Friday Adventure at the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto Part 5

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Once again, the sound of around 700 horsepower pulsed the Toronto waterfront in a sound wave I can only term angelic. The keepers of Honda engine power, the drivers of Dallara race chassis vehicles was given a second chance to burn up the steaming hot streets of Toronto. Taking several vantage points across the track, I was able to hear the tones of the open wheel IZOD INDYCAR machines blitzing the race track.
In the afternoon session, the notes of the morning session have provoked a harder charging mentality amongst the drivers. Only 8 minutes into the start of the IZOD INDYCAR  Series' second practice, the #77 Sam Schmidt Motorsports car piloted by Canadian hero Alex Tagliani spun in turn 8. Briefly stoppd on the course, Tagliani's car was impacted by Graham Rahal's #38 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara-Honda. Creating the first full course yellow in the session, the practice restarted promptly after the Holatro Safety Team were able to assist both vehicles in restarting. Afternoon practice for the IZOD INDYCAR Series was slowed once more when 2004 Toronto race winner Sebastien Bourdais stopped in the same turn 8 area as the Tagliani/Rahal caution prior.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

The second practice ended with the #12 Penske Racing car piloted by Will Power claiming the edge on the 1.755-mile race course. Maintaining a cautious optimism, Power commented, “The Verizon car is good, but we are still not quick enough.” The reigning winner of the Honda Indy Toronto, the Australian mentioned, “It is great to be in Toronto, through, and really good to see all the fans.” A final chance to get an impression for the Toronto street course during the first day of the event's three day run, drivers were both eager to rest after a testing day on the bumpy city streets and debrief with crews as they search for more speed.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

The fourth fastest in the session, Canadian James Hinchcliffe provided a lap giving the hometown crowd a real reason to cheer. As with every Honda Indy Toronto I've attended the appearance of Paul Tracy is equally as appreciated regardless to his practice time performance. Besides, any Paul Tracy fan knows the “Thrill from West Hill” truly shines during the actual race.
Following the IZOD INDYCAR practice, the excitement level at the track was maintained by the performance of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series conducting their time trials for Saturday's main event. Divided into groups, the stock cars were released up to the track in order to post fast time. The most anticipated performances during the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series qualifying were expected from Andrew Ranger and Jason Bowles making part-time appearance in the tour. Both skilled road racers, it was Andrew Ranger who posted a pole-winning effort with Bowles settling for a front row starting position beside his main opponent. Crucially fighting for the championship in Canada's top stock car racing series, Scott Steckly was third quickest in the #22 Dodge. One of my last duties at the race track was to observe the post-qualifying press conference held in the conference room.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Unlike the previous years when I had so much fun at the track but knew when it was time to leave, this year's Honda Indy Toronto was not so clear. Even past 5 PM, the track environment still felt lively as spectators were still rounding the track and walking through the paddock areas of race teams. On the track, the Castrol Canadian Touring Cars were rolling with the sound and look of street cars.
Witnessing the first day of the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto, the health of the major motor racing festival could be given a clean bill. Thanks to some brilliant weather, successful promotion through events such as Honda's Free Friday, and the gaining stability of the headlining IZOD INDYCAR Series, this 2011 Honda Indy first day lured one of the biggest crowds since the early 2000s.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

As I left the race track, I was gladly greeted by a Dr Pepper brand representative providing a complimentary can of pop as a final act of courtesy to race fans. Leaving the track where I partook in the start of what could be one of the greatest Honda Indy events since INDYCAR reunification, the inefficiency of the City of Toronto was presented with the TTC Streetcar service. Normally, I am very grateful and would speak highly for the TTC service. However, for some bizarre reason, the TTC streetcar would not receive passengers near the Princess Gate requiring prospective riders to walk more than half a kilometer down the road to the next streetcar stop. While it is all right for someone able bodied such as myself, my concern was over families with little children walking across the roadway used by under-considerate Toronto drivers. It was also disappointing that the TTC dispatched a smaller streetcar to pick up the large crowd leaving the 2011 Honda Indy.

