Honda Indy 2016, Toronto, ON

The Honda Indy is happening just south of us this weekend (we can hear the cars from our place whipping around the track).

Gord is a big racecar fan.  The last couple of years we have been going down later on the Friday afternoon to check it out (we didn't last year because it was raining).  It's free ... you can sit pretty well wherever you want and watch the cars race practicing.  There's lot to see if you walk around.  You get a great flavour for the Indy because the cars go really really fast and are loud.

Gord took the day off and went down early (I met him later on).  I came in through gate 1 by the Princes' Gates.

There were cars and their trucks in the paddock.  It costs $40/day to wander around inside the fence and get close to the cars (I didn't).

I met Gord and his racing buddies and former co-workers, Randy and Dan, at the Pinty's beer garden next to the Princes' Gates.

Dan, Randy and Gord

It was a great spot to watch the cars go around corner 1.

Gord's work buddy and racing fan, Martin, also joined us.

I left them in the beer garden and wandered around for a while.

You could buy Indy gear ... there was also a tent where
you could buy NASCAR gear (Gord bought a Chase Elliott teeshirt)

Face painting for kids

Motorcycles for little kids

Motorcycles for big kids

I stopped by the Make-a-Wish booth and signed the outfit Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe will be wearing in the race on Sunday.

There's my signature below Gord's (he'd been there earlier)

I met Hinch's parents, Arlene and Jeremy ... they were very nice

I sat in the stands for a while.

The pit lane

Closer to the action

There was lots going on in Thunder Alley.