Written by James Hinchcliffe special to Sportsnet.
I was only a year and a half old when my dad took me to Exhibition Place to see Indy cars race on the streets of my hometown for the first time. So many of my childhood memories happened at that race. I remember the sound: You always heard the cars before you saw them. I loved that part. There was the scream of the engine and then the anticipation as I watched the gap in the concrete barriers for the first glimpse of the cars. The colours blurred as the field flew by, the cars almost close enough to touch. I couldn’t believe the size and power of them. For me, it was Christmas in July.
As a kid, I would run around, chasing drivers to get autographs on the spotter guide, wanting to get them all like a signature treasure hunt. It was in Toronto that I met my hero, Greg Moore, in 1999. There is no doubt in my mind that these experiences shaped my passion for racing.
As I got older, my appreciation for what was happening on the track grew. I started to understand race craft. I watched Michael Andretti get spun out on lap one, then storm back through the field and win, and I took mental notes.
In 2006, my rookie season in Formula Atlantic, I got on the other side of the fence for the first time. I’ll never forget sitting strapped into my car in the pit lane and seeing the skyline of Toronto over the Princes’ Gates. I’d seen that view a hundred times, but it was always obstructed by chain-link fence. Now my view was clear, and through the fence I saw young kids watching just as I had.
But it’s 2011 that I remember the best. I finally got onto the grid for the Indycar race and got to bang wheels with one of my racing heroes, Paul Tracy. Sharing the track with him—in Toronto no less—was a dream come true.
Last year, the race came only a month after my accident. But I was absolutely hellbent on being there for my team and for all the people in Canada who supported me and sent well wishes during my recovery. (Well, that and I didn’t want to break my attendance streak of 28 consecutive years as either a fan or competitor.) It was definitely a challenge, especially not getting to drive, but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
I have so many incredible memories from this race weekend. I’ve met so many friends and fans while walking through the paddock over the years. But even with all that I’ve seen and done there, heading into the 2016 Honda Indy Toronto, I truly hope my best memory from the race hasn’t happened yet.
This article appears in the August issue of Sportsnet magazine.