Despite this late day inconvenience, my excursion to the Honda Indy Toronto can not be substantially impacted by a return to real life. In fact, the Honda Indy is one of the few times in the entire year I personally feel completely alive. Unable to completely bring myself to realizing my emotions, it has taken me about a month to completely finish my thoughts and experiences of this one day. To celebrate the automobile in the best fashion through good natured competition, cars being unleashed to their full potential, even the knowledge I am only one of many in this Toronto makes me feel so enriched by what is probably the only love I need in my life.

The photo presented below is a complication of afternoon practice action for the IZOD INDYCAR Series.

Friday Adventure at the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto Part 4

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Around noontime, the red-hot exhausts of five racing series worth of vehicles heated the CNE grounds as the Honda Indy Toronto entered in full swing. It was also at this time in the sun has sufficiently baked the Canadian city. Embracing the heat of the new afternoon, the fifth and final form of motorsports given a crack at the road course was the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Of all the series that practiced on the Toronto street course, the fiberglass-bodied stock cars provided the most eventful session of the still-young weekend of racing.

Kerry Micks' car stopping on track plus damage to the cars of Steven Matthews and 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion DJ Kennington concluded the session. Based on the prestige and crowds attending the 2011 Honda Indy, the NASCAR Canadian Tires Series event on the Saturday was considered a major race. Drawing names like Jason Bowles and Canada's own Andrew Ranger away from action south of the 49th parallel, the preparation for the 100-mile stock car event.

Attending the Honda Indy for so many years has given me a reliable natural compass to guide me to where I can expect to see action on and off the track. Following the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series practice, I planted myself within the paddock area of the stock car series. Inside Toronto's Direct Energy Centre, the stock car roared up to their small service areas behind their race haulers. With NASCAR Canadian Tire Series qualifying only 4 hours away, the #15 car crew of Steven Matthews and the #17 Castrol crew of DJ Kennington were quickly sent to work on restoring their race machines to peak performance.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Much like the IZOD INDYCAR Series rolling down Gasoline Alley during the morning practice at Toronto, audiences appeared in droves to see cars and drivers up close belonging to Canada's premier stock car racing series. By the appearance of men, women and children hustled inside the Direct Energy Centre, it seems the Honda Indy is reigniting that magnetic race enthusiasm for auto racing in Toronto.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Back on the 1.755-mile track, the Ferrari Challenge series opened up their Italian-built V-8 powerplants down the frontstretch. One of the drivers competing in the 2011 debut of the Ferrari Challenge at Toronto was popular businessman and TV Personality Robert Harjavec. After being out of almost every deal that came into the Canadian version of the business pitch show Dragon's Den, Harjavec was in fact 'in' control of a F420 Challenge car numbered #007.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Notification of a massive autograph signing in the INDYCAR Fan Zone instantly lured the most anxious fans wanting to have the signature and a few seconds with their idols from the IZOD INDYCAR Series. While IZOD INDYCAR afternoon practice sent out exhaust notes of Honda V-8 engines, over a hundred individuals awaited patiently in the hot summer weather for an event still more than an hour away. Danica Patrick, James Hinchclffe, Paul Tracy and JR Hildebrand were among those seated at the head of fans greeting each admirer warmly.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Bringing memories of when I waited in line for autographs from the 2001 Players Racing duo of Alex Tagliani and Patrick Carpentier, the wait can certainly be worth the time spent. I remembered on that day leaving the autograph session I inadvertently ended up in the way of Michael Andretti riding a scooter back to his race team's paddock. Unfortunately, I would not obtain my first digital camera until late in that year. Andretti and the #6 Newman/Haas Racing team went on to win the Toronto race with Alex Tagliani finishing just behind in 2nd place. I mused afterwards that if Michael Andretti would have accidentally ran into me he could have won the CART championship.

