I still remember the warmth of the early summer sun at the Castrol Victoria Day SpeedFest, where the racing season came alive at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The air was filled with the scent of fresh rubber and high-octane fuel, and there was a buzz of excitement all around. Among the weekend’s highlights was watching Jack Polito’s striking blue #22 Ford Mustang surge across the finish line in first place against a backdrop of cheering fans.
At that same May event, a wave of anticipation built as the NASCAR Canada Series cars lined up on the grid. Standing along the fences, the roar when they finally took off was thunderous.
I caught a glimpse of Malcolm Strachan in his #98 Chevy Camaro roaring down straight. As the race progressed, the combined aroma of tire smoke and gasoline permeated the race track — a vivid reminder of the intensity of motorsports.
Later in the summer, I spent a day at the opening Canadian Sport Compact Series (CSCS) event, where the energy was just as infectious. The track was filled with the sound of engines revving, rumbling, and tires squealing. Among the highlights was watching Rick Craig’s heavily modified Nissan 350Z drift around the Driver Development Track, leaving clouds of smoke and cheers in its wake.
By July, Toronto’s streets were transformed for the Honda Indy weekend. The city hummed with over a hundred thousand race fans in attendance. The grandstands were bustling with spectators, and the sun baked the pavement as I watched the USF Pro 2000 Championship drivers zip past. The famous Princes’ Gates stood tall as it saw racecars careen out of turn 11 and down Princes’ Boulevard.
During that same weekend, the FEL Radical Cup Canada brought a procession of sleek Radical SR3s onto the track. I can still recall the shimmering heat rising off the asphalt in the late afternoon heat, the audience eagerly craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the compact race cars speeding by.
The main attraction of the Toronto summer racing spectacle was the IndyCar race. Even before the engines fired up, you could sense the excitement in the crowd. All weekend long, I’d see drivers like Kyle Kirkwood out on track for practice, the roar of his machine echoing off the concrete barriers as he navigated the tight turns of the street circuit.
Race day on Sunday brought an electric atmosphere, the kind that makes your heart pound even if you’ve watched races for years. I watched veteran drivers like Romain Grosjean and Josef Newgarden race inches apart, going around 200 kilometres per hour on the track.
As I positioned myself next to the track, I saw an endless sea of heads following every move in the grandstands. I caught this shot of David Malukas leading Will Power through Turn 11. The smell of hot brakes and the sound of motors screeching at full tilt still lingers in my mind.
IndyCars darted through a street circuit like thunder echoing off the buildings in downtown Toronto. I managed to capture a close-up of Graham Rahal’s car as it whizzed by, a momentary snapshot capturing the driver’s focus and determination.
Finally, as the checkered flag approached, Colton Herta’s relentless pace sealed a thrilling victory in Toronto after leading for 81 of the 85 laps. Now, with the frigid winter plunging Toronto into a deep freeze, I find myself drifting back to that sun-soaked Sunday. The icy sidewalks today stand in stark contrast to the smell of celebratory tire smoke lingering in the air.
No comments to display.