Adrián Fernández Mier (born April 20, 1963) is a Mexican former professional race car driver and co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.
94-731: The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is an annual Indy Car race, held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Originally known as the Molson Indy Toronto , it was part of the Champ Car World Series from 1986 to 2007. After a one-year hiatus, it has been part of the NTT IndyCar Series schedule since 2009. The race takes place on a 2.874 km (1.786 mi), 11 turn, temporary street circuit through Exhibition Place and on Lake Shore Boulevard . Toronto
188-458: A 4th place showing in the PPG Cup race during the 1998 FedEx Championship. He captured his first career pole at Michigan and led the championship race for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, Fernández was once again touched by tragedy — a crash at Michigan resulted in an errant wheel from his car flying into the stands and killing three spectators. However, it was his victory during
282-414: A consortium of ethanol producers that advocate the increased use of ethanol . EPIC was anxious to address public concerns of that era that ethanol use led to engine damage and poor performance when used in road cars. As a marketing effort, it was believed that sponsoring an IndyCar could be used as a tool to promote education and awareness of ethanol use and to curb the spread of erroneous information. Dana
376-568: A contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation upon entering the grounds. The initiative has raised $ 820,000 as of 2019 for the organization dedicated to granting wishes for children with critical illnesses. IndyCar Series The IndyCar Series , currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship , is the highest class of American open-wheel car racing in the United States, which has been conducted under
470-406: A first-ever Dallara DW12 facelift. The kits, while increasing speeds and offering a clear distinction between the two manufacturers, did lead to significant cost increases. Further, Chevrolet's aero kit was the more dominant with Honda only able to mount a competitive charge on ovals due to having slightly better engine power. While Honda was able to make gains in 2016, after two years of development
564-629: A foot protection bulkhead, and cockpit padding. From the 2020 season onwards, the IndyCar Series implemented a cockpit protection system. This consists of a combination of the Halo mandated in Formula One and a reinforced windscreen dubbed the "aeroscreen", provided by Red Bull Advanced Technologies, to lessen the probability of traumatic head injuries from flying debris. All IndyCar Series cars carry an Electronic Control Unit. Live telemetry
658-548: A history at Exhibition Place going back over 100 years. Automotive shows, displays, races and driving demonstrations have taken place on the grounds since the invention of the automobile, including the first appearance of an indy car , the 1916 Indianapolis 500 winning Peugeot during the 1918 Canadian National Exhibition . From 1952 until 1966 the grandstand hosted stock car racing on a paved quarter mile circuit on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, hosting crowds upwards of 20,000 often broadcast live on CBC in Toronto. In 1958
752-429: A pneumatic clutch with semi-automatic activation, supplied by Xtrac Limited since the 2008 season. All current IndyCar transmissions use pneumatic actuation for the shifting and clutch, so the clutch is therefore only needed for launching the car from a standstill, and the clutch isn't required for gear shifting. From 1996 to 2007, all IndyCar Series cars used a hand-shifted 6-speed sequential manual transmission with
846-592: A practice crash. Riley & Scott produced IndyCar chassis from 1997 to 2000. Their initial effort, the Mark V, was introduced late in the 1997 season, severely limiting its potential market. It also proved to be uncompetitive. After Riley & Scott was purchased by Reynard, an all-new model, the Mark VII, was introduced for the 2000 season. It won in Phoenix, the second race of the season (driven by Buddy Lazier), but
940-643: A second place in the LMP2 category in the famous race with the Barazi-Epsilon team Zytek aboard a 07S/2 3.4-liter V8 prototype. His teammates were Haruki Kurosawa and Robbie Kerr . This was the first podium for a Mexican at the Circuit de la Sarthe in many years, to remember those achieved by Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez in 1962 and 1968 respectively. The English-French team took pole position on its category. After three years of absence, Fernández
1034-615: A sharper turn than it had been in the previous configuration. Michael Andretti is the all-time race win leader with seven victories. The 2020 and 2021 editions of the event were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario , marking the second gap in the race's history. This came due to the restrictions that were in place barring non-essential travel at the Canada–United States border (as most IndyCar Series races are within
