How Tony Kanaan Nearly Returned To IndyCar Cockpit At Iowa Speedway

NEWTON, Iowa – In his career as an IndyCar Series driver, Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan started 15 races at Iowa Speedway and drove to victory in 2010.

Kanaan nearly made his 16^th start at Iowa as a replacement driver for Nolan Siegel on Sunday, July 13.

Here’s how it all happened.

In Sunday’s Synk 275 IndyCar Series race, Siegel crashed in the fourth-turn wall on Lap 248. The impact was so severe, it damaged the SAFER Barrier that Red Flagged the race so repairs could be made.

Siegel also had a bruise on his leg from hitting the inside of the tub and steering wheel from the impact.

Siegel Has ‘Mild Concussion’

Kanaan confirmed Sunday morning that driver Siegel has a “mild concussion” according to the IndyCar Medical Unit. That is why he was not cleared to drive in Sunday’s Farm to Finish 275 at Iowa Speedway.

“He has a mild concussion, that is why he is out of the car,” Kanaan told Forbes, FOX Sports and the Indianapolis Star Sunday morning in the NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Technical Center in the IndyCar Paddock. “I don’t think he was knocked out. We talked to him right after on the radio and he replied.

“As we went through the concussion tests, they looked at the accelerometer and the data they had, and they determined he had a mild concussion.”

Kanaan also confirmed that he considered starting Sunday’s race in place of Siegel to ensure getting five points for the Leaders Circle. But according to Kanaan, IndyCar Race Director Kyle Novak needed to know Saturday night in order to give Kanaan a 15-minute refresher session on the .894-mile Iowa Speedway short oval to start the race.

Because Siegel was scheduled for a Sunday morning re-evaluation by IndyCar’s Medical Unit, it would have been premature to have named a replacement driver.

Kanaan Prepared To Use Pato O’Ward’s Seat And Driver’s Suit

Kanaan won the 2004 IndyCar Series Championship and the 2013 Indianapolis 500. He was one of the best drivers of his generation with 27 IndyCar wins in his career.

Since retiring as a driver, Kanaan has climbed the ranks to become Arrow McLaren Team Principal.

Because of Siegel’s unknown medical status on July 12, Kanaan did a seat fitting using Pato O’Ward’s seat and driver’s suit after Saturday’s race in case he was called into action.

Novak, however, stood firm on the IndyCar rule that he would have had to know by late Saturday night in order to schedule the 15-minute session for Kanaan on Sunday morning.

“Pato’s suit fits me and his seat, so I put Pato’s seat in the car, the suit on and sat just in case,” Kanaan said. “We were pending their decision, but we thought why rush it, let’s sit there and try.”

Fans noticed Saturday night that Kanaan was in O’Ward’s fire suit.

Per The Rulebook

The original plan for Kanaan was simply to start the race then park to get five points in the race. By not starting, Siegel’s entry will receive three points.

“By the rule book, if you are ever subbing for someone, the driver has to have a 15-minute session prior to the race,” Kanaan said. “Last night, Kyle told me I need to know now. I told him I did not know yet.

“I was not going to put anyone else in the car and it would be two extra points to start the race. I told them, ‘I’m cleared to drive. Can we do it?’

“Kyle said, we don’t have time to do the session.”

Kanaan said no driver can start an IndyCar race without participating in a session over the weekend.

“I didn’t know until 9 a.m. Sunday that my driver wasn’t capable, but I don’t disagree with their decision,” Kanaan said. “The rules are the rules. That was the reason.

“People saw me in the driver’s suit and then my wife called and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ Buy it was for two extra points and now we will get three instead of five for not starting the race.”

Siegel’s entry gets three points for participating in the race weekend, including Saturday’s Synk 275.

“We had time for an extra session, but I wasn’t going to do anything until I knew for sure about Nolan,” Kanaan said. “I wasn’t going to run the race, I was going to start the race, then pull in.

“That’s why I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

Siegel’s Crash Details

Kanaan said the track got cooler toward the late afternoon, Siegel’s car picked up front grip and started to get oversteer.

“It got the best of him,” Kanaan said. “He did hit the apron, but there are two instances of hitting the apron. You can misjudge and hit, or the car gets loose and points you to the apron.

“I’m not going to say it was him because if he got loose and hit the apron, that is naturally what is going to happen.

“I’m not going to say if it was that or driver error.”

Kanaan saw improvement in the 20-year-old driver in Saturday’s race and was scheduled to start fifth in Sunday’s second race of the doubleheader.

“There is no denying Kyle Moyer on that stand has created more confidence for the kid,” Kanaan said of the hiring of the former Team Penske General Manager. “Sometimes that is all you need as a driver.

“He was starting fifth today on a track that is tough to pass. It’s a bummer.”

Kanaan has had four concussions in his career and realized that Siegel badly wanted to race on Sunday.

Arrow McLaren said Siegel will be observed for any changes including sleep. On Thursday morning, he will be re-evaluated by IndyCar Medical before he can be cleared to compete on the streets of Toronto.

“I’m going to have work on a backup plan just in case,” Kanaan said. “The only way Nolan won’t be in that car is if he is not cleared. That is above my paygrade, but I will work on a backup for it just in case.”

Short List Of Replacement Drivers

Kanaan said drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jack Harvey, Linus Lundqvist and Theo Pourchaire are all drivers he would consider in case Siegel is not cleared to compete at Toronto.

“It’s a short list, but it’s an important race for us,” Kanaan said. “I’m definitely not an option for Toronto.

“I need to go through today, get through this race and sleep on it, think about what is the best fit because a driver might sit there all weekend and not drive.

“We’ll probably bring a backup regardless, because if it is coming back from a concussion, it isn’t clear until he has completed his first session.”

Kanaan said he would have only completed one lap at Iowa Speedway, and he did not want to participate in the entire race.

“If I had been on the grid, Scott Dixon would have laughed at me forever,” Kanaan said. “I have no desire going against these guys and getting beat because I would really be mad again.

“I’m not here to create more chaos.

“But I was going to tell Scott McLaughlin, ‘Hey, get out of my way.’

“Picture this, though. The No. 6 car would have been Kyle Moyer, who I worked with, Scott Harner was my spotter, and it would have been a Déjà vu weekend, but IndyCar shut us down.”