To immense cheers from the crowd, Canadian Robert Wickens led the warmup lap at the Honda Indy on Sunday in downtown Toronto.
“This is incredible, the support that I’ve received this week, for the last 11 months, has been truly inspirational for me,” Wickens said as he got ready to take the wheel.
The Guelph native suffered severe spinal injuries in a catastrophic crash at the Pocono Speedway last August. His pace car this weekend was an Acura NSX, modified with hand controls.
“It’s really fun driving with Rob. It’s interesting to see him in a hand-controlled car, so it’s really... I’m proud. It’s exciting to see him back in a car,” his fiancée Karli Woods said from the passenger seat.
Smiling at media and fans thronged around him on the track, Wickens said, “she’s definitely more nervous than I am. I’m going to be dictated by my speed, depending on her stomach and how she’s feeling. Hopefully, we can give it a good run and just enjoy the moment.”
The 30-year-old added he and Woods had been through so much together so “it was only fitting that we can share this one too.”
Fans described their emotions as they watched Wickens get into the driver’s seat.
“For me, he is my inspiration, and I don’t feel worry for myself when I think of a guy like Robert and what he’s achieving,” Ian Young said.
The Honda Indy Toronto is well-known for being a challenging course. Former Indy car driver and fan favorite, Alex Tagliani, described what it is like to drive through the race course that winds along Lake Shore Boulevard and through the Exhibition Grounds.
“It’s one of the most difficult street courses around in the series. The nature of the track, there’s a lot of concrete patches at the corners, a lot of new sealers. This year they put some epoxy in turn 11.”
As he got prepared to race on Sunday, Graham Rahal, son of famed Indy Car driver, Bobby Rahal, said, “it’s going to be a tough day, a physical race. But I think we’re up to the challenge. Our guys are excited. Our car was a lot better this morning than expected.”
Fans said what makes the Indy so special is the fact that fans can see their racing heroes both on the track and behind the scenes.
George Da Silva, who was able to chat with Rahal Sunday afternoon, said, “It’s a thing of a lifetime, actually. I’ve been following his dad Bobby Rahal all his life, and to see his youngest son come up, you know, and follow in his footsteps, it’s a joy.”
“It’s a lot of fun, it’s a great weekend in Toronto. It’s really one of the showcase events in this city,” Kevin Brown said as he walked through the paddock where all the teams work on their vehicles.
“To have access at an event like this, some of the drivers you see on TV – it really is a special experience.”
After 85 laps, Simon Pagenaud, Team Penske driver from Montmorillon, France, finished in first place. Oakville’s James Hinchcliffe, driving for Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, finished in sixth position.
