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| The crest of the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
While I often prefer to start my journals with a light introduction before diving deeper. However, since my visit
to the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham for Fan Friday truly achieved some amazing feats I've decided
to amend my style. Unfortunately, the amazing part I mentioned was how experienced race promoters Green
Savoree made so many errors in organization, communications and failed in the basic function for a motorsport
event of having race cars on track caused by their efforts. A lot of headlines mentioned how the race track was
“incomplete” for Friday but the American-based organizers also left a slew of oversights that bled through in
what was a disastrous first day for the inaugural event.
As I was en route to be one of many to usher in the new Canadian home of IndyCar racing I looked off from
highway 407 and saw the faint impression of the CN Tower in the distant skyline. A structure that was once so
impossible to miss from IndyCar's now abandoned Exhibition Place venue, observing it just before it
disappeared served as symbolic for me as my path to Markham had been marked (just noticed the unintentional
pun in editing). Naturally, I was looking forward to what type of action the new 12-turn, 3.52-kilometer track
would furnish. Unfortunately, anything connected to witnessing the on-track product at Fan Friday at the 2026
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham was a luxury not afforded to me and many of the racing crowd.
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| A representation of the only images I captured of vehicles on track. Couldn't even hold a match race with some E-Z-GOs (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
Despite almost a year of working out the track design and assembling it since July 19th, it appeared surprising
that much of that track work appeared incomplete. Throughout the Friday morning there was only the sight of
track vehicles and E-Z-GO carts on course instead of the scheduled USF2000 and Radical Cup Canada cars. No
explanation of the reason why there were no race engines. While track work seemed to take place on most
parts of the circuit, the turn 5 hairpin may have been an area of focus. Despite the race schedule for Friday
publishing practices starting at 9 am, track workers were at turn 5 at 11 am hanging one of the sponsor banners.
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| Despite no communications to fans during Friday morning, it became perfectly clear for why there was no on-track action when seeing that sponsor banners at turn 5 of the Markham track wasn't even up at 11 am. (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
It wasn't until about 1:30 pm in the afternoon that the public address system activated with Todd Lewis expressing
the race organizers' apologies for the ‘delay’ in Friday's racing activities. The accentuation of delay was because
despite attempting to have a 6 pm IndyCar Series practice on Friday, it was later rescheduled to Saturday
morning. It was said that the track needed to be placed in a condition where it was safe. While the first-ever event
may excuse some unforeseen issues to be addressed, the fact that track construction was bumbled to the point it
was unfinished on the first day of the race weekend is something IndyCar and Green Savoree Racing Promotions
shouldn’t have allowed to happen.
Who is not to be blamed are the track crews and those professionals who had to finish a job in the presence of
the large audiences. In one moment of levity, a group of track workers in turn 8 went above the call of duty to
provide spectators with some racing. Supported by a small crew with one waving a green flag, a pair of workers
engaged in an impromptu foot race delighting the fans in the grandstands.
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| Part of a track crew that provided some of the only on-track entertainment on Friday. Thank you guys! (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
Ahead of the Markham race, it was of interest to me what the race promoter could create released from the
confines of the Toronto track that I believed allowed the race to go underserved. It was my hope there would be
some innovations in improving the fan experience in store for goers to the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy
Markham. After departing the event on Friday, the couple of advances was coupled with some notable
regressions to the Toronto races.
The Pan-Am Centre considerably more cozier than the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place but the Honda
sponsored Pit Stop was better assembled than in previous years. Also the Markham’s Pan Am Centre air
conditioning was a more refreshing experience than what so often a swampy sensation I remembered in the main
part of the Enercare Centre that only got worse when race organizers moved the IndyCar Series paddock inside
the building. I was also pleased to walk away with an actual paper fan guide of the event when programs had been
pointlessly phased out. These guides are helpful at the track and serve as a memory-attached souvenir for after
the event.
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| Honda Pit Stop Display Inside the Pan-Am Centre at one of its more calmer moments. The IndyCar Series drivers signing inside the building understandably filled it to capacity. (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
While the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham Fan Guide included a helpful map of the circuit, this also
led into another major failing of the event organizers. Signage to direct guests was almost completely
non-existent at what was an inaugural event. My entrance to the complex came from Andre De Grasse Street and
Enterprise Boulevard towards the infamous turn 5 hairpin. Since most of the parking and Go Transit bus stops
for the race weekend were situated in the area, it was surprising that it was easy to simply by-pass the actual
entrance gate. While entrance to much of the festivities and grandstands was possible in that manner, I never
found any markings or path to the NASCAR Canada Series and Radical Cup Canada paddock area leading me
to wonder if there was even a fan entrance. The races in Toronto would offer free access to the support series
paddock areas but the Markham event’s layout made reaching these areas difficult with no clearly marked paths.
