lap did Norman have any real breathing room, when the engine in Sowery’s car abruptly cut after he had locked up under braking for turn three. Fortunately, Sowery was able to recycle the electronics and bring the car home in fifth, narrowly ahead of Robert Megennis.
The finish:
Aaron Telitz, Oliver Askew, Rinus VeeKay, Ryan Norman, Toby Sowery, Robert Megennis, Lucas Kohl, Dalton Kellett, David Malukas.