Latest news with #DeFrancesco
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
After a year away, Toronto's DeFrancesco brings hometown hope to Honda Indy
TORONTO - A year away from the IndyCar Series gave Toronto's Devlin DeFrancesco time to reflect — and grow, both as a driver and as a person. Now the 25-year-old is literally back in the driver's seat and will be behind the wheel at his hometown course. DeFrancesco is the only Canadian in the field at this weekend's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after a season in sports cars. Although DeFrancesco was disappointed to be cut loose by Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport at the end of 2023, he says it was ultimately for the best. 'I think it did me good in the long term, obviously, didn't feel like that at the time, but I think it was good for me,' said DeFrancesco in a recent phone interview. 'We've shown promise, and we've had a strong pace everywhere we've gone this year. We need to focus on that. 'That result's going to come. This team's building. The momentum we have is positive.' DeFrancesco is ranked 25th on the IndyCar points list with 115 heading into Sunday's race around Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. His best finish this year was 11th at the famed Indianapolis 500, a race that he led for 17 laps after he started 16th on the grid. But competing in his hometown, at a course where he has some of his most cherished memories as a fan and a driver, with his family and friends in attendance, will be a different experience. 'Both my grandmothers still live in Toronto, my aunt, my cousins, so yeah, I'm looking forward to connecting with family,' said DeFrancesco. 'There are a lot of them that will be coming out to the race to watch. 'To be able to have their support in person. I think it's important and nice to have, as well as all the home fans. Being the only Canadian on the grid is quite rewarding, so I'm looking forward to it.' Toronto's Paul Tracy is the only Canadian to win the race since its inception in 1986, claiming the checkered flag twice in 1993 and 2003. The road course winds through Exhibition Place and along Lake Shore Boulevard, the southern edge of the fairgrounds, and challenges drivers with its mixed and uneven road surfaces. Denmark's Christian Lundgaard was the champion in 2023, but he insisted at a news conference on Thursday that his win was unexpected. He said that the real luck came when his team was able to take advantage of heavy rainfall during that year's qualifying. 'I don't necessarily think we had pure pace to put the car on pole without any inconvenient weather, which we had, and we ended up doing the job on Saturday and getting pole in very tricky conditions,' said Lundgaard, noting that this week's weather forecast is predicting similar conditions. 'I think that's just a recipe for shaking the field up at the end of the day. If we have a qualifying where the weather can be tricky, you can have cars up front that potentially shouldn't be there, and vice versa.' Colton Herta of the United States is the reigning champion, and he agreed with Lundgaard that earning pole position in Saturday's qualifying was the key to his success. 'Starting on pole is a huge help here,' said Herta. 'If you're that second car, it's hard to overtake the leader. I think further back, it gets easier. But starting on pole, being able to control the field, it just makes your life a lot easier. It's a tough race. There's a lot of places where yellows can come out and it can flip up the field.' There's a total of nine races throughout the weekend, from five series and representing different classes of cars. Toronto's Mac Clark, who will race in the two USF Pro 2000 races on Saturday and Sunday, said he loves the challenge of driving in his hometown. 'Any driver that says they don't feel pressure at their home race is just lying to you,' said Clark. 'Being at home in front of friends, family, sponsors, supporters, it's a lot, but at the same time, you have to embrace it. 'I'm looking forward to it, and I think I'm going to try to feed off the energy of everyone around me this week.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Winnipeg Free Press
After a year away, Toronto's DeFrancesco brings hometown hope to Honda Indy
TORONTO – A year away from the IndyCar Series gave Toronto's Devlin DeFrancesco time to reflect — and grow, both as a driver and as a person. Now the 25-year-old is literally back in the driver's seat and will be behind the wheel at his hometown course. DeFrancesco is the only Canadian in the field at this weekend's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after a season in sports cars. Although DeFrancesco was disappointed to be cut loose by Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport at the end of 2023, he says it was ultimately for the best. 'I think it did me good in the long term, obviously, didn't feel like that at the time, but I think it was good for me,' said DeFrancesco in a recent phone interview. 'We've shown promise, and we've had a strong pace everywhere we've gone this year. We need to focus on that. 