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#17327733612301128-501: A shift stick lever, supplied also by Xtrac since 2000 season until 2007. The clutches of all IndyCar Series cars are carbon with steel housing 3-plate clutch operated by foot-pedal in 1996–2011 later hand-paddle steering wheel clutch in 2012–present and provided by AP Racing . Mechanical limited-slip differentials are also allowed and constant velocity joint tripod driveshafts are also used. All IndyCar Series car drivetrains are currently rear mid-engine with rear-wheel-drive layout . Since
1222-538: A single set of specifications is used, based upon the configuration and speed of the track, as well as having the right rear tire diameter constructed to be slightly larger than the left rear, (also known as stagger) to aid in high speed cornering. The suspension of all IndyCar Series cars is double A-arm, pushrod, with third spring and anti-roll bar configuration multilink. All NTT IndyCar Series cars use carbon-fiber shell driver's seats with 6-point safety restraints. The cars' steering wheels are designed by Cosworth with
1316-632: A standing start while the Sunday race would be a rolling start. After an aborted standing start Saturday leading to a rolling start, teams and officials agreed to try the standing start again Sunday. The Sunday standing start was successful on its first attempt and was the first successful standing start in unified IndyCar series history (the Champ Car World Series had used standing starts late in its history shortly before unification). In 2014, weather forced both races to be run Sunday, exposing
1410-556: A system of buttons that allow the drivers to make adjustments to their cars mid-race. All IndyCar Series cars were equipped with Pi Research Sigma Wheel to Display data display units from 2001–2017 until they were replaced by Cosworth's Configurable Display Unit 4.3 display from 2018 onwards (although in 2018 some smaller low-budget IndyCar Series teams still utilized old Pi Research Sigma Wheel instead of new Cosworth Configurable Display Unit 4.3 due to cost reasons). The cockpits of all IndyCar Series cars are still open but protected by zylon,
1504-572: A universal bodywork kit. Digital renderings for the common bodywork kit, referred to as the 'IR18' car, were released in early May 2017 as a second facelift of Dallara DW12 . The car was officially unveiled in late July, and the universal aero kit became known as the UAK18 bodywork. The bodywork is inspired by CART 's 1990s and 2000s designs, with a more streamlined appearance. The redesigned aero kit reduces both aerodynamic downforce and team and manufacturer design development costs. The universal Aero Kit
1598-463: A well-funded team, was brought on to develop the engine with team owner Eddie Cheever expanding the team to two cars and bringing on his brother Ross Cheever as a test driver. By 2000, the engine had improved markedly and Cheever captured the marque's first win at Pikes Peak International Raceway . However, despite the improved success, few teams made the switch to the Infiniti and the company left
1692-626: Is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit. It is IndyCar's second-longest running street race, only behind the Grand Prix of Long Beach and is the third oldest race on the current schedule (tied with the Mid-Ohio 200 ) in terms of number of races run. The Toronto Indy is one of seven Canadian circuits to have held an IndyCar race, the others being Canadian Tire Motorsport Park , Mont-Tremblant , Sanair , Montreal , Vancouver , and Edmonton . Motorsport and automobile demonstrations has
1786-706: Is now competing in the 2010 now competing in LMP1 class with Aston Martin Racing finished fifth in his category (sixth absolute) with a Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 , his co-drivers were Harold Primat and Stefan Mücke . The luck did not favor Adrian in 2011 , when his team, the Aston Martin Racing in LMP1 class, could barely afford 2 laps with their Aston Martin AMR-One and leave the test due to problems with
1880-775: Is used only for television broadcasts, but the data can be recorded from the ECU to the computer if the car is in the garage tents and not on the track. Since 2007 McLaren supplied its Engine Control Unit (ECU) system for few IndyCar Series teams and later promoted to standard Engine Control Unit (ECU) systems from 2010 season onwards. Previously Motorola supplied IndyCar Series ECU in 2003–2009 for Honda -powered cars, also Denso supplied IndyCar Series ECU in 2003–2005 for Toyota -powered cars and also Zytek supplied IndyCar Series ECU in 2002–2005 for Chevrolet -powered cars. Rearview mirrors for all IndyCar Series cars are fully mandated to easily enable viewing opponents behind. At its inception,
1974-575: The Miller Lite 200 that gave Patrick Racing one of its most memorable moments, when Fernández stood atop the podium next to his teammate Scott Pruett . Fernández was also named the "Athlete of the Year" in Mexico. In 1999, Fernandez enjoyed his most successful season so far in the series, Adrián Fernández, behind the wheel of the #40 Tecate/Quaker State Reynard Ford-Cosworth, completed the year sixth in
