Indy Racing Returns to Toronto

Honda and Andretti Green Promotions have teamed up to return Indy racing to the streets of Toronto, Canada after the event went down with the Champ Car series. The Honda Toronto Indy is scheduled for July 10-12 2009.

Michael Andretti, now owner of the event, is a former 7-time winner pictured here in 2001.

With the addition of the Long Beach Grand Prix, the ’09 schedule will include 18 races, comprising a diverse mix of road courses, street circuits and ovals.

After North American open-wheel racing was unified early in 2008, a couple of mainstays on the old Champ Car circuit didn’t appear on the amended schedule, due to date conflicts or prior contracts.

“This has always been a place to race and it’s great for everyone that is a fan of IndyCar racing in Toronto,” said Michael Andretti. “Honda has been a great partner of ours for years and this will take that partnership deeper into the future.

“Andretti Green and Honda plan to do great things with this event and everyone associated with it is very excited for July, 2009 to get here.” AGR signed a multi-year agreement with Honda Canada for the title sponsorship rights to the company’s IndyCar Series event.

“We are very pleased to be sponsoring this exciting event, which has been one of the top attractions in Ontario since it first roared to life in 1986,” said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc. “We salute Andretti Green for its commitment to bring the IndyCar Series to the streets of Toronto.”