5 Years of the Honda Indy in Toronto

2014 marks 5 consecutive years, thanks Honda!

Cheered hard for James Hinchcliffe, Honda’s driver and only Canadian in the race.  Felt for you on those 2 setbacks. Your time is coming, don’t be worried.

Indy photo by Kanishka Sonnadara

(great shot eh, it’s Kanishka’s)

I asked James about how he’s able to concentrate deeply for so long, that’s the topic for this week’s column.

That part is so interesting to me, because really, every single thing, all the tech, design, money and math that are poured into this car, are all superfluous if the driver’s focus wavers.

New headers.

As close as you can get, to the fastest point,
with the most noise. Earplugs out always.

This is just before turn 3, the carnage corner.

Most crashes happen on this ridiculousness, are you kidding this turn.

I got this scarf printed in the paper HAHA.

It’s the photo for a column, one of my new favourites: The Mystery of the Checkered Flag

5 Year Highlights include:

1 – the 2012 Backstage Tour of the Indy here
2 – in 2011, I attended both days here & here (ask me about this entrance IRL)
3 – security at the Indy here
4 – the steering wheel, and what $20,000 in tires looks like
5 – five years of this sound…

Forever a ‘Top 3 Favourite Sound’

The original Civic was on display!

1973 – 40 years old now.

Here’s some history of this car; I wrote a ‘then & now’, and used it to illustrate – When the Side Mirror was Optional

And then there was a 4th Generation Civic, a forever favourite, it gets its own post.

Here’s something kinda neat – 2 of the last 5 Indy’s, I’ve driven the display car, literally. (this year at Mosport, and the year the HFPs came out, at an airport)

And did you know Honda makes the world’s only manual transmission hybrid – the Honda CRZ.

More here.

Thanks for 5 amazing years Honda!

Here’s to your team this summer, wishing you lots of wins.

 

 

Went to the Indy Today

Sometimes I wonder if, in olden times, horses were loved as much as we love engines today.

Engines are the new horses.

It was beautfiul out, a perfect weather day. Here’s your sunscreen reminder. Then Scott came out of nowhere, and surprised me.

Maybe my favourite part of any car race is the sound.

Those are NASCARs you hear.

But have you noticed too, that this year’s Indy isn’t as busy as past years.

I remember hearing cars for 3 days straight, and it’s now Saturday night and I’ve barely heard any races? Did it get scaled back and I don’t know?

One year I rode a giant razor like a mechanical bull.

Going again tomorrow!

It’s Indy Weekend

Honda kindly gave me VIP tickets for both days this year, oh ya let’s DO this.

I live downtown and love the deafening noise, l o v e it.  So in this vein, here’s an old episode from my ‘Canadian Explorer’ show:

Ep 27/80 Exploring a Race Car June 2009

Best. Thumbnail. EVER.

How anti-climactic there’s no actual footage of me racing, eh. It poured the whole day, my camera is not waterproof. Also, note 0:50 ;)

THE best part of the day, but not on video though, was when I spun out.

The track is covered in oil, the rain makes it slippery, and as I rounded a corner the car just started doing a 360 by itself.

Downshift, caught it, completed the 360 and kept driving. Started screaming with pride and joy. My natural reaction is fist pump, forgot the cabin is so tiny, smashed my fist straight up into the metal lip.

kk I’m off to the INDY! TTYL