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#17327733612302068-626: The CART chassis and turbocharged engines that had been the mainstay of the Indianapolis 500 since the late 1970s. Starting with the 2003 season, the series rules were changed to require chassis manufacturers to be approved by the league before they could build cars. Prior to that, any interested party could build a car, provided it met the rules and was made available to customers at the league-mandated price. In total, four manufacturers have built IndyCar chassis. Dallara began producing Indycars for
2162-444: The Champ Car World Series and the history and statistics of both series, as well as those from its predecessors, were unified. The series' premier event is the Indianapolis 500 , which was first held in 1911. Historically, open-wheel racing was the most popular form of U.S. motorsport nationwide. However, an acrimonious schism (often referred to by many as "The Split") in 1994 between the primary series, CART, and Tony George led to
2256-535: The FIA deemed Mosport as an unsuitable host facility going forward. Toronto city council turned down the proposal by a margin of two votes and within a few hours, Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau had negotiated with Labatt to move the race permanently to Montreal. In 1984, Molson Breweries in-house promotional division, Molstar Sports & Entertainment acquired the rights to CART sanctioned IndyCar races in Canada and ran
2350-497: The Firestone Indy Lights machines. After the withdrawal of factory support from Panoz Auto Development , they are the only supplier of new chassis. The G Force chassis was introduced in 1997 and won the 1997 and 2000 Indy 500 races. In 2002, Élan Motorsport Technologies bought G Force, and the chassis was renamed "Panoz G Force", and then shortened to "Panoz" in 2005. In 2003 a new model was introduced, and it won
2444-591: The Oldsmobile Aurora label) and Nissan (badged as Infiniti). Per IRL rules, the engines sold for no more than $ 80,000 (with an exception of full-works IndyCar Series teams that usually received free engines due to direct partnership with an each engine manufacturer), and were rev-limited to over 10,000 rpm and weighed up to 280 lb (127 kg ) (excl. headers, clutch, ECU, spark box or filters). They produced around 600–700 hp (450–520 kW). These engines utilized 90° crankshafts , and while
2538-470: The 1997 season. The Dallara and G Force chassis were relatively evenly matched over their first few seasons, but eventually, the Dallara began to win more races. This caused more teams to switch to the Dallara, further increasing their success. As of 2017, a Dallara chassis has been used by 17 Indy 500 winners, although there have not been any competing manufacturers since 2008. Dallara was also tapped to build
2632-511: The 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach . In 2010, IndyCar announced that it would officially adopt a single-make chassis formula, beginning in 2012 among a selection of proposals from interested parties, and set up the ICONIC (Innovative, Competitive, Open-Wheel, New, Industry-Relevant, Cost-Effective) Advisory Committee to make a final recommendation. Proposals were submitted and announced by BAT Engineering, Dallara , Lola , Swift , as well as
2726-622: The 2010 full season, cost $ 935,000 U.S. per season, per car. Adri%C3%A1n Fern%C3%A1ndez Fernández was born in Mexico City and began his career in Mexico at the age of eight. He entered his first auto race in 1981 at the "24 Hours of Mexico" race in Mexico City. At the age of 15, he made the permanent transition to cars in 1982. From 1982 to 1984, Fernández competed in the Formula Vee Championship, winning
2820-707: The British RAC and Esso Formula Ford 1600 Championship series before moving to the Mexican F3 Championship in 1990 and 1991, winning the title in 1991. In 1992, Fernández moved to the United States to compete in the Firestone Indy Lights Championship, now known as Indy NXT. He finished third in points, winning four races, a rookie record, setting a rookie record, and earned the honors of "Indy Lights Rookie of
2914-512: The IRL used methanol racing fuel, which had been the de facto standard in American open-wheel racing since the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Eddie Sachs – Dave MacDonald crash. Methanol had long provided a safer alternative to gasoline. It had a higher flash point, was easily extinguishable with water, and burned invisible. With the IRL's introduction of night races in 1997, the burning of methanol fuel
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3008-560: The IRL, a major point of contention for CART management, to whom Ford-Cosworth was an official engine supplier. The Ilmor Mercedes V-8 engine, also a mainstay CART powerplant, was permitted, but the only time it was used as a one-off at the 1996 Indy 500 by Galles Racing . Starting in 1997, IRL cars were powered by 4.0-litre V8 , four-stroke piston, Otto cycle methanol -burning, production prototype-based, naturally-aspirated internal combustion engines and electronic indirect multi-point port fuel injection, produced by General Motors (under
