Race Weekend Will Feature Six Different Series on Track
TORONTO (July 11, 2017) - Honda Indy Toronto, July 14-16, will ring in its 31st running with the return of Fan Friday, where fans gain general admission access to all event’s high octane excitement courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish® Canada.
Further supporting Make-A-Wish is the all-new raffle at Honda World. Fans can enter the raffle throughout the race weekend for the chance to win exclusive prizes and fan experiences provided by IndyCar, NHL, Toronto Blue Jays, Golf Canada, and many more.
Honda will continue to ramp up the event’s entertainment by bringing the NHL® Centennial Fan Arena to the Honda SpeedZone in Thunder Alley, as part of its North American tour. Also featured in Honda World is Honda Canada’s Junior Red Riders program, allowing kids aged six to 12 years to suit up in the proper safety equipment and ride Honda dirt bikes. These mark just some of the many family-oriented features at Honda Indy Toronto, including the recently announced and now sold-out Rookie Racers program for the youngest fans.
“Our team and partners at Honda Canada and Ontario Honda Dealers take great pride in the range of entertainment that we provide festival-goers in Toronto over the race weekend,” says Jeff Atkinson, President of Honda Indy Toronto. “It’s going to be non-stop racing action on any days that fans attend.”
Fan Friday will be the first chance for race fans to see the cars on track for all series competing in the 2017 event. Six racing series will take to the 2.89 km (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary street course totaling 11 races.
The headlining event, the 85-lap Verizon IndyCar Series race, will take place on Sunday and feature the series’ top drivers such as defending winner Will Power and crowd favourite: Ontario’s own James Hinchcliffe. Sunday’s events follow Saturday’s headliner of the Pinty’s Grand Prix of Toronto featuring the stars of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. This event includes Canadian racing icons such as Alex Tagliani and 2017 Daytona 500 runner D.J. Kennington.
These marquee events will be supported across the weekend by a wide variety of racing series. Providing sports car action are Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama and Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup. The Mazda Road to Indy development series of IndyCar’s future stars will also compete in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires.
A new CDW Canada sponsorship rounds out the latest addition of new partnerships for the 2017 Honda Indy Toronto including Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Meridian, Performance Publications Media Group, Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc., PPG Industries, and The Weather Network along with extending renewals of previous partnerships with Metrolinx, Piloti, Tag Heuer, and Tim Hortons. Off-track fan activities are complemented by a new activation partnership with Grain Farmers of Ontario bringing their Growing Connections Trailer.
The Tim Hortons Coffee Truck will once again be in Thunder Alley throughout the weekend, selling coffee and Real Fruit Chills in support of Make-A-Wish. New to 2017, Tim Hortons will also be available in the Enercare Centre providing free small samples of its new lattes.
Before the race cars take to the track on Friday, the Indy Cycling Challenge is first up on Thursday afternoon, July 13th, to raise money for a great cause. This inaugural event benefits Prostate Cancer Canada and will be organized into two races: a 10KM and 25KM. Cyclists will compete in a timed event for a chance to win incredible prizes. Entries are limited and are open now at theindychallenge.com.
Two-day General Admission is $50 and Two-day Reserved Grandstand seats start at $80 including taxes. Kids 12 and under receive free general admission throughout the weekend when accompanied by a ticketed adult. For complete ticket pricing and event information, visit hondaindy.com or call 877-725-8849.
ABOUT THE HONDA INDY TORONTO
Honda Indy Toronto takes place on the historic grounds of Exhibition Place in a unique lakefront and downtown setting. As Ontario's largest annual sporting event, the event has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers. Since 1986, the three-day event has entertained millions of fans thanks to world-class entertainment and exhilarating performances from drivers including Scott Dixon, Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves, as well as Canadian legends Paul Tracy, Greg Moore and James Hinchcliffe. The event is owned and operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 28-30, 2017) and the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (March 9-11, 2018).
For more information, visit hondaindy.com, facebook.com/HondaIndyToronto or follow the event via Twitter @HondaIndy and Instagram instagram.com/hondaindy.
Media Inquiries:
Steve Bidlack, Manager Marketing and Communications
419-884-4000 Ext. 4623 (office) or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