'That result's going to come. This team's building. The momentum we have is positive.' DeFrancesco is ranked 25th on the IndyCar points list with 115 heading into Sunday's race around Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. His best finish this year was 11th at the famed Indianapolis 500, a race that he led for 17 laps after he started 16th on the grid. But competing in his hometown, at a course where he has some of his most cherished memories as a fan and a driver, with his family and friends in attendance, will be a different experience. 'Both my grandmothers still live in Toronto, my aunt, my cousins, so yeah, I'm looking forward to connecting with family,' said DeFrancesco. 'There are a lot of them that will be coming out to the race to watch. 'To be able to have their support in person. I think it's important and nice to have, as well as all the home fans. Being the only Canadian on the grid is quite rewarding, so I'm looking forward to it.' Toronto's Paul Tracy is the only Canadian to win the race since its inception in 1986, claiming the checkered flag twice in 1993 and 2003. The road course winds through Exhibition Place and along Lake Shore Boulevard, the southern edge of the fairgrounds, and challenges drivers with its mixed and uneven road surfaces. Denmark's Christian Lundgaard was the champion in 2023, but he insisted at a news conference on Thursday that his win was unexpected. He said that the real luck came when his team was able to take advantage of heavy rainfall during that year's qualifying. 'I don't necessarily think we had pure pace to put the car on pole without any inconvenient weather, which we had, and we ended up doing the job on Saturday and getting pole in very tricky conditions,' said Lundgaard, noting that this week's weather forecast is predicting similar conditions. 'I think that's just a recipe for shaking the field up at the end of the day. If we have a qualifying where the weather can be tricky, you can have cars up front that potentially shouldn't be there, and vice versa.' Colton Herta of the United States is the reigning champion, and he agreed with Lundgaard that earning pole position in Saturday's qualifying was the key to his success. 'Starting on pole is a huge help here,' said Herta. 'If you're that second car, it's hard to overtake the leader. I think further back, it gets easier. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. But starting on pole, being able to control the field, it just makes your life a lot easier. It's a tough race. There's a lot of places where yellows can come out and it can flip up the field.' There's a total of nine races throughout the weekend, from five series and representing different classes of cars. Toronto's Mac Clark, who will race in the two USF Pro 2000 races on Saturday and Sunday, said he loves the challenge of driving in his hometown. 'Any driver that says they don't feel pressure at their home race is just lying to you,' said Clark. 'Being at home in front of friends, family, sponsors, supporters, it's a lot, but at the same time, you have to embrace it. 'I'm looking forward to it, and I think I'm going to try to feed off the energy of everyone around me this week.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Fox Sports
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Driver Gifts Cameraman Bottle Of Bourbon After Fall That Went Viral
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Devlin DeFrancesco wanted to heal any pain from an unintended spill that happened a week ago in St. Louis. As DeFrancesco ran back to his car after exiting the infield medical center at World Wide Technology Raceway (known as Gateway), he stopped. Then Jimmy Kevin Henslee, the cameraman who was following him, tried to stop short and fell. No person was injured. The camera, however, might be a different story. And DeFrancesco wanted to give something to Henslee — who's known throughout the garage as "Bama" because of the Alabama flag on his camera. "A bottle of bourbon, most men enjoy that," DeFrancesco said. "It was unfortunate what happened at Gateway. And sad to see him fall or break his camera. I just thought it was something good to do." DeFrancesco wasn't knocked over and was not injured. "I was fine," DeFrancesco said. "He kind of just missed me and fell over and took the brunt of it." What made DeFrancesco stop so suddenly? "They jumped off the stand and told me to stop and turn around and he was following me and I guess didn't see me and fell over," DeFrancesco said. "I felt bad over the incident and felt it would be good to do something nice." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PSU Altoona rail program in talks with Railroaders Museum to aid industry