3102-838: The Indianapolis 500 and the series title. However, Toyota had just one podium in the last seven races of 2004, and only Penske Racing fielded competitive Toyota-powered cars in 2005, while Honda became the dominant engine manufacturer within the series. In November 2005, Toyota company officials announced the company's withdrawal from American open-wheel racing and the immediate discontinuation of its IRL program, coinciding with its entrance into NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series in 2004, and its discontinuation of its IMSA program. After Chevrolet and Toyota elected to shut down their IRL involvement after 2005 season ( Chevrolet temporarily hiatus from IndyCar Series for six years while Toyota USA elected to focus on NASCAR involvement), Honda became
3196-556: The Indy 500 in 2003–2004 and finished second in 2005. It fell out of favor starting in 2006, and by then, only one had finished in the top ten at Indy. Little factory support was given to IndyCar teams by Panoz after that point, as they had concentrated on their DP01 chassis for the rival Champ Car World Series. By 2008, only one Panoz saw track time, an aborted second-weekend effort at Indy, that resulted in Phil Giebler being injured in
3290-541: The Indy Racing League was announced on February 22, 2008, and the Grand Prix of Toronto's future was left in doubt. After attempts were made to preserve the race for 2008, it was confirmed on March 5, 2008, that the race had been cancelled. On May 15, 2008, Andretti Green Racing (co-owned by Michael Andretti ) purchased the assets of the former Grand Prix of Toronto. On July 30, 2008, it was confirmed that
3384-489: The U.S. government's demand that the alcohol is unfit for human consumption and add visible color in case of fire. However, 2010 São Paulo Indy 300 , held in Brazil –outside of the U.S. regulations– utilized a full E100 mixture, the first instance in the sport. To compensate for the loss of power due to the use of ethanol, the displacement was increased back to 3.5 liters. Since ethanol gets better fuel mileage than methanol,
3478-531: The United States) and after Mayor John Tory announced that all mass public gatherings were banned throughout the summers of 2020 and 2021 respectively in response to the pandemic. Following the cancellation of the 2020 race, a new three-year agreement was reached in September 2020 between Exhibition Place and Green Savoree Toronto to host the event through 2023. On March 14, 2024 it was announced that
3572-557: The Year," along with accumulating more than two million dollars in prize earnings. In 1993, Fernández made the jump to the CART IndyCar World Series , competing in five races for Galles Racing International . He participated in his first full season in 1994, with Galles finishing 13th and capturing the "Marco Magaña" and "Luchador Olmeca" awards along with the "JAC" trophy for "Best Driver" outside Mexico. Competing again with Galles in 1995, Fernández finished 12th in
3666-412: The auspices of various sanctioning bodies since 1920 after two initial attempts in 1905 and 1916. The series is self-sanctioned by its parent company, IndyCar, LLC ., which began in 1996 as the Indy Racing League (IRL) and was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George as a competitor to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). In 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with CART's successor,
3760-423: The cars were unique, being designed specifically for oval racing; for example, the oil and cooling systems were asymmetrical to account for the pull of liquids to the right side of the cars. Later cars were designed to accommodate the added requirements of road racing. Because of a schedule conflict, the Champ Car World Series spec Panoz DP01 , with a Cosworth engine, was run in an IndyCar Series points event in
3854-778: The category with 3 minutes and 54,928 seconds. Adrián had the honor to drive the last stage of the competition. On September 12, 2012, Fernández announced that his participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship would conclude at the end of the season, as well his relationship with the Aston Martin Racing team that started in 2010. The Mexican driver will focus on competitions in the United States. On September 28, 2012 Formula One driver Sergio Pérez announced that Férnandez would be his manager. In September 2016, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez honored Fernández when they named Turn 12 of
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3948-634: The championship battle. He led the points' series early in the season for the first time in his CART career. However, an accident at Belle Isle Park resulted in a fracture in one of his hands, forcing him to sit out for several races. Undeterred, he later won at Motegi , Japan at the Firestone Firehawk 500 and at the Marlboro 500 in Fontana , California — a race marred by the death of good friend Greg Moore . Later in 1999, Fernández
4042-611: The circuit after him. In 2024, Fernández acquired the legendary BRM P153/05 from a private collector. This Formula One car won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix under the command of Mexican idol Pedro Rodríguez . Fernández retired from motorsports in 2012. He has two children: Valentina and Niko Fernández, and he married longtime girlfriend, former beauty queen, author, and retired actress Priscila Perales on October 21, 2017. They got married on May 4, 2018, in Miami Beach, Florida . The couple announced their son, Adrián Fernández Jr.