The NTT IndyCar Series Aviva Paddock was a practically unreachable portion of the complex at Markham. It
appeared the only fan access point to the area was a bridge. While Go Transit heavily-promoted a free access
offer to the IndyCar paddock for Friday the monstrous line to cross over the bridge was attended by security
that kept fans standing motionless for minutes only to crawl by less than a meter. By noon, I felt if I was going
to wait in line the NTT IndyCar Series would be in Laguna Seca (the final race of the tour’s season running from
September 4-6) by the time I would cross that bridge.
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| One of the many bottlenecks and lineups at the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham that moved slightly more than the race cars on this day. (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
The Markham circuit had two pedestrian bridges that led me to initially think when looking at the map weeks
ago that a lesson was learned at Toronto. I disliked that lone bridge that became the only way for most fans to
travel between the inner and outer portions of the property during the race. However, once at the track, I noticed
that these bridges appeared to be the same unnerving structures but were only about half as wide as the bridge
was in Toronto. When leaving the race track, there was a five-minute wait in line simply to cross the second
bridge between turn 3 and turn 4 when someone apparently tripped on one of the narrow wooden steps. In
the Race Guide, Green Savoree wrote a letter to attendees saying that Markham was providing “smoother fan
access”. Line-ups, crowded buildings and structures as well as difficult navigation is certainly not smoother.
One of the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham only successes for Friday was the fan turnout. There
might have been some doubts if moving an event out of a heavy population center to a somewhat more secluded
area would attract a big crowd but spectators found the new track. Although there were vendors and amusement
activities to provide distraction from the lack of race cars on-track, the large crowd had a harder time finding
hydration stations and even washrooms. I saw only one place to fill water bottles and others on Instagram also
mentioned seeing one and it ran dry by noon. Access to water on a hot August day shouldn’t come solely by
purchasing an event-priced bottled drink. It’s borderline hazardous for a venue to provide such little basic
access. As a lesser consideration, as someone who was likely experiencing a limited level of dehydration by
the afternoon the discomfort I can say I lost any temptation to buy food.
Again referencing the Toronto race, the Enercare Centre was a source of refuge with the large washrooms and
water in access to audiences. In Markham, overused portable toilets and a couple of hand wash stations were
part of the experiences.
Whether it was dehydration or just frustration, I had one of the worst times I ever had attending a motorsport
event based on the fact it wasn’t really a motorsport event on Friday. For me, it was a crowded, outdoor mall
that I would have left in less than an hour if not for the fact I was reminding myself this is the 2026 Ontario
Honda Dealers Indy Markham.
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| An admittedly beautiful view of Enterprise Boulevard backstretch. (Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI Canada) |
The saddest thing about the inaction of Fan Friday was the Markham track has so much potential to be a
dark horse premier event for IndyCar just like the Toronto race was. The track looks like it can not only
be a joy for competitors but a sight for some dazzling sights. The grandstand placement is vastly improved
over Toronto that always seemed compromised due to tight spacing. In the first year I attended the Molson
Indy in Toronto in 1998 the event believed in charging for grandstand seating in an area of the backstretch
where the cars are viewed for a second or two of a lap through several layers of chain link fencing. The
Markham race course’s features previewed when the event was announced appears destined to deliver on
promises. Some of the vantage points on the Enterprise Boulevard stretch could produce outstanding
photographic opportunities for fans. I honestly expect there isn’t a bad view from any grandstand or viewing
area on this Markham track. It’s a shame I missed out.
Leaving the Fan Friday at the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham earlier than I intended, I never
left an event before feeling so disappointed. I spent the entire summer and even the entire year eager to make
a journey to see the IndyCar Series and other support series on this new track. I was even putting some
finishing touches on articles celebrating Indy car racing in Canada having high hopes that Markham will be
the newest and maybe grandest venue. Instead, on the day later this year’s experience, I am going to write
another article detailing my thoughts and frustrations with my trip rather than keeping up with anything
transpiring at the track. I’m even not sure if I’ll want to watch the IndyCar race broadcast on Sunday. If you
knew me, you would know how deeply insulted and angered I am for a situation to cut that deep.
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