// Swede features in close podium scrap in dry/wet Canadian opener
// Retires from Race 2 in start incident
Joel Granfors lived through a weekend of mixed emotions as USF Pro 2000 set camp in Toronto for the last round before the series’ summer break.
Taking on the tight and twisty Canadian street course for the first time of his career, Granfors proved aptly able to adapt, going fourth fastest in Friday’s free practice session.
The Swede then qualified in the upper half of the field, in sixth and seventh respectively, for the weekend’s two races.
In Race 1, Granfors worked his way into podium contention on a dry track early on, before the race was stopped in the closing stages as rain started to fall on the treacherous street circuit.
After all cars were called into pitlane for a change to wet-weather Cooper tyres, the race resumed with a few laps to go. Granfors kept out of trouble in a wild fight for the podium with Exclusive Autosport team-mate Salvador de Alba (Mexico) and Germany’s Lirim Zendeli, coming home P4.
“I think we did a solid job in that first race,” says Joel Granfors. “I managed to get up into fourth early on, and then after the restart I was battling hard for the podium. I decided to play it a bit safe, which I think was the right thing to do having never driven the track in the wet before. It gave us some important championship points and the pace was very strong in both the wet and dry.”
In Race 2 on Sunday, however, the curtains came down on Granfors’ hopes just moments after the start, as a Turn 1 clash with fellow rival Christian Weir inflicted suspension damage to the #92 Corpay Exclusive Autosport car and sent both drivers into instant retirement.
“A very short race today,” Joel Granfors concludes. “From my perspective, I felt like I gave up plenty of room on the outside, but unfortunately we made contact as we rounded Turn 1. My front suspension got bent and we both hit the wall. It’s one of those first-lap things, I guess.
“It’s a real shame as the pace has been strong this weekend, and I was really adamant that we could challenge for the podium today. Still, I take a lot of positives from this weekend and my first visit to this track.”
Granfors now sits tied for fourth in the USF Pro 2000 standings.
The INDYCAR feeder series now enters a six-week summer break, resuming in Austin, Texas, on August 26-27.
// RESULTS
USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 7 – Streets of Toronto (Canada)
// CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 7/9 rounds
1: Myles Rowe (USA), 299 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 218 p.
3: Salvador de Alba (MEX), 215 p.
4: Joel Granfors (SWE), 206 p.
5: Michael d’Orlando (USA), 206 p.