Paul Tracy is a legendary figure among Canadian racing fans and his career featured a number of memorable moments, many of which occurred in Toronto, the site of this week’s Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader.
Here’s a look at back at some memories provided by “The Thrill from West Hill.”
Programming alert: Catch coverage of the Honda Indy Toronto Race 1 on Sportsnet Ontario, Pacific, West and East at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and Race 2 on Sportsnet Ontario Pacific, West and East at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday | TV schedule
1993 season
This was technically Tracy’s third year on the CART circuit, but a broken leg in 1991 forced him to sit out most of the rest of that year and 1992 making this year his first full one in the series, and it was quite the season for the then 24-year old.
In 1993, he captured two poles and won five races, including the first win of his career in the third race of the season on the streets of Long Beach. He battled all season with Brit Nigel Mansel, who had won the Formula One championship the year before, and CART Series veteran Emerson Fittipaldi to finish third overall in the driver standings.
2003 season
Fast-forward a decade and we find a more polished version of the upstart kid who burst onto the scene in 1993.
This was Tracy’s year and to this day it remains one of the most impressive seasons in CART/IndyCar history.
The list of accomplishments was as follows: Six poles, 10 podiums, 658 laps led, seven wins and one CART championship.
In short, he obliterated the field.
Along the way to his only career CHAMP/IndyCar crown, he broke a number of records including becoming the first driver in 32 years to win the first three races of the season.
Canadian success
A big part of Tracy’s legacy has been the success he’s had on his home soil. In total, Tracy’s earned five wins in Canada and 17 top-five finishes. He also had the greatest race of his career in his backyard.
In what was probably the highlight of his epic 2003 season, Tracy decided to do something special for his hometown race, then called the Molson Indy Toronto. The Scarborough native won the pole and then went on to not only win the race but lead all 112 laps.
Impact on CART
Tracy also had an indelible impact on CART and American open-wheel racing in general.
In the days preceding the IZOD IndyCar series, CART/Champ Car competed fiercely with the rival Indy Racing League (IRL), which can be argued had bigger stars like Dan Wheldon, Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti. Despite this, Tracy remained within the CART fold and was even subject to some CART/IRL controversy.
In 2002, Tracy returned to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 1995 and he didn’t disappoint. Tracy stayed in the hunt and on the tail of race leader Castroneves until late in the race when he finally decided to strike and overtake the Brazilian.
Unfortunately for Tracy, a yellow caution flag came out just as he passed Castroneves, and the pass was deemed illegal by race officials pushing him back to the runner-up spot.
This was a major controversy at the time because there was a lack of evidence from camera angles showing the pass and whether the yellow was timed to prevent a CART racer from winning on IRL commissioner and then owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tony George’s track.
Lasting charisma
Tracy’s most memorable trait just might be his infectious, and sometimes controversial, personality.
Naturally charismatic, Tracy always managed to win over the fans even when he may have been in the wrong.
Case in point, his famous feuds in 2006 with Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais and French-speaking Canadian Alex Tagliani. Tracy got into scuffles with both men after races, prompting him to eventually (and famously) say “French guys always keep their helmets on,” after Bourdais kept his lid on during their altercation.
Tracy said he was joking about the incident but Tagliani, Bourdais and Quebec driver Andrew Ranger took the comment as an insult and implored fans at the Montreal Indy race to boo Tracy.
That didn’t go according to the trios plans however. Tracy was booed by the Montreal crowd during warm-ups and qualifying sessions, but during the drivers’ presentation, he came out with a blue luchadore mask and a Quebec flag worn like a cape, a look that fans absolutely loved and even earned him the nickname “le Crazy Quebecois,” or “the Crazy Quebecer.”
