Final race prep, on and off the track, is underway on Thursday with many of the teams getting setup in their respective paddocks.
IndyCar's Paddock is in Enercare Centre and a credential is required to gain access. If you do buy the ticket you can get pretty close to the big rigs, racecars and some famous drivers. Keep an eye out for the drivers getting around on little electric scooters.
The CAA Member Lounge in the long hall
William Ashley's setup to display the winners crystal trophies
Ontario Honda Dealers Pit Stop, Cooling Zone
Turn 1 viewing area
Looking east along Princes' Blvd towards Turn 1
Pedestrian bridge, Pit exit and Turn 11
Pedestrian bridge for access to the infield
NOS Energy Drink area by BMO Field
Jeff Atkinson (President OHD Indy Toronto), Jay Frye (President IndyCar) and IndyCar drivers Rinus Veekay, Pietro Fittipaldi and Christian Lundgaard (2023 Toronto winner) at the welcome press conference
Temporary road closures on Lake Shore Boulevard West and Strachan Avenue will begin on Wednesday, July 17 and last until July 21, 2024. The weather forecast looks great, with just a small chance of rain on Sunday. If the race can't be run on Sunday it will be held over until Monday, along with the road closures.
Inside Enercare Centre you can find vendors in the long hall and new this year inside the main hall is the Ontario Honda Dealers Pit Stop and Cooling Zone along with a Fuel Up food stop.
Thunder Alley, the Beer Deck and the Truck Stop areas are almost complete. NOS Energy Drink has a large setup adjacent to BMO Field where the Honda tent used to be.
General viewing is along the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard West west of Hotel X, along Turn 4 infield, in the infield between the pedestrian bridge and Turn 10 and finally, along the outside of Princes' Boulevard towards Turn 1.
Entrance to the race is from the east side of Enercare Centre or from the TTC Stop area at Manitoba Drive.
Here is part of the City of Toronto's media release, "Road closures for this event will begin on Wednesday, July 17, 2024: At 12 p.m.: southbound Strachan Avenue will be closed from Fleet Street to Lake Shore Boulevard West and at 8 p.m.: Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed from Strachan Avenue to British Columbia Drive. The roads will remain closed all weekend and are scheduled to reopen on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at 11 p.m."
Current Weather Forecast (from July 15)
Thu, 18 Jul Sunny. High 24. Night Clear. Low 13.
Thu, 18 Jul Sunny. High 24. Night Clear. Low 13.
Fri, 19 Jul Sunny. High 26. Night Clear. Low 15.
Sat, 20 Jul A mix of sun and cloud. High 27. Night Cloudy periods. Low 16.
Sun, 21 Jul Cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers. High 26.
Another outlet has mostly sunny and pleasant on Sunday, with a High of 24, low of 17 and only 25% chance of rain.
The Tragically Hip band has been named as the honorary grand marshals for the NTT IndyCar race on Sunday, July 21.
The welcoming press conference is scheduled for 12:30pm on Thursday so it will our first chance to see some drivers for this year's event. There is a field of 27 cars in the NTT IndyCar Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Streets of Toronto race.
Some of the highlights of the conference with IndyCar were as follows.
1. Jeff A: Future of Honda Indy is in Exhibition Place. Improvements to Exhibition Place are also Improvements for Honda Indy.
2. Jay F: Jeff and Toronto did a great job getting the track ready after the massive flooding. Also happy to bring in hybrid technology mid-season
3. Rinus V: Temporary street courses change a bit each year, they found more bumps last year, will see what is different this year.
4. Pietro F: Hybrids will shake things up and it is a lot of work for the drivers.
5. Christian L: The winner of 2023 race is happy to be back 1 year and 2 days from taking the last Toronto race. He recently had a stopover in Toronto and came back to Exhibition Place to walk the track while it was still normal roads. Hopes for less yellow flags and caution laps.
Check out the full 2024 race weekend coverage at the following links.
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