After a ride that's sometimes been as bumpy as its track, Toronto is hosting the city's 25th Honda Indy race this weekend.
Twenty-five years ago, about 60,000 people packed into Exhibition Place to watch the city's first open-wheeled road race, with thousands more being turned away and about that many trying to sneak peeks through the fencing.
They saw Bobby Rahal take the checkered flag with an average speed of more than 140 kilometres per hour.
Back then, organizers were talking about it becoming the number 2 Indy race in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
Charlie Johnstone, currently the event's general manager, was a summer intern working at that first race. He's been involved with almost every race since, in one capacity or another.
The first 10 years of the race were "massively successful," he said.
But Johnstone said problems started in 1996.
The Indy racing world split that year over control of the IndyCar trademark. Tony George, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, created his own league -- the Indianapolis Racing League.
The Toronto race was associated with CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams).
"I think the event itself went on a bit of a decline, the series themselves went on a decline, and it was a struggle," Johnstone said.
Molson, the brewing company (and a former employer of Johnstone), ended its sponsorship in 2006. The race wasn't staged at all in 2008, he said.
But the Indy racing world is now fully reunified, with the Toronto event part of the premiere IZOD IndyCar series, and Honda came on board as the race's sponsor in 2009.
"It hasn't been without its challenges, but I think we've turned the corner," Johnstone said. "To celebrate the 25th race in Toronto is a milestone."
While the cars have changed dramatically over the years, Johnstone said the racers will be chasing each other around the same basic track configuration that existed in 1986.
"From a driver's perspective and a race perspective, this is a great track. It's a little bumpy, but that's challenging. And it's fast. You can hit 180 miles per hour (about 290 kilometres per hour) along Lake Shore Boulevard and there's places to pass."
Dario Franchitti, the 38-year-old Scottish racer who won the Toronto race in 1999 and 2009, told Canada AM that he also thought the bumps added to the track's trickiness.
"You guys have hard winters up here, and it takes its toll on the surface," he said. "It's all part of the fun."
About the most fun you can have as a racer is winning in your home city.
Scarborough-born Paul Tracy accomplished the feat in 1993 and 2003. He'll be racing here this weekend, and would love a third win.
"It's hard to believe the race is at its 25th anniversary," the 42-year-old told CTV Toronto, noting his first race in Toronto in a Formula Ford back in 1987. His first Indy race here was in 1992.
"This is my hometown event. … Toronto just gives me that extra bit of boost that I need," Tracy said.
Toronto fans will have another local driver to cheer this weekend -- Oakville's James Hinchcliffe.
Hinchcliffe placed 11th in practice lap times on Friday's first practice run, while Tracy placed 12th. Quebec's Alex Tagliani was the fastest Canadian, placing seventh.
Will Power, last year's winner, placed fifth.
The qualifying race takes place on Saturday, with the race going Sunday at 2:52 p.m.
CTV weather anchor Tom Brown said it will be a hot weekend for race fans. Sunday's temperature is expected to hit 30 degrees Celsius and feel like 35 C.
He recommended that fans bring water and sun block.
Hydration will be an even bigger issue for the drivers, Brown said, noting they could lose up to 4.5 kilograms in weight due to sweating over the length of the race.
