There is almost always work going on in the IndyCar pits all weekend long
Update: NTT IndyCar race at the Honda Indy Toronto 2019 - Sunday coverage
Update: NASCAR at Honda Indy Toronto 2019 - Saturday coverage
Update: Fan Friday 2019
Update: HIT coming and 2019 Track Schedule
Update: 2019 Track Build
The IndyCar Technical Inspection area
IndyCar teams are in the paddock
Opening day has free entrance on Fan Friday with a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada and it's a great way to come out and see what racing is all about. Wander Thunder Alley, Honda SpeedZone, Honda World, the Truck Stop food area, Pinty's Pub & Grill and the Miller Lite Deck. Grab a seat in the grandstands, first come first served, and watch the action on the track. Gates open at 7:45am and racing for the day ends just past 6pm. Pit passes for access into the outdoor area along the track, or pit lane, where pit crews set up their equipment and race cars are sold out at this time but you can buy tickets for the NTT IndyCar Series Paddocks, all other series paddocks are free to visit. The paddock is where they bring the big rig haulers which transport the cars and tools and setup the off track work areas.
Saturday and Sunday entrance is ticketed and you can get General Admission (no grandstand seat at $40/day or $55 for both days) where you can watch the track from Pinty's Pub & Grill or you stand or site beside the fences along Honda World, Princes' Boulevard or at Thunder Alley looking over Lake Shore Boulevard West. General Admission allows children 12 and under free admission, but they have to be with a ticketed adult.
Turn 11 grandstands
There are also four grandstands (aluminum benches with no roof) at Turns 3, 10 and two at 11 with tickets from $70 to $185. Seats in the grandstand are sold based on how high they are. Lowest grandstand rows are bronze and the least expensive, Silver is the middle rows and the Gold seats are the most expensive but where you can see more of the overall race from the higher vantage point. Tickets in the grandstands will have to be purchased for children.
If you want more luxury you can check out the two covered track side suites with hospitality and VIP packages available. The suites have tables and individual chairs along with food and beverage service.
If this is the first time you have attended the Honda Indy Toronto you should bring in ear plugs (in drug stores or other stores like Canadian Tire), seat cushions, sunscreen and empty water bottles which you can fill up for free when you get into Exhibition Place. Food and beverages are available for purchase on site.
The racers are from NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (2019 season Race 4 of 12 – The Pinty’s Grand Prix of Toronto), Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship, Robby Gordon’s Stadium SUPER Trucks and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama. This is the only IndyCar race outside of the United States of America for 2019.
Welcome press conference driver info:
Jeff Atkinson, President of Honda Indy Toronto
NTT IndyCar Series drivers
Scott Dixon - 2018 and 2013 Honda Indy Toronto race winner
Marcus Ericsson - INDYCAR rookie
Santino Ferrucci - INDYCAR rookie
James Hinchcliffe - 4th place in 2018, 3rd place in 2017 & 2016
Simon Pagenaud - 2019 Indy 500 winner, 2nd place in 2018
Felix Rosenqvist - INDYCAR rookie
The Honda Indy Toronto headline race is just over 245km and will include four new IndyCar drivers, the rookies are Marcus Ericsson, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta and Felix Rosenqvist. Coming into Toronto, the IndyCar top five drivers with numbers of wins at Toronto in brackets are Josef Newgarden (1x) 402 points, Alexander Rossi 395 points, Simon Pagenuad 341 points, Scott Dixon 308 points (3x) and Will Power (3x) with 294 points. Canada loves the Mayor of Hinchtown, or James Hinchcliffe from Oakville who has finished on the podium in Toronto and look forward to cheering on car 5.
If it was one thing all the drivers could agree on it was that the Toronto course was bumpy. Otherwise they all looked forward to racing in Toronto. James Hinchcliffe loves the fan support and suggested that fans be allowed on the track immediately after the IndyCar race finishes. Simon Pagenaud says that winning the Indy 500 brings a lot of promotion work as the reigning ambassador for the world famous race but he is looking forward to getting into the open wheeled car and just race. Scott Dixon says Toronto is close to a hometown race for him because he is part of the British Commonwealth.
Stadium Super Trucks still on the hauler
The racers are from NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (2019 season Race 4 of 12 – The Pinty’s Grand Prix of Toronto), Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship, Robby Gordon’s Stadium SUPER Trucks and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama. This is the only IndyCar race outside of the United States of America for 2019.
