Track Walk: Edmonton 2012

Another off week for the Izod IndyCar Series is over and the series stays in Canada for the eleventh round of the Championship at Edmonton. Ryan Hunter-Reay took over the points lead from Will Power with his third consecutive win at Toronto as he looks to make it four in a row.

The Circuit
This is the second year for the 2.224 mile configuration of the circuit at City Centre Airport. Last year's race saw a lot of carnage at turn five with multiple accidents. This year no one can question that the drivers have done a better job on restarts and giving each other room on the race track. With 120 seconds of push-2-pass in place for Edmonton, expect passing in turn one and five, Mike Conway may try to make a move in turn twelve again, and turn thirteen as well.

The Future of Edmonton
IndyCar and the Edmonton race have a deal through 2013 but after that it appears the City Centre Airport is going to become housing developments and the race will not be able to return to it's current location. Octane Motorsport Events, promoter of the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix and the NASCAR race at Montreal, took over the Edmonton race after 2010 and were reportedly interested in an IndyCar race in Calgary. With recent reports of a third Canadian race for 2013, one has to think Octane will have some involvement due to the inevitable loss of Edmonton. Quebec City has also expressed interested in hosting a street race. Other less likely venues include two true road course, Mosport and Mont-Tremblant. Montreal seems very unlikely to return as long as the NASCAR race is there.

More On 2013
Quick run down: Randy Bernard is going for 19-20 race (we all know that). Depending on who you listen to (Robin Miller in this case), Phoenix is less likely to happen than previous thought, Pocono seems very likely and Kentucky is back in the running. Still no change on Michigan and Road America. Austin is not out of the discussion (personally thinking it would be a doubleheader with V8 Supercars or ALMS). Still nothing on China or any other fly-away race (i.e. Surfers Paradise).

Quick Tidbits
No NASCAR race this weekend. Even though the race is on NBC Sports Net, this is a chance for a good day in the ratings. The Open Championships should be over by green flag time around 2:45pm ET. Sebastian Saavedra will race at Sonoma for AFS-Andretti Racing, just like he did at Indianapolis. Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon and Will Power have won six of the seven Edmonton races. Justin Wilson won in 2006.

Predictions
I see this as a great chance for Bourdais. He starts in the top six, runs strong all day and gets a podium. Charlie Kimball has a clean day and gets a top ten. Josef Newgarden has another top ten day, except this time Simon Pagenaud does not run him down to the wall and ruin it. Ryan Hunter-Reay keeps the points lead with a top five. Scott Dixon and Will Power both run well, even though Dixon has a ten grid spot penalty and, just because it is the last race in Canada for 2012, I predict James Hinchcliffe gets the victory because it would cool to see. Sleepers: J.R. Hildebrand and Rubens Barrichello.