4136-580: The development work associated with them. However, after a series of safety concerns during practice for the 2015 Indianapolis 500 with the Chevrolet aero kit package, this did not come about. The 2017 season was the third and final year contested with the Chevrolet and Honda aero kits outfitted to the Dallara DW12 chassis. Beginning in 2018, all DW12 Safety Cell chassis have been fitted with
4230-426: The difficulty in logistics of running two races in an already packed schedule. By 2015, both standing starts and the two race format were abandoned. In 2016, the track layout was modified to accommodate the newly constructed Hotel X Toronto . Under the new layout, the pit lane was moved to the opposite side of the race course, starting at the outside of turn 9 and exiting just after turn 11. This, in turn, made turn 11
4324-496: The engine blocks were to be production-based, they were not "stock blocks" like the Buick or Menard engines of the 1980s and 1990s. They were purpose-built racing engines. The engine formula was changed with the 2000–2004 formula. The displacement was dropped down from 4.0 to 3.5 litres (244 to 214 cubic inches ), and the requirement for the block to be production-based was dropped. The engines also switched to 180° crankshafts , and
4418-659: The engine running at the 56th site. In the 80th edition of 2012 , Fernández and the Aston Martin Racing Team got third place in the GTE-Pro class, along with his co-drivers Stefan Mücke and Darren Turner , Their Aston Martin Vantage 4.5 L-V8 covered a total of 332 laps (2,811.65 miles ), on the Circuit de la Sarthe without failure or serious mechanical problems. Also, the team achieved the fastest lap of
4512-443: The engines were moderately de-tuned. The engines proved themselves to be quite durable — there had been no engine failures at Indy from 2006 to 2010, which also lowered the number of crashes. Most of the engines, including those used for the Indy 500, are used for multiple races and were intended to last 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometres ) between rebuilds. The Honda engines were only available via lease arrangement from Honda, which, for
4606-472: The existing engine blocks to curb top speeds (started from the 2004 Indianapolis 500 ). Infiniti's engines, though reliable, were significantly down on power compared to the Auroras in 1997, leading many of the teams that had initially opted for the Infiniti to switch. By the end of the 1998 season, only a handful of low-budget teams were using the Infiniti. However, early in the 1999 season, Cheever Racing ,
4700-568: The first Molson Indy at the Sanair Speedway outside Montreal. The tight tri-oval was unpopular with the CART teams in part due to a severe injury to Rick Mears during the first event. In the spring of 1985, Molson revived the idea of a street circuit through Exhibition Place in Toronto for a third time. Toronto City Council approved the race by two votes in July 1985 for the race to be held
4794-451: The first time since 2011. The fuel cell for all current IndyCar Series cars are made of rubber and are covered with a Kevlar-fitted blanket for extra protection in side impacts. Since 2012 the capacity has been 18.5 US gallons (70 litres ). Previous capacities were 22 US gallons (83 litres ) in 2007–2011, 30 US gallons (114 litres ) in 2004–2006, and 35 US gallons (132 litres ) in 1997–2003. The initial 1996 IRL season, as well as
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#17327733612304888-451: The first two races of the 1996–97 season, featured engines with specifications leftover from the rival CART series competition. Those chassis/engine combinations were essentially under the same rules utilized by teams that participated in the 1995 Indianapolis 500 , which was sanctioned by USAC. V-8 powerplants were allowed the typical 45 inHg (1.5 bar; 22.1 psi) of pressure boost. The Menard-Buick V6 engine used in 1996, however,
4982-402: The first win for an owner-driver since Bobby Rahal achieved the feat in 1992. That year he also ran an Indy Racing League (IRL) entry for Asian-American Roger Yasukawa , in partnership with Aguri Suzuki , and in 2004, he moved the whole team to the series. Despite taking three wins and finishing 4th overall in the 2004 IRL championship, he was unable to secure funding to race in 2005. Delphi
5076-569: The following year. The first Molson Indy Toronto was won by Bobby Rahal on July 20, 1986. The event quickly became Canada's second largest annual sporting event, eclipsed only by the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, with three-day attendance figures routinely around 170,000 people. In the 1996 race, American driver Jeff Krosnoff was killed in a crash with 4 laps remaining. In that same crash, volunteer corner marshal Gary Avrin
5170-425: The formation of IndyCar Series in 1996, the brake package for the IndyCar Series was slimmer carbon brake rotors with 4-pot brake calipers and carbon pads on all-oval races until 2011. The thicker steel brake rotors with 6-pot brake calipers and carbon pads were introduced in 2005 for road and street course races for stronger braking while approaching sharper turns even hairpins. From 2012 onwards, IndyCar Series ditched
5264-484: The formation of the Indy Racing League, which launched the rival IndyCar Series in 1996. From that point on, the popularity of open wheel racing in the U.S. declined dramatically. The feud was settled in 2008 with an agreement to merge the two series under the IndyCar banner, but enormous damage had already been done to the sport. Post-merger, IndyCar continues to run with slight viewership gains per year. For 1996–1997,
