This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
Canada: 
Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
Ontario’s largest annual racing event comes to Toronto for its 25th year in the form of the Honda Indy from July 8th to the 10th. This upcoming July 8th weekend promises event goer’s more than just Indy car racing this year with a variety of racing events.IZOD IndyCar Series
North America’s premiere level of open wheel racing, the 2011 IndyCar series is composed of 19 sanctioned races across the continent. Racing on Toronto’s Exhibition Place street course promises to be an exciting spectator event and a challenge for drivers taking on this purpose built track. The circuit forces drivers to attempt passing manoeuvres through tight corners, where often only one car makes it out unharmed. There’s the long front stretch that leads in to Turn 1 at Princess Gate (Princes’ Blvd & Strachan Drive) which is known to be a great place for overtaking. The 1,600 lbs, 650 hp race cars will be thundering through the Toronto lakeshore and will be sure to put a smile on your face. There’ll be practice runs on Friday, qualifying laps on Saturday, and the race itself will take place on Sunday.
Ferrari Challenge
What better way to enjoy the quintessential street legal race car, than to see it in its native habitat: the race track. Get to see these track ready cars run practice laps on “Free Friday”, complete qualifying laps and begin racing on Saturday, with final races happening on Sunday. As an added bonus you’ll get to see business mogul turned TV personality Robert Herjavec from Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank race 458 Italia car #007 during the Ferrari Challenge.NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
2011 heralds the fifth successful season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. As the series comes to Toronto this year, stock car racing fans are sure to pack the stands in strong support of NASCAR racing in Canada. These 550 hp bare bones stock cars will tear through the Toronto track with practices and qualifying rounds on Friday and racing on Saturday.
Firestone Indy Lights
How do drivers make it to the IZOD IndyCar level? Well, they need to make it through the Firestone Indy Lights series first. Racing on the same track as the big boys of the IZOD IndyCar series, these aspiring drivers are out to prove their mettle. Racing lightweight -1,520 lbs- open wheel cars, the racing action promises to be a real hoot with these eager drivers.
Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship
Ever wonder what it would be like to race your own daily driver? Well, Touring car racing is about as close as that idea gets to professional racing. Touring cars are regular street cars that have been adapted for use on the track. With two classes -Super Touring and Touring- you can expect to see vehicles like the BMW 3-series, Lexus IS, Acura TSX, Audi A4, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and even MINI racing the street course over the weekend.
About the 2011 Toronto Street Circuit
Managed by privately-owned corporation Green Savoree Toronto, ULC with support from primary sponsor Honda Canada, a number of secondary sponsors and Government partners the 2011 Honda Indy boasts a world class street circuit. The 2.84 km long track has 11 marked turns; it occupies portions of Manitoba Drive, Nova Scotia Ave, Princes’ Blvd., Ontario Drive and Lake Shore Blvd. The street circuit will be lined with 1,000 reinforced concrete barriers spanning 12,000 feet separating you from cars reaching speeds in excess of 300km/h over the weekend.
Maximizing the Weekend
Adult admission tickets range in price from $20 for general admission on Sunday to $423 for reserved Gold grandstand passes.
For those who want a taste before they pay, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association is opening up the gates of the event on Friday for everyone for FREE! Known as “Free Friday” July 8th promises to be a treat for everyone who makes their way down to Exhibition Place that day. Event goers will have access to all the grandstand seats and even exclusive access to the IndyCar Paddock. For those planning a weekend full of racing excitement, Free Friday is highly recommended.
The Toronto Honda Indy weekend may be all about the cars and drivers, but those of you who are attending the event as members of the public and not pro race drivers are encouraged to leave your vehicles at home and take public transit. There is parking on site, but expect heavy traffic in to and out of the area during the event.
Plan on staying in the City to really maximize the weekend, and check out Tourism Toronto and Delta Hotels for deals on available packages.
To follow me on twitter click HERE
Contact Kanishka Sonnadara at kanishka@oyetimes.com
Article viewed at: Oye! Times at www.oyetimes.com
You can publish this article on your website as long as you provide a link back to this page.
toronto indy
Another example of how the gov’t spends our tax dollars on publicity events instead of taking on civic projects.
I’m a fan of racing as much as the next guy, but this is just unjustified.
Well written article, pretty informative, it’s got me talking to my friends about checking out the Indy weekend. Would love to see an Acura RSX like mine racing the track during the Touring Car races.
@Ghunder J.
Pretty near sighted comment_content you’ve got there. Spending on publicity events is a huge investment in our city/province/country. The Honda Indy weekend draws in big crowds from what is likely most of Ontario and beyond. It employees hundreds, maybe thousands, and sets up Toronto as a destination for tourism and future major events.
A bit too much emphasis here on Robert Herjavec. There are legitamate professional race drivers we can talk about who’ll be driving the Toronto Indy weekend, Herjavec is just a semi-celeb who gets too much attention.
Really glad to see guys like Harjavec getting involved in Canadian racing events. The more media attention, and consequently fans these events create, the stronger the sport becomes here in Canada.
I’m all for more events like the Ferrari Challenge coming to Cda.
Great article! I completely support the government spending money on such events. It would be a real treat if they would allow local enthusiasts to lap the circuit for a fee in their own vehicles. A “Public Thursday”?