IndyCar Doubleheader In Toronto Deemed A Success (Update)

UPDATE A reader writes, When reading this I could not help but think that this was another idea implemented by Randy Bernard. Doubleheaders, Standing Starts, Returning to Pocono, moving more races in ABC, replacing Barnhart with Barfield, a new car. I can go on. So what did the mental midgets do? They fired the guy. Joe Morgan (P.S. Please add that little cartoon of the guy banging his head against the wall, thanks.)

07/15/13 An official attendance figure for the two Izod IndyCar Series races in Toronto this weekend was not announced, but the event is "starting to look like the old Toronto crowds back in the '80s and '90s," according to NBC Sports Network's Robin Miller. Fans packed the "grandstands and the standing-room-only" areas around the street course.

Savoree Racing Promotions co-Owners Kevin Savoree and Kim Green, the promoters of the event, "really wanted" a doubleheader when former IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard announced the idea last year, and while it is unknown whether the series will continue to hold two races in the same weekend going forward, "these guys want to keep a doubleheader for next year." NBCSN's Leigh Diffey noted Savoree and Green have "increased some of the grandstand sizes, they've included some additional grandstands and they've got a great fan area out in the back" "Honda Toronto Indy," NBCSN.

In Toronto, Norris McDonald estimated a crowd of 35,000 gathered at Exhibition Place, and "in a lot of ways, was reminiscent of the glory days of the Molson Indy in the long distant past." The corporate suites "were all full, as were the grandstands, and what was really encouraging was that the general admission areas were packed." Bernard is to "thank for this weekend's huge success." In addition to championing the doubleheader concept, he "made the decision to take the series' Canadian TV contract to Rogers Sportsnet and it was a brilliant move." Sportsnet's "non-stop promotion of this racing weekend" went on for several months. Television commercials "were played daily" and Rogers radio stations "talked up the race almost non-stop." McDonald: "The Rogers push on radio and TV was in large part responsible for making this weekend's races a huge success." THESTAR.com