5358-636: The front and 14 in × 15 in (356 mm × 381 mm) on the rear since 1996; this size will be used until at least the 2022 season. 18-inch wheel rims will be adopted if the Dallara DW12 's successor comes out for the 2023 season onward. Firestone has been a tire supplier for the series since the 1996 season and sole tire supplier since 2000 season. Previously, Goodyear also supplied tires from 1996 to 1999 for several teams before withdrawing their support. The IndyCar Series has run bespoke compounds since 1996 which were re-profiled in 2003. The front tire sizes are 305/45-R15 (10.0/25.8-R15) and
5452-483: The front row all season. He scored points in 17 of the 20 races, including two wins at Rio de Janeiro , Brazil and Australia , and three further podium results. He finished second to Gil de Ferran in the championship. In 2001, he founded Fernandez Racing , with former Ganassi manager Tom Anderson as his partner and ex-F1 driver Shinji Nakano as his teammate. He finished 3rd twice and took two poles that year, but his team's first victory came at Portland in 2003,
5546-453: The fuel tanks in the car were decreased. Compared to methanol, human contact with the current ICS fuel is much less harsh, and the fumes much less irritating. The fumes are often compared with the sweet smell of apple cider or apple cobbler. Unlike methanol, ethanol is not caustic and does not cause chemical burns when it comes in contact with the skin. It also is less polluting when spilled compared to methanol. In May 2010, Sunoco became
5640-480: The kits were frozen for 2017, and starting in 2018 all cars ran the same aero package again. To further help reduce costs, IndyCar allowed teams to shop for competitively priced non-safety-related parts such as brakes instead of mandating parts from specific suppliers. IndyCar had hoped to set a new speed record at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by 2016 with the introduction of aero kits and
5734-689: The local fans. He led several laps in the race before giving up the lead to eventual race winner Martin Truex Jr. It was announced that he would run four more races in the Busch Series for Hendrick Motorsports , but he did not run up front at any of those races. In 2006, he competed in two Busch races for Hendrick and competed full time in the Grand-Am series for his own team with Lowe's sponsorship. In 2007, Fernández moved to American Le Mans Series LMP2 class as an Acura factory team. His teammate
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#17327733612305828-579: The new title partner of the race would be the Ontario Honda Dealers, changing the name to the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. The Indy Toronto circuit is based around Exhibition Place, but the heritage of NASCAR and Exhibition Place dates considerably earlier than the 2010 Canadian Tire Series round at Indy Toronto. In 1958, the 31st round of NASCAR's Grand National (now Cup Series) championship
5922-521: The official fuel of the series starting in mid-2010 with an immediate effect, running through 2018. For the 2012 season, the ethanol fuel blend rate was reduced to 85% blend in a reference of road car relevance. Speedway LLC took over as series official fuel supplier beginning from 2019 season onwards, but the E85 formula still retained until at 2022. From 2023 onwards Shell USA (North American division of Shell plc ) will supply 100% Ethanol-sourced fuel for
6016-477: The only standard spec-engine manufacturer in the IndyCar Series starting in 2006 and continued in that capacity through 2011 as it was announced by Indy Racing League president & chief operating officer Brian Barnhart and Honda Performance Development president Robert Clarke on December 15, 2005. The IndyCar Series carried on with only one engine manufacturer in spite of the television agreement required at least two or three engine manufacturers to participate in
6110-467: The partial enclosure around the rear wheels, which acts to prevent cars ramping up over another vehicle's back end. This chassis was intended to support multiple aerodynamic kits, but introduction of these was delayed until 2015, with teams citing costs. After the events of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championships the chassis was nicknamed DW12 in honor of Dan Wheldon . In 2015, teams began running aero kits developed by their engine manufacturers as
6204-479: The public its "Gen IV" motor, a rebadged Cosworth motor for competition. At the time, Cosworth was owned by Ford. On November 4, 2004, Chevrolet stated that it would be ending its IRL engine program effective with the end of the 2005 season, citing costs that exceeded value, according to then GM Racing Director Doug Duchardt, "The investment did not meet our objectives." Toyota won its first race in Miami, as well as
6298-542: The race weekend. These include: During the tenure of Molson's original race ownership, the Molson Indy Festival Foundation hosted various fundraising events in the city in the week leading up to the race week. As of 2004 the foundation had donated $ 5.6 million towards community groups and charitable organizations. In 2010 the race introduced the annual Fan Fridays to the race weekend. In lieu of paid admission, attendees are encouraged to make
6392-476: The race would return to Toronto on July 12, 2009. On September 18, 2008, Andretti Green Racing announced that it had signed a multi-year agreement with Honda Canada Inc. for the title sponsorship of the race, henceforth named from 2009 onward as the Honda Indy Toronto. In 2013, the race weekend was changed to a 2 race format with one race Saturday and one race Sunday. The Saturday race would feature
6486-486: The radical DeltaWing design that was penned by Ben Bowlby and financed by Chip Ganassi . In July 2010, IndyCar announced that Dallara had won the contract to remain as the series' single chassis supplier. In 2012 the series adopted the Dallara IR-12 chassis as a cost control method, and IndyCar negotiated a price of $ 349,000 per chassis. The new specification also improved safety, the most obvious feature being
