Filippi back with DCR for Honda Indy Toronto

Luca Filippi

As AR1 President Mark Cipolloni reported exclusively during the Road America weekend, you can expect a rotation in the No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda for the remainder of 2016 with as many as three drivers. Today, it was announced that Luca Filippi, who contested the first four rounds for DCR this season, will race this coming weekend in Toronto, replacing Gabby Chaves. From INDYCAR…

Luca Filippi is returning to drive this weekend at the site of his best Verizon IndyCar Series showing – the Honda Indy Toronto.

Filippi will pilot the No. 19 IMPCO ComfortPro Honda for Dale Coyne Racing for the 32nd Indy car race on the streets of Exhibition Place in the 30th anniversary of the Toronto event. Filippi drove in the first four races this season for Coyne with a top finish of 17th place at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He finished a career-best second at Toronto in 2015 to teammate Josef Newgarden for CFH Racing.

“I’m very excited to be back with Dale Coyne Racing this weekend and to have the chance to race in the Honda Indy Toronto again," Filippi said. “I want to thank IMPCO Technologies, the ComfortPro team and Dale Coyne for giving me this opportunity. It’s one of my favorite races, not just because I finished on the podium in Toronto last year, but because it’s one of the best events on the schedule and I love to race on street circuits. I can’t wait to get back on track."

For the Honda Indy Toronto entry list, click here.

Filippi, 30, from Mondovi, Italy, has driven in 22 Verizon IndyCar Series races dating to his rookie season in 2013. He has competed in three races at Toronto.

Sponsorship comes from IMPCO Technologies, a global leader in the alternative fuels and idle reduction technology headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif. One of IMPCO's auxiliary power units, ComfortPro, and the newly released ComfortPro E will serve as associate sponsors. IMPCO has a plant in Kitchener, Ontario, where its idle reduction products are designed and manufactured.

"We're extremely pleased to be present at this year's Honda Indy Toronto," said Bruno Balocco, general manager of IMPCO Technologies. "Dale Coyne Racing, Luca Filippi and the (Verizon) IndyCar Series offer us the perfect platform to bring additional visibility to our company and to our newly released electric auxiliary power unit, ComfortPro E. We've sponsored Luca in the past and are thrilled to continue that association with him for our home event. He's had success there before and we hope he can do even better this year."

Practice for the Honda Indy Toronto begins Friday. Qualifying airs live on NBCSN at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, with coverage of the 85-lap race beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday on CNBC and a re-air at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.