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IndyCar: Driver Power Rankings After Toronto

By Asher Fair

AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 28: Josef Newgarden, driver of the #2 Team Penske Chevrolet drives during practice for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 28, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 28: Josef Newgarden, driver of the #2 Team Penske Chevrolet drives during practice for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 28, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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FORT WORTH, TX – JUNE 09: Charlie Kimball, driver of the #83 Tresiba Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX – JUNE 09: Charlie Kimball, driver of the #83 Tresiba Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

After the 12th of 17 races this season, how do the Verizon IndyCar Series driver power rankings look? Who is trending upwards after the Toronto race, and who is falling?

NOTE: This list only includes full-time drivers. The “Last Race” category includes each driver’s rankings in the previous edition of the IndyCar driver power rankings.

#20 through #17

No. 7. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Honda. MIKHAIL ALESHIN. #20. [Last Race: 16th (-4)] — No, Mikhail Aleshin is probably not the worst driver in the field. But he is the first full-time driver in a long time to simply be benched because he hasn’t been performing well. Based on his recent struggles, his replacement at Toronto, Sebastian Saavedra, probably performed better that Aleshin would have, as he finished in 11th place. After sitting out, it is only fair to the other drivers to drop Aleshin to the bottom of these rankings.

#19. [Last Race: 20th (+1)] — I have been saying that Esteban Gutierrez had a long way to go to move up from the bottom of these power rankings. His race at Toronto didn’t exactly do the job for him, although he was solid during the race following his crash in qualifying. In five races, he has yet to finish in the top 12 in a car that has had great speed this season. The only reason he moves up in these rankings is because Mikhail Aleshin was benched at Toronto.. No. 18. Dale Coyne Racing, Honda. ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ

No. 4. AJ Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet. CONOR DALY. #18. [Last Race: 19th (+1)] — Like Esteban Gutierrez, the only reason Conor Daly moves up in these rankings is because Mikhail Aleshin was benched at Toronto. Daly has had an awful season with a best finish of only 7th place at Texas, and even that came after he spun out in a race that barely one-third of the field finished. Other than that, he has finished no higher than 12th place and has not had good speed at all this season.

#17. [Last Race: 18th (+1)] — Charlie Kimball’s 12th place finish at Toronto was one of his best results of the season. While that in itself is good, the fact that it was only a 12th place finish is not, especially given the fact that Kimball drives for one of the largest and fastest teams in the sport. Kimball has had a poor season after he had been steadily improving over the years. His second career victory appears to be a ways off yet.. No. 83. Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda. CHARLIE KIMBALL