6580-549: The rear tire sizes are 415/40-R15 (14.5/28.0-R15). The compounds and construction of IndyCar Series tires unique to each mounting position on the race car. For road/street events, there are unique primary and alternative specifications for dry conditions, along with specially designed full-rain tires for all rain conditions but, unlike in Formula One which has intermediate rain tires for light rain conditions only, no intermediate rain tires due to additional costs. For oval racing,
6674-422: The rev limits were adjusted from time to time. These engines made 675 hp (503 kW), ran on 109- octane methanol racing fuel, and revved to 10,300 rpm, all while weighing only 280 lb (130 kg). This formula was used through 2003. In 2004, in the wake of several crashes including the fatal crash of Tony Renna and the severe crash of Kenny Bräck , the displacement was reduced to 3.0-liters using
6768-516: The rival Indy Racing League (IRL), which had gained the exclusive right to use the "Indy" name after 2002. In 2007, after Molson dropped their title sponsorship to the race, Steelback Brewery signed a multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal to become the event's title sponsor, renaming it the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto . This marked the first title sponsorship change since the event started in 1986. The unification of Champ Car and
6862-444: The same chassis. Currently, Dallara provides a specification chassis to all teams, with Honda and Chevrolet providing teams different engines. In the series' first season ( 1996 ), 1992 to 1995 model year CART chassis built by Lola and Reynard were used. The first new Indycar came into being in 1997. Tony George specified new technical rules for less expensive cars and production-based engines. The move effectively outlawed
6956-518: The season's points tally. 1997 was a disappointing season for Fernández. The Tasman team ran a Lola chassis, which failed to perform to expectations. Through force of will, determination, and talent, Fernández battled to three top-ten finishes and 18th place in the PPG Cup standings. Fernández joined Patrick Racing for the 1998 season and proved his ability to challenge for the championship. He enjoyed 14 top-ten finishes with eight top-five placements and two victories, Japan and Mid-Ohio , en route to
7050-550: The series after the 2002 season to focus on powering the league's new Infiniti Pro Series (now Firestone Indy Lights). As part of General Motors' discontinuance of the Oldsmobile name, the Olds engine was rebadged as the Chevrolet starting with the 2002 season. However, the effort would lack in competitiveness against Toyota and Honda, which came to the IRL in 2003 from the rival CART series. In August 2003, Chevrolet announced to
7144-512: The series to ensure future continuity. The Honda Indy V8 engine was partnered and co-developed by Ilmor , which is part owned by Roger Penske for tune-up, engine maintenance, arrangement and trackside support. The engine displacement was reverted from 3.0 to 3.5 litres (183 to 214 cubic inches ) beginning from 2007 season. During that time, since the IndyCar Series had only one engine manufacturer, Honda focused on minimizing engine failure and minimizing costs instead of defeating rivals. As such,
7238-422: The series was now legally entitled to use it due to the expiration of a 1996 legal settlement with Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). The series began to progressively downplay the former IRL name, changing its name to simply IndyCar for the 2008 season. The company was similarly renamed in 2011. Izod signed a six-year deal to become the series title sponsor beginning on November 5, 2009, through 2014, but
7332-645: The series was simply referred to as the Indy Racing League. For 1998–1999, the series garnered its first title sponsor, and was advertised as the Pep Boys Indy Racing League . In 2000, the series sold its naming rights to Internet search engine Northern Light , and the series was named the Indy Racing Northern Light Series . The name IndyCar Series was officially adopted beginning in 2003, as
7426-515: The sponsorship was terminated at the end of the 2013 season. In 2014, Verizon Communications became title sponsor of the series through 2018. In January 2019, it was announced that Japanese communications company NTT would become title sponsor and official technology partner of the IndyCar Series. In 2023, IndyCar announced that NTT had extended their title sponsorship, for an unreported length. The IndyCar Series allows manufacturers to develop different types of engines, while every team uses
7520-450: The standings, placing with nine top-ten finishes. Fernández moved to Tasman Motorsports in 1996. He had six top-ten finishes, including his first career CART victory at Toronto . Unfortunately, his delight at taking his first win was dampened by the fatal accident suffered by Jeff Krosnoff late in the race. The win in Toronto made him the first Mexican to win a CART event since Héctor Rebaque in 1982. Fernández went on to finish 12th in
7614-737: The steel brake discs in favor of carbon brake rotors on all types of tracks but the caliper configuration remained the same as 1996–2011. PFC currently supplying brake packages for all IndyCar Series cars since 2017 season (disc only) and later increased their involvement from the 2018 season (supplying the calipers and rest of other brake packages). Previously Brembo supplied the brake packages in 2012–2016 (full brake package), 2017 (caliper only), and Alcon in 2003–2011. BBS and O.Z. Racing have been supplying forged wheels since 1996. The wheel rims for all IndyCar Series cars are made of aluminum alloy. The size of IndyCar Series wheel rims have been 10 in × 15 in (254 mm × 381 mm) on
