Toronto Organizers Go with Flow of Changes

New hotel cramping IndyCar's style

Lucille Dust/AR1.com

There are a few things encroaching on the Honda Indy Toronto's space at Exhibition Place, but as they have since 1986, organizers are adjusting. Construction of a large-scale hotel complex since spring 2014 has impacted the temporary street circuit's pit out and an expansion of the east side of BMO Field (home of the FC Toronto soccer team) has tightened display space.

A beach volleyball stadium, being constructed for the Pan American Games in July, is temporary but has displaced the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires paddock and altered the shape and location of the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock. Exhibition Place will host 15 Pan Am Games events at five venues.

Because of the Pan Am Games, the race is a month earlier on the schedule than its traditional date.

"We're not without our challenges this year from an operations standpoint," track president Johnstone said. "But we've known these things were happening for a long time and have planned for them. I always chuckle when people ask, 'What is it you do the rest of the year?' Well, we plan for these weeks and days leading into it. Here we are race week and we're ready to go."

The 1.755-mile, 11-turn street circuit that will host the Verizon IndyCar Series and all three rungs of the Mazda Road to Indy has changed little since the first race. And even with changes to infrastructure around the facility, fans can expect the typical bustling Toronto vibe.

"It's really about the whole festival atmosphere," said Johnstone, who also noted that Molson has returned as an event sponsor after seven years away. "It's getting people down to the site that maybe haven't been here before to really see and hear the sounds of Indy cars and see the drivers and get up close. That's what creates that energy and excitement."