Nearly $90,000 Raised for Make-A-Wish® During 2017 Race Event
TORONTO (JUNE 13, 2018) – In addition to Honda Canada Inc.’s title sponsorship extension, Honda Indy Toronto along with its owners and operators, Green Savoree Racing Promotions, is pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership with the Ontario Honda Dealers Association to support Fan Friday and the race event at Exhibition Place through 2020.
Fan Friday, presented by the Ontario Honda Dealers in support of Make-A-Wish® Canada, is an annual fundraising tradition now spanning nine consecutive years with the upcoming Honda Indy Toronto, July 13-15. Thanks to the generosity of race fans attending Fan Friday and Honda Canada Foundation’s match of all funds collected have combined to raise approximately $600,000 since its beginning. Last year’s total was nearly $90,000 to Make-A-Wish.
“The Ontario Honda Dealers are proud to renew their support of the Honda Indy Toronto. This is one of Canada’s premier events and a much-anticipated event for our dealers and customers each summer,” said Kevin Pearson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association. “We’re even more excited about the lasting impact Fan Friday is having on the community, especially for Make-A-Wish and children with life threatening medical conditions.”
Instead of charging for general admission on Friday of the Honda Indy Toronto, festival-goers are encouraged to make a voluntary contribution to Make-A-Wish upon entry into the event. Donations are also accepted throughout the race weekend for a variety of games and activities including Honda Canada’s Junior Red Riders off-road riding program. In 2017, additional features were James Hinchcliffe’s race suit signing by fans, a raffle for the chance to win prizes and once-in-a-lifetime experiences from the NHL®, Toronto Blue JaysTM, and many others.
“Honda Indy Toronto is honoured to be a part of this fundraising campaign with the Ontario Honda Dealers. We were thrilled with the results of last year’s donations from Ontario Honda Dealers Fan Friday in support of Make-A-Wish and all of the related activities,” said Jeff Atkinson, president of Honda Indy Toronto. “The race fans’ generosity was tremendous once again, and we look forward to helping push the contributions even higher through this continued partnership with the Ontario Honda Dealers.”
In addition to its extensive involvement in Fan Friday, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association has a significant presence throughout the entire Honda Indy Toronto weekend. Some of the elements include branding through spectator and trackside signage, a hospitality suite, VIP experiences to reward its dealers, and participation in the IndyCar drivers pre-race parade lap.
In addition to July 13th as Fan Friday presented by the Ontario Honda Dealers, 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.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO HONDA DEALERS ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Honda Dealers Association, which was founded in 1989, represents 80 Honda dealers located in 66 communities throughout Ontario, which is home to the two Honda of Canada Mfg. assembly plants that produce Civic, Canada's best-selling passenger car for 19 consecutive years, in addition to the CR-V. Honda dealerships in Ontario, which have a proven track record for providing maximum customer satisfaction, employ approximately 3,000 associates.
ABOUT THE HONDA CANADA FOUNDATION
Formed in 2005, the Honda Canada Foundation (HCF) aims to enable the realization of dreams through various annual philanthropic activities and funding to non-profit registered charities across Canada where Honda customers and associates live, work and play. The HCF focuses on four key pillars – family, environment, engineering and education – and each year more than $1.5 million is disbursed to groups in need. More than 5.5 million Canadians have benefited from Honda Canada- and Honda Canada Foundation-funded charitable programs. For more information, please visit www.hondacanadafoundation.ca.
ABOUT HONDA CANADA
Honda Canada Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1969 and is the parent company for both Honda and Acura vehicle brands in Canada. The company has produced more than eight million cars and light trucks since 1986 at its two manufacturing facilities and builds engines at a third manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ontario. Both manufacturing facilities are extremely flexible and currently build Honda Civic and CR-V models. Honda Canada has invested more than $4.7 billion in Canada and each year it sources nearly $2.1 billion in goods and services from Canadian suppliers. Honda Canada has sold more than four million Honda and Acura passenger cars and light trucks in Canada
ABOUT THE HONDA INDY TORONTO
Dating back to the first race in 1986, Honda Indy Toronto is a world-class motorsports festival which takes place annually on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto. The event features many attractions, including beer gardens, food trucks, interactive displays and activities, and charity events. As one of Ontario's largest annual summer festivals, it has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers including Marco Andretti, Scott Dixon, and Josef Newgarden, as well as Canadian racing greats James Hinchcliffe and Robert Wickens, including other past native Indy car drivers like Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, and Jacques Villeneuve. The event is owned and operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 27-29, 2018), Grand Prix of Portland (August 31-September 2, 2018), and Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (March 8-10, 2019).
For more information, visit hondaindy.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @HondaIndyToronto or follow the event on Twitter @HondaIndy and Instagram @HondaIndy using #indyTO.
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.