7708-699: The title in both 1983 and 1984. He also raced in the Formula K Series in 1984, continuing in that series until 1986, and finished in the top four in the standings all three years in Formula K. In 1987, he participated in the Benelux Formula Ford 1600 Championship, one race in the British RAC Formula Ford 1600 Championship, and competed in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. From 1988 to 1989, he took part in
7802-478: The track and expenses from repairs. The "aeroscreen" cockpit protection was added in time for the 2020 season, and some minor modifications were eventually conducted to reduce the intense heat caused by stagnant air on the drivers. For the transmission gearboxes, all IndyCar Series cars currently use an electronically actuated AGS ( Assisted Gearchange System ) 6-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox with an electro-pneumatically operated paddle-shift system and
7896-519: The venue hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race, the Jim Mideon 500 . The race was the first of Richard Petty's 1,184 starts in NASCAR and was won by his father Lee Petty . Following the 1977 Formula One Canadian Grand Prix , Labatt , the sponsor who held the rights to F1 racing in Canada at the time, as well as the owners of Mosport Park revived the proposal to move the race to Exhibition Place after
7990-560: Was an updated powerplant from the 1995 version. In addition, the V-6 stock block engines (Buick-Menard) were allowed 55 inHg (1.9 bar; 27.0 psi) of boost at all races, instead of just at Indianapolis. During the CART era, V-6 stock blocks were only allowed 45 inHg (1.5 bar; 22.1 psi) at all races outside of Indy, which was a decided disadvantage and left the engine out of favor. Ford-Cosworth reluctantly provided support to teams wishing to run their older-spec engines in
8084-470: Was designed without the wheel guards of the DW12 chassis, which were deemed ineffective and proved prone to breaking. The IR-18 also lacks an air inlet above the cockpit, a first for an IndyCar Series chassis (most Champ Car chassis had been designed that way). The new Aero Kit also has fewer small aerodynamic pieces that can become broken or dislodged, with the intent to reduce the amount of debris that ends up on
8178-543: Was driver Scott Sharp 's personal sponsor, while engine suppliers Honda insisted on Japanese driver Kosuke Matsuura in the second car. In 2005, he drove the No. 5 Lowe's / Hitachi Chevrolet in Mexico for Hendrick Motorsports in the first NASCAR Busch Series race held outside the United States. In this race (called the Telcel-Motorola 200 ), Fernández raced in a one-time race to help promote NASCAR racing to
8272-682: Was fellow Mexican and Grand-Am veteran Luis Díaz . On October 10, 2009, Fernández and his co-driver Luis Díaz won at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey , California . With this victory, the Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01 B concludes the season with the drivers' championship and teams' championship of the American Le Mans Series in the LMP2 category. In the 2007 Fernández made his debut with
8366-491: Was held at the third Exhibition Stadium (located on the site of BMO Field ). That race marked the Cup debut of Richard Petty . As of July 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Grand Prix of Toronto ( Exhibition Place ) are listed as: Besides the main event, Honda Indy Toronto also holds races of lower levels before. These are known as support series. A variety of racing series have previously run as support series on
8460-431: Was killed in a crash in 2006, but the IRL had already begun a transition to ethanol fuel . For the 2006 season the fuel was a 90%/10% mixture of methanol and ethanol . Starting in 2007, the league advertised " 100% Fuel Grade Ethanol ," the first competitive series to utilize renewable fuel. The mixture was actually 98% ethanol and 2% gasoline, provided by Lifeline Foods of Saint Joseph, Missouri . The additives satisfy
8554-546: Was killed, and marshal Barbara Johnston also received injuries in the crash; she was treated and released that evening. Adrián Fernández won the race. The name of the race was changed in 2006 from the Molson Indy Toronto to the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto after it was purchased by the Champ Car World Series from Molstar Sports and Entertainment. The name was also changed to distance Champ Car from
8648-495: Was off the pace at Indy and was quickly dropped by its teams. Falcon Cars were founded by Michael Kranefuss and Ken Anderson in 2002 as the third approved chassis supplier for the 2003 season. One rolling chassis was completed and shown, but it was never fitted with a working engine and never ran. No orders were ever filled. Superficially, IndyCar machines closely resemble those of other open-wheeled formula racing cars, with front and rear wings and prominent airboxes . Originally,
8742-488: Was selected to participate in the IROC series, where he competed against many top-tier drivers, including NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon , Terry Labonte , and Dale Earnhardt . Fernández had 80 total starts in the series. Of those starts, he finished in the top-ten 41 times throughout his seven-year career. In 2000, Fernández had his best season in the CART series, coming close to winning the championship despite not starting on
8836-468: Was visible for the first time, seen with a light blue haze. With this in mind, in an effort to make it more visible in case of fire during daylight hours, additional mixtures were placed in the fuel. As a safety feature, the methanol would burn with color. In 2005, the driver Paul Dana brought the sponsorship of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to his IndyCar team. EPIC is
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