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Penn State Altoona and the Pennsylvania Railroaders Museum are in preliminary talks to move the college's Rail Transportation Engineering program into the museum to help rural areas. 'There's no point in us working independently towards the same goal,' Dr. Ron Darbeau, chancellor of Penn State Altoona, said. 'The idea was for us to collaborate and do this.' 'Being able to bring the program here to the museum means a lot, because we won't just be a museum of artifacts and history, but it'll be a living, breathing, organic, site for people to come to and learn more about the rail industry,' museum executive director Joe DeFrancesco said. New Educational and Career Space announced in Cambria County The program, based out of the Penn Building in downtown Altoona, has seen growth in enrollment over the years. It is the only rail program with ABET accreditation, meaning it meets quality standards concerning its field of work. Residing in the state that houses the largest number of short-line rails in the country, the importance of railroads and their workers is crucial to the area, especially in Railroad City. 'We also want to be in the workforce development space, where maybe they are sending some of their employees to us for upscaling,' Darbeau added. 'We want to be an opportunity for Pennsylvanians who may be looking to change careers, to get into the rail industry.' The talks provide an opportunity for both sides to find the benefits of working together. Not only do Penn State officials see a chance to grow the students' education, but the museum can aid visitors with a look into the future of the industry. 'The students will be able to learn about railroading's past while learning about the current day railroading,' DeFrancesco said. 'The visitors coming to the museum will probably be able to sit in or view some of the laboratory exercises.' Last week, Darbeau testified in front of the Senate Transportation Committee at the museum's classroom to talk about the opportunities that lie ahead with the program. In doing so, he urged lawmakers to set aside resources to help the program and the area it is stationed in. 'I wanted them to hear how well received it is by employers, how successful our graduates are, and what its growth potential still is,' Darbeau said. 'The museum will be the hub of that research that may translate into improvements to existing infrastructure or possibly developing new infrastructure as needed for the rail industry,' DeFrancesco added. The industry is facing an exodus of workers in the Baby Boom generation and an increasingly aging infrastructure that has surpassed the century mark. The future partnership looks to benefit both parties and the area. 'It is really critical that we replace those individuals with young men and women who are wonderfully well prepared, both in terms of their mastery of knowledge and skills,' Darbeau said. 'We're hopeful that this matures into a great and wonderful partnership,' DeFrancesco added. Darbeau added that if a deal gets done, the college will move the program into the museum over the next few years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Scott McLaughlin, Devlin DeFrancesco have 'cleared the air' after Thermal argument
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Devlin DeFrancesco won't apologize for being passionate and Scott McLaughlin won't apologize for thinking he was wronged when the two had contact prior to the start of the INDYCAR race a few weeks ago at Thermal. Their argument after the race went viral. DeFrancesco wasn't going to take the blame without voicing his opinion to the Team Penske driver. Ironically, the two drivers are pitted next to each other this weekend for the Grand Prix of Long Beach. "I figured we were going to be close," McLaughlin said. "I went and saw the 30 car crew [of DeFrancesco] yesterday. They're putting their pit [area] together. I said, 'Boys, at least I know my neighbors, but at least I hope I'm not yelling and screaming here on Sunday.'" DeFrancesco said his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team works hard and has a fight in them. "It's the heat of the moment, right? And it was after a tough day and very disappointing after the pace that we had," DeFrancesco said. "This is my life. These guys, especially RLL, ... we fight every weekend going out. "So I was passionate about it. Scott and I spoke, we've cleared the air, we've moved on and we're looking forward to the rest of the season, and this weekend in Long Beach." McLaughlin also wanted to move on quickly. "I don't need to have a beef with Dev," McLaughlin said. "I don't have beef with anyone. But I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I thought it was a bonehead move, and that's just how it is. "But sometimes people like that [or] people hate that if you're up front about it. Dev, full credit [to him] that we've got on with it, and there's no hard feelings." DeFrancesco's fiery demeanor might have surprised some, but it did not surprise Graham Rahal, the veteran leader and driver of the team. "I see it every day. That dude is a fiery little guy," Rahal said. "Don't mistake the size of [him for] the size of the heart. He's an energetic dude. I certainly see both sides and that's what I told him because he reached out to me. "There wasn't a lot of room given to him, that's for sure. He obviously came in a little hot, but also the guys at the front were getting ready to go so everybody in the back is feeling the rush that you've got to go. You've got to catch up to the pack or you're going to miss the green flag." McLauhglin, a three-time Australian Supercar champion, said it was good for the sport to see that emotion. "That's what I like about INDYCAR racing or American motorsports. You shouldn't shy away from showing your displeasure, and that's a good feeling," McLaughlin said. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
