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.

 

 

Around the Track with Alex Tagliani

It’s a 2013 Honda Civic HFP.

(Honda Factory Performance: tuned out of the box, limited edition) Honda.ca

Non-car nerdsAlex Tagliani is one of Canada’s most beloved racers.

He blew up in 90s, and has been killing it since. He races for Honda in the IndyCar series.

He wouldn’t remember, but we met last year. I arrived at Honda HQ to pick up a Fit, and accidentally walked into a meet & greet.

Also from that day.

Nice.  (so nice, might give this photo its own post).

Filmed two days before the Indy, at the second annual ‘Honda Manual School’.  Here’s a couple more videos from that day.

 

 

Indy Day 2

It was bumper cars today at the 25th Honda Indy.

Dario Franchitti smashed his way to his 3rd Toronto Indy win, congratulations! Will Power is upset. Read about it here.

The weather was perfect, fighter jets overhead, it was a fantastic weekend, thanks again, Honda!

This is the first video I’ve uploaded to Google+

Add me     gplus.to/KeriBlog

Under the bleachers on the way out.

Here’s the editing file….. did you think there’d be that many cuts?? Exactly.  Smirk.

Here’s to a good and productive start to your week!!