James Hinchcliffe talks about racing in Toronto
Welcome press conference with (l-r) Jeff Atkinson and IndyCar drivers Felix Rosenqvist, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Ericsson, James Hinchcliffe, Simon Pagenaud and Scott Dixon
Jeff Atkinson, President of Honda Indy Toronto
NTT IndyCar Series drivers
Scott Dixon - 2018 and 2013 Honda Indy Toronto race winner
Marcus Ericsson - INDYCAR rookie
Santino Ferrucci - INDYCAR rookie
James Hinchcliffe - 4th place in 2018, 3rd place in 2017 & 2016
Simon Pagenaud - 2019 Indy 500 winner, 2nd place in 2018
Felix Rosenqvist - INDYCAR rookie
IndyCar practice Friday
Indy Lights top drivers so far are Oliver Askew 229 points, Rinus VeeKay 226 points, Robert Megennis 186 points, Ryan Norman 184 points and Toby Sowery with 171 points.
Canada's own national stockcar series is back for Saturday's headline race - The Pinty's Grand Prix of Toronto where the top five drivers (Toronto wins in brackets) are Kevin Lacroix (1x) 132 points, Andrew Ranger (3x) 131 points, Alex Tagliani (1x) 112 points, L.P. Dumoulin 111 points and Alex Labbe with 110 points. Saturday's race will have SpongeBob Squarepants as the Grand Marshal.
The Honda Indy website describes the racing series as follows.
"The NTT IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States. It offers one of the most diverse and challenging schedules in motorsports with races held on ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street courses. A new aerodynamic body kit was introduced to the series in 2018 at the St. Petersburg opener providing a sleeker, more aggressive-looking Indy car.
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires is the top step of the Road to Indy ladder system for drivers and teams striving to compete in the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. 23 of the 33 starters in the 2018 Indianapolis 500 were Indy Lights graduates, including 11 series champions. The Indy Lights champion receives a three-race IndyCar Series scholarship package valued at $1.1 million which includes the Indy 500.
The Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires is the second step on the Road to Indy, bridging the gap between the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The series' champion is awarded a scholarship package worth $596,700 to advance to Indy Lights competition the following year. Graduates include Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and Graham Rahal.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship is the first step on the Road to Indy. In addition to providing a vital training ground for rising stars just out of the karting ranks, the series champion will earn a $305,600 scholarship package to advance to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. Drivers who have honed their skills in the series include Indy 500 winners Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr. and Buddy Rice.
NASCAR Pinty’s Series runs a 12-race schedule in Canada and the northern United States on both road courses and ovals providing a great test for the drivers and teams. Some of the top perennial contenders include reigning series champion L.P. Dumoulin plus Mark Dilley, Jason Hathaway, D.J. Kennington, Alex Labbe, Kevin Lacroix, Andrew Ranger, last year’s Toronto race winner, and Alex Tagliani, also a favourite to win again in the Pinty’s Grand Prix of Toronto.
Robby Gordon’s Stadium SUPER Trucks return after a two-year absence. This fan favourite will certainly add to the thrills of the on track action for festival-goers. These high-flying trucks will race across jumps and power down the streets surrounding Exhibition Place one again.
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama is a single-make racing series based in North America using Porsche 911 GT3s. The series produces intense, exciting competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers in the world’s most produced and iconic race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup."
Canada's own national stockcar series is back for Saturday's headline race - The Pinty's Grand Prix of Toronto where the top five drivers (Toronto wins in brackets) are Kevin Lacroix (1x) 132 points, Andrew Ranger (3x) 131 points, Alex Tagliani (1x) 112 points, L.P. Dumoulin 111 points and Alex Labbe with 110 points. Saturday's race will have SpongeBob Squarepants as the Grand Marshal.
"The NTT IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States. It offers one of the most diverse and challenging schedules in motorsports with races held on ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street courses. A new aerodynamic body kit was introduced to the series in 2018 at the St. Petersburg opener providing a sleeker, more aggressive-looking Indy car.
The Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires is the second step on the Road to Indy, bridging the gap between the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The series' champion is awarded a scholarship package worth $596,700 to advance to Indy Lights competition the following year. Graduates include Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and Graham Rahal.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship is the first step on the Road to Indy. In addition to providing a vital training ground for rising stars just out of the karting ranks, the series champion will earn a $305,600 scholarship package to advance to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. Drivers who have honed their skills in the series include Indy 500 winners Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr. and Buddy Rice.
NASCAR Pinty's Series stockcars take to the track
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