Meeting the Honda Indy Race Car Drivers 2023

Written By James Mac Donald

Photographs By James Mac Donald

On Friday, July 14th, we attended the first day of the annual Honda Indy in Toronto. Attending the Honda Indy in Toronto offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for race fans, allowing them to witness race cars and drivers in action. The highlights of the events include Pad Docks, Thunder Alley, Food Trucks, and trackside activities. Fans can watch qualifications for various groups, including "USF 2000,", "USF PRO 2000", "NASCAR Pinty's Series", "Radicals", and the "NTT Indy Series.". The most important things to bring were earplugs, sunscreen lotion, and bags to carry all the cool stuff from the Honda Indy. We have lots of photos and experiences to write about in the coming day.

Arriving on the scene, one could hear the sounds of the racecars revving their engines and the tires screeching through the corners on the hot pavement. There was definitely a lot of excitement in the Air and anticipation of seeing some of the best racers in the world. We headed to the NTT Indy Series Pad Docks, where we found the team crews working on the NTT Indy Series race cars. Reporters and Photographers raced across the building, trying to capture those 15 seconds of excitement for the day's highlights.

The autograph session

Planning the day ahead of time really saved us the frustration of waiting in line for the autograph session. Finding the right time and the proper lineup to stand in was another story.... It was a lot of fun to figure out which driver drove which NTT racecar. We bumped into people who knew more than any reporter on the scene. Some of the fans traveled across the world just to be in Toronto for the Honda Indy, as it was the only stop in Canada.

In line-up one was a list of drivers’ names:

Scott McLaughlin, Grahm Rahal, Marcus Armstrong, Will Power, Felix Rosenovist, Agustin Canapino, Jack Harvey, Marcus Ericson, Colton Herta, David Malukas, Devlin Defrancesco, Santino Ferrucci, Rinus Veekay, Helio Castroneves.

In line-up two was a list of drivers' names:

Kyle Kirkwood, Callum Ilott, Alexander Rossi, Benjamin Pedersen, Josef Newgarden, Christian Lundgaard, Scott Dixon, Romain Grosjean, Alex Palou, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Sting Ray Robb, Tom Blomqvist, and Pato O'Ward.

As we waited, we couldn't help but notice the excitement and anticipation building among the crowds, which had at least an hour's wait in front of them. The lines grew bigger and bigger behind us, circling around the building. The atmosphere was electric, with fans discussing their favorite drivers and sharing stories from previous races. It was clear that everyone was eager to witness the thrilling race ahead. Despite the delay, we decided to stay in line and wait for the drivers. We came up with a game plan to do more and see more. So we both took turns standing in line while the other person explored the grounds.

I walked around the exhibits and ran into an artist painting a picture. The artist's attention to detail was remarkable, capturing every intricate aspect of the Honda Indy and the CNE Princes Gates. As I watched him work, I couldn't help but admire his talent and dedication. Meanwhile, I found a booth that gave away free stuff if you had the time to answer 10 questions. The T-Shirt giveaway seemed like a golden opportunity to score some free merchandise, especially considering the steep prices of clothing at the event. It was amazing how quickly twenty minutes can disappear as had only 5 minutes to return back to the lineup.

The line was moving quickly when I arrived back with the white T-shirt, We met our first driver, Kyle with a stack of photos to hand out. We listened to a fan in front of us speak to him. It was comical as they joked about another driver's upcoming wedding, which he jokingly said the driver was more worried about than the race. We had our turn and spoke to Kyle Kirkwood, who suggested a good competitor for the trial practice run. He laughed and enjoyed the moment and pointed to his other colleagues sitting next to him. The drivers were approachable, signing autographs, and we had our one T-shirt signed. The better question we asked was, "Who is your competition in the race? then asking, "What is the most difficult corner of the race?" We have a great 10-second clip of us talking with Romain Grosjean.

The drivers seemed to genuinely enjoy interacting with their supporters, taking the time to chat and pose for photos. It was a memorable experience for everyone involved, creating a sense of camaraderie between the drivers and their fans.

A special shout-out and thanks to everyone who made the Honda Indy a fun safe event in Toronto. The very first Toronto Indy Race was held back in 1986 and we can’t wait to return next year. More stories and photos of what we witnessed at the event to come.