In the next edition, for what will be my final chapter in this visit to the 2011 Honda Indy, I will conclude this tale with a revisit from the IZOD INDYCAR Series and the exciting qualifying of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

Friday Adventure at the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto Part 3

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

While the warm weather and outdoor spectacles such as the Honda Indy is quite agreeable, my long-time spent under the sun again fought my skin. Yes, for the three year in a row, I'm reporting how I have burnt myself after spending a day at the Honda Indy. However, I'll note that this year I was able to greatly minimize my sunburn after learning through past visits the measure I need to take in protecting my skin. One of the obvious measures for beating the extended periods of direct sunlight was to go inside. The Direct Energy Centre, the Media Centre as well as a Honda display set up behind the circuit's Gold grandstands served as not only shelter but two existed as spotlights of entertainment.

Assembled in a temporary building, the Honda display featured a large assortment of automobiles. From a first-generation Honda Civic dating back to 1973 inside, the newest ninth-generation 2012 Civic sat. Embracing the outside with the 2012 Honda Civic, a fleet of modified late model production cars that included Acura NSX models were found around the sheltered area.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

With production cars in the open of daylight, ironically two race cars resided inside the Honda Indy display. Two cars relating to Canadian open wheel racing great Paul Tracy, a replica of the #8 Make-A-Wish Canada-sponsored Dragon Racing Indy car the 'Thrill from West Hill' had been wheeling around the 11-turns of the Toronto street course in 2011 sat. Beside the modern Dallara chassis, a Lola chassis wearing the Players livery and the #3 represented the latest Forsythe Racing car Paul Tracy drove in 2003 to a commanding flag-to-flag victory in the now-defunct Champ Car series. Though the show car was presented in speedway trim (note the smaller, flatter wing pieces), I was not entirely sure if this car was the exact Lola chassis Tracy won the 2003 Toronto race. Another detail I noted on the car was the absence of the Ford Blue Oval badges. Though it is sensational for Honda to bid honour to Canadian racing history, I feel it is a bit of a 'tsk-tsk moment' for Honda to display the vehicle with elements of its authentic livery deleted.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Concluding their morning practice session, the IZOD INDYCAR teams and drivers lead themselves back to their paddock area. In the early track time for the 2011 Honda Indy of Toronto, the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing #10 car of Dario Franchitti posted the early benchmark time of 1 minute, 1.5676 seconds. Only 6/100th of a second ahead of Penske's Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Justin Wilson and Will Power rounded out the top-5 in the morning practice. The crews as well the drivers accompanied Indy cars being commuted back to the IZOD INDYCAR paddock area. Almost every driver rode motorized scooters seeking a quick travel back to debrief with their teams prior to lunch. Reassembling myself along Gasoline Alley, I watched as several drivers such as Graham Rahal, Marco Andretti and the fastest driver in practice Dario Franchitti rush back to their team haulers. I even caught 7-time Toronto race winner, now IZOD INDYCAR superteam owner Michael Andretti proceeding back to the pit road area.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

In my closest experience following the first IZOD INDYCAR practice at the Honda Indy was with #78 HVM Racing driver Simona de Silvestro. Simona de Silvestro was racing in Toronto two weeks after missing the Iowa Speedway round due to failing a post-concussion test following a crash at the Milwaukee Mile. Catching her quickly as she proceeded to her team's hauler lot, only getting a few seconds to talk with Simona de Silvestro, I simply expressed how it was great to see her competing at Toronto understanding the way the last half of June went for the Swiss driver. She said “thank you” but seemed more preoccupied with finding speed in her HVM Racing Dallara-Honda. 23rd of the 26 cars that logged speeds on the Toronto race track after the first practice, its easy to assume de Silvestro had the pursuit of speed on her mind. A quick meeting, it was nonetheless eventful for a person who has difficulty engaging in conversation; such as myself.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

Immediately following practice, a large portion of the wonderfully immense crowd positioned themselves politely alongside one of the IZOD INDYCAR team's paddock work stalls. Standing outside of temporary fences and barriers, the race fans's most ideal scenario is to capture a look at their favourite driver. As can be expected at this first of two Canadian races, Alex Tagliani garnered a gigantic crowd outside of his #77 Sam Schmidt Motorsports team paddock area. The fastest Canadian driver in the first practice at the Toronto track, Tagliani returns to Canada after gaining international attention as the Indianapolis 500 pole winner earlier this year. In a related story inside the IZOD INDYCAR Fan Zone, Hot Wheels finally released the diecast version of the blue Hot Wheels-sponsored car Tagliani drove last year. For whatever reason, I did not buy the 1:64 scale replica vehicle and I'm continuing to regret it weeks after the Honda Indy.  

