Grand Prix of Toronto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto

NTT IndyCar Series
Location	Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario, Canada 43°38′14″N 79°24′56″W / 43.63722°N 79.41556°W / 43.63722; -79.41556
Corporate sponsor	Ontario Honda Dealers
First race	1986
First ICS race	2009
Laps	90
Previous names	Molson Indy Toronto (1986–2005) Molson Grand Prix of Toronto (2006) Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto (2007) Honda Indy Toronto (2009-2023)
Most wins (driver)	Michael Andretti (7)
Most wins (team)	Newman/Haas Racing (7)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Chassis: Dallara (15) Engine: Chevrolet (13)
Circuit information
Surface	Asphalt/Concrete
Length	2.874 km (1.786 mi)
Turns	11
Lap record	0:58.806 ( Cristiano da Matta, Lola B02/00, 2002, CART)

The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is an exciting annual Indy Car race. It takes place right in the heart of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This race is famous for being held on a temporary street circuit. This means the race track is built on regular city streets!

The track is about 2.874 kilometers (1.786 miles) long and has 11 turns. It winds through Exhibition Place and along Lake Shore Boulevard. The Toronto Indy is one of the longest-running street races in IndyCar history. Only the Grand Prix of Long Beach has been around longer. It's also one of the oldest races on the current IndyCar schedule.

How the Toronto Indy Race Began

Pit lane and front straight during the 2003 Molson Indy Toronto race.

Racing has a long history at Exhibition Place, going back over 100 years. Car shows, displays, and races have happened there since cars were first invented. Even an early Indy car, the Peugeot that won the 1916 Indianapolis 500, was shown there in 1918.

For many years, from 1952 to 1966, stock car races were held at the Exhibition Stadium. These races were very popular, drawing crowds of over 20,000 people. In 1958, a NASCAR Cup Series race even took place there. This race was special because it was the very first start for the legendary driver Richard Petty. His father, Lee Petty, won that race.

In the 1980s, a company called Molson Breweries decided to bring IndyCar racing to Canada. They first held a race near Montreal. But the track wasn't very popular with the race teams. So, in 1985, Molson suggested building a street circuit at Exhibition Place in Toronto. Toronto City Council approved the idea, and the first race was set for the next year.

History of the Race

The first Molson Indy Toronto race was held on July 20, 1986. It was won by Bobby Rahal. The event quickly became one of Canada's biggest yearly sports events. Over 170,000 people would often attend the three-day event.

In 1996, there was a serious crash during the race. Driver Jeff Krosnoff and a volunteer race marshal, Gary Avrin, sadly died. Another marshal, Barbara Johnston, was also hurt but recovered. Adrián Fernández won that race.

The race name changed in 2006 to the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto. This was because the "Indy" name was then only for the rival Indy Racing League. In 2007, a new sponsor, Steelback Brewery, took over, and the race became the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto.

In 2008, the two main IndyCar series, Champ Car and Indy Racing League, joined together. This caused the Toronto race to be cancelled for that year. But in 2009, the race returned! A new company, Andretti Green Racing, bought the rights to the event. They signed a deal with Honda Canada Inc., and the race was renamed the Honda Indy Toronto.

Looking towards the Direct Energy Centre during the 2013 race. Team Penske pits are at the bottom of the image.

In 2013, something new happened: the race weekend had two races! One on Saturday and one on Sunday. The Saturday race was supposed to have a "standing start," where cars wait still until the green light. The Sunday race was a "rolling start," where cars are already moving. The standing start on Saturday didn't work, but the one on Sunday was a success! It was the first successful standing start in the unified IndyCar series. However, running two races was tough, and by 2015, they went back to one race with a rolling start.

In 2016, the race track layout changed a bit. This was to make room for a new hotel. The pit lane, where cars stop for tires and fuel, moved to the other side of the track.

The driver with the most wins at this race is Michael Andretti, who has won seven times!

The races in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. This was due to travel restrictions and bans on large public gatherings. But the race is back and continues to be a big event in Toronto. In 2024, the race got its current name, the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto.

Past Winners of the Main Race

Here are some of the past winners of the main IndyCar race in Toronto:

Season	Date	Driver	Team	Chassis	Engine
CART IndyCar / Champ Car
1986	July 20	Bobby Rahal	Truesports	March	Cosworth
1989	July 23	Michael Andretti	Newman/Haas Racing	Lola	Chevrolet-Ilmor
1993	July 18	Paul Tracy	Penske Racing	Penske	Chevrolet-Ilmor
1996	July 14	Adrian Fernandez	Tasman Motorsports	Lola	Honda
2001	July 15	Michael Andretti	Team Green	Reynard	Honda
2007	July 8	Will Power	Walker Racing	Panoz	Cosworth
IndyCar Series
2009	July 12	Dario Franchitti	Chip Ganassi Racing	Dallara	Honda
2013	July 13	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Dallara	Honda
2013	July 14	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Dallara	Honda
2016	July 17	Will Power	Team Penske	Dallara	Chevrolet
2019	July 14	Simon Pagenaud	Team Penske	Dallara	Chevrolet
2022	July 17	Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Dallara	Honda
2023	July 16	Christian Lundgaard	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Dallara	Honda

The 1997 Molson Indy Toronto race in action.

• 1990: Race was shorter because of rain.
• 1996: Race was shorter due to a serious crash.
• 2014 I: Race moved from Saturday to Sunday morning due to rain. It was also shortened.
• 2014 II: Race was shorter due to a time limit.

Other Races at the Event

Besides the main IndyCar race, the Honda Indy Toronto weekend also features other exciting races. These are called "support series" and showcase different types of racing cars and up-and-coming drivers.

Some of the series that have raced here include:

• Indy Lights: A stepping stone series for drivers hoping to reach IndyCar.
• NASCAR Pinty's Series: Canada's top stock car racing series.
• Trans-Am Series: A historic American sports car racing series.
• Stadium Super Trucks: Trucks that jump over ramps on the track!

Fastest Laps (Lap Records)

The fastest official race laps at the Grand Prix of Toronto are:

Giving Back to the Community

The Indy Toronto race isn't just about racing; it also helps the community. For many years, the Molson Indy Festival Foundation raised money for local groups and charities. By 2004, they had donated $5.6 million!

Since 2010, the race has had "Fan Fridays." On these days, instead of paying for admission, people are asked to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This amazing initiative has raised over $820,000 by 2019. Make-A-Wish helps grant wishes for children who are very sick.

Images for kids

• 

  Ron Beauchamp, Jr. practicing for the 2010 Jumpstart 100.

See also

In Spanish: Gran Premio de Toronto para niños

• List of Indycar races
• List of auto racing tracks in Canada
• Annual events in Toronto