John Musselman shows us the tracks being set up and the excitement of the fans. <\/p>\n
The inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy in Markham had a misfire at the starting line.<\/p>\n
The first day of practice and qualifying at the only IndyCar event in Canada was cancelled Friday because the track was not completed and officials couldn\u2019t do a final safety check. Organizers said they will try to squeeze all of the first day\u2019s track sessions into Saturday\u2019s schedule.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the first year Markham has hosted the event after it was moved from Toronto\u2019s Exhibition Place, where it had been held since its inaugural running in 1986.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndyCar is incredibly disappointed that our promoter was not able to complete the track build on time, despite significant support from our team on site,\u201d said IndyCar president J. Douglas Boles in a statement. \u201cOntario has always been a magnificent market for our sport and the number of spectators that attended today is a shining example of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew events can always pose logistical challenges and we join in the frustration of our loyal fans and apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EHDIQWKTDLPKQC3A4ZTAUT37GM.jpg\")
Spectators sit by an empty racetrack as preparations continue ahead of the 2026 Honda Indy in Markham, Ont., Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sammy Kogan Spectators sit by an empty racetrack as preparations continue ahead of the 2026 Honda Indy in Markham, Ont., Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sammy Kogan <\/p>\n
Mark Coburn of Kitchener, Ont., and Scott Stobo of Waterloo, Ont., have been attending the race for 20 years and drove to Markham on Friday morning. Coburn said it was \u201cgood and bad\u201d that the practice and qualifying sessions had been delayed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike good, I can understand that you want a safe track, and safety comes first because it\u2019d be horrible to have an accident and put a bad mark on things,\u201d he said about 30 minutes before the day was officially cancelled. \u201cObviously, it would be nice if they did all these checks before today, so at least it could run smoothly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been nothing all day today, unfortunately, on the track, which is the attraction and generates interest for fans and new fans, especially in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n
IndyCar and the City of Markham announced the move from downtown Toronto last September. The temporary circuit, built for the first time this week, runs between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407.<\/p>\n
Some of the incomplete features included a pedestrian bridge over Enterprise Boulevard that would connect parking to the main spectator compound as well as ports cut into safety fencing for marshals to wave hazard flags through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does feel like from the start that being at Markham feels a little random,\u201d said Stobo. \u201cIn the \u2018burbs, in a kind of an industrial park.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hoping they\u2019d go to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (in Clarington, Ont.) or something.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ontario government announced on July 27 that it had invested $1.5 million into the event. Four days later the federal government announced it had put in $3.5 million.<\/p>\n
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti confirmed on Feb. 20 that the city\u2019s capital spending for the race, primarily on one-time infrastructure upgrades like repaving the roads, had exceeded $12 million.<\/p>\n
Fridays at Canada\u2019s IndyCar race are free with spectators encouraged to donate what they can to the Make-A-Wish Foundation instead of buying a ticket. There were thousands of fans around the Markham track with the temperature reaching 26 C or 31 C with humidity.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6UQ4KDJJ5TMQ32S3SLZGRJ222Q.jpg\")
Fans react as they leave after the first day of track practices were cancelled ahead of the 2026 Honda Indy in Markham, on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sammy Kogan Fans react as they leave after the first day of track practices were cancelled ahead of the 2026 Honda Indy in Markham, on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sammy Kogan <\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing here being maybe a newer development is that there\u2019s not a lot of shade,\u201d said Stobo. \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of chairs to sit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s kind of where it makes the day in the sun pretty hard and not as many indoor options as what there was at Exhibition Place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Activities off the track, including autograph sessions with drivers, went head as planned.<\/p>\n
Saturday will be a significantly longer day at the track, with IndyCar holding both of its practice sessions and its qualifying round in the day. Due to time constraints in the early evening, the qualifying will be in its traditional road course knockout format.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we hit the track, we believe the circuit will be spectacular,\u201d said Boles. \u201cWe would like to thank the city of Markham for the major support it has made to provide IndyCar a layout, which is fast, technical and will put on a terrific show on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n
USF2000 Championship, USF Pro 2000, Radical Cup Canada, and NASCAR Canada Series will also be running races around the road course this weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe talked this morning about maybe coming back after today,\u201d said Stobo. \u201cI think we\u2019ve had our fill.\u201d<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2026.<\/p>\n
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n
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