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

As the morning completed, my first camera battery chose a most convenient time to give up its juice. With hotter weather and some pivotal action upcoming, I prepared to reload for the afternoon action at the 2011 Honda Indy of Toronto.

Friday Adventure at the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto Part 2

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

With the Castrol Canadian Touring Car series, Ferrari Challenge and Firestone Indy Lights already having a crack at the temporary street course on the 2011 Honda Indy Friday, it was time for the headlining IZOD INDYCAR Series to blitz the Toronto track.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/ XSL Speed Reporter

Venturing through the team's paddock area ahead of the practice, I positioned myself on the road stretch between the paddock and pit lane called Gasoline Alley in preparations for seeing majority of the cars and drivers for the first time on the Friday. One of the first cars rolling down gasoline alley was the #9 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing car to be piloted by New Zealand's Scott Dixon. The #82 KV Racing Technology car of Tony Kanaan was wheeled out just behind the #9 car for the morning practice session. Coming off the 2nd place at Iowa Speedway two weeks before, Kanaan has come close to race victory many times in the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR season.

As the open wheel racing vehicles began collecting in greater numbers on Gasoline Alley, it has drawn an increased number of race spectators. It was this time in my Friday visit, I realized two things about the 2011 Honda Indy of Toronto; firstly, there were definitely a greater number of race fans at the event and second some of them seem to get even ruder with each passing year. I admit I do not appreciate being in large crowds but there is something that needs to be said on people who crowd me within inches. As the IZOD INDYCAR Series vehicles were preparing to enter pit road for first practice, some people insisted on being almost directly behind me. Finding it extremely uncomfortable, I lowered myself to keeling in order to get some space. As a person who does not like cramped crowds, I decided after many of the cars and drivers have flooded into the pit road stalls that I would regain my insanity by visiting the Firestone Indy Lights paddock. After quickly taking in the action on the support series paddock area, the Honda engines of the IZOD INDYCAR Series engines began to buzz around the 1.755-mile circuit.

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

The headliner, the big show for the 2011 Honda Indy, the IZOD INDYCAR Series rolled into town for their first road course race since the Sao Paulo Indy 300 at the beginning of May. In risk of having some serious cobwebs for to shake off their left and right actions with the steering wheel, the drivers and teams performed near flawlessly on the first practice session. However, there was one incident where hometown rookie driver James Hinchcliffe stalled his #06 Newman/Haas Racing Dallara-Honda. Making his first laps around the street circuit as a driver in the IZOD INDYCAR Series, Hinchcliffe's history with the race dates back through childhood where he attended the event religiously. James Hinchcliffe has referred to the INDYCAR event in Toronto as “Christmas”. Believe me, I can certainly identify with that feeling.

Photo Credit: Christopher Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Sitting in the frontstretch grandstands, I overlooked the pit road work of the teams tending to their Dallara-Honda racing machines. Hearing the rush of IZOD INDYCAR vehicles alongside the start/finish stretch, most of the morning practice session time was spent overlooking the pits of the #06 Newman/Haas Racing team and #5 KV Racing Technology team serving Japanese driver Takuma Sato. As 24 degree Celsius temperatures in the air cook the track surface (said to be 38 degrees in surface temperature), the 1 hour, 15 minute time on track gave a true picture to the reason I love summer.

Below is a video compilation I created on Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe and the #06 Newman/Haas Racing at the Honda Indy Friday.

James Hinchcliffe at 2011 Honda Indy Toronto