A bold call by Mike Conway in the second Grand Prix of Toronto race meant that the Brit roared to his second victory of the season.

He made the move of the day when he decided to come in earlier than his fellow drivers for the Firestone slick tyres and that gamble paid off as he cruised to the front after everyone else followed suit.

Conway, the winner earlier this year at Long Beach, called to his Ed Carpenter Racing squad that he needed to change from the treaded rain tires to the red Firestone slicks as the 1.75-mile, 11-mile temporary circuit at Exhibition Place was drying out.

On lap 43, Conway pitted for the slick tyres as his counterparts remained on the grooved rubber.  A lap later, the yellow flag come out for the stalled car of Sebastian Saavedra and the majority of the drivers then pitted for slicks in the drying conditions.

That left Conway running fifth with four racers on the rain tyres in front of the driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet. The 30-year-old Brit quickly picked his way through the four leaders and took the lead on lap 50.

Despite a late red flag period for a major crash in turn three, Conway held the point and scored his third career IndyCar Series victory and the third win of the year for Ed Carpenter Racing.  Conway’s win was also win the 250^th triumph in IndyCar racing for the legendary tire manufacturer. 

Conway took the win in a rain-shortened timed event that recorded 56 laps in a little over 80 minutes. Rain hit the Toronto event on lap 12 with a quick-moving storm system dousing the circuit and all drivers pitting for Firestone rain rubber.

Then Conway was penalized for making contact with a piece of pit equipment from Dale Coyne Racing that dropped him to the 19^th position. He fought his way back to 12^th by lap 36.  And on lap 43, Conway made the brilliant decision to jump into the pits for fuel and the new slicks.

By lap 50, Conway was in the lead and held off Tony Kanaan and Will Power for another all-Chevy podium sweep.

Speaking after the race, a delighted Conway, said: “It was really difficult conditions and we were kind of struggling out there for a bit,” said Conway about the rain conditions. Then I knew as soon as I could see the dry line it was time to come in, and it was a great call. The guys were up for it. I wasn’t sure what they were going to say so from there we just kind of took off and just controlled the race. I was a bit nervous with the red flag there but I knew with Justin (Wilson) behind me (on rain tyres), we would be able to cover it. It was good fun out there.

“The tyre temperatures came in really fast and that’s what you need in those types of conditions. So I could just control it and not have to push too hard and enjoy those last few laps.”