IndyCar Honda drivers such as Graham Rahal still overpowered by Chevy

In NASCAR Chevy eats Ford's lunch, and in IndyCar Chevy eats Honda's breakfast, lunch and dinner

Until the likes of Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti can return to consistent podium finishes racing under Honda power, Chevrolet will remain as the undisputed champion power plant for IndyCar.

No disgrace, really, considering Chevrolet is flexing everywhere these days, including weekend victories at LeMans and in NASCAR. But Honda is probably most recognized as a brand with IndyCar. To consistently sit well outside of the points race and the manufacturers hunt this season with 10 of 16 races in the books clearly does not sit well.

Two pieces of good news for Honda include two weeks to kind of regroup as this coming Father's Day weekend will be an off weekend for the series before returning the weekend of June 27 for the oval race in California. The other plus for Honda is, historically, the manufacturer responds pretty quickly to adversity.

This goes back to Honda's first foray into IndyCar when it failed to qualify for the Indianapolis its first year, then held the lead until the end its second year, finishing second. Honda had a slow start to the season in 2012, but by midyear was solidly in the mix.

Now the addition of aero kits – which is where Chevy seems to have a huge advantage – appears to be a bigger issue for Honda over power, but there is no reason to believe at some point that issue will be figured out as well.

Until then, it's all Chevrolet as Sunday's race won by Josef Newgarden continues a pattern. Chevy finished in the top eight spots, with Rahal in the first Honda, finishing ninth.

"I was pleased with the car's performance but it's just not quick enough everywhere,'' Rahal told the media after the Toronto finish. "I think we found some things that will help us going forward, but it's just frustrating to put all this effort in that we are and to finish ninth." Cleveland.com

Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com