Organizers of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham have apologized to spectators after delays in preparing the new street circuit prevented cars from taking practice laps.
No cars have taken to the 12-turn, 3.52-kilometre road course around downtown Markham, affecting today’s practice sessions for six races on the weekend schedule.
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Organizers say practice for the NTT IndyCar Series, the weekend’s main event, will go ahead once the track is deemed safe.
It’s the first year Markham has hosted Canada’s only IndyCar race after the event moved from Toronto’s Exhibition Place, where it had been held since its inaugural running in 1986.
IndyCar and the City of Markham announced the move last September. The temporary circuit, built for the first time this week, runs between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407.
Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, with the IndyCar race set for Sunday afternoon.
This morning the Mayor of Markham Scarpitti was bragging on CP24 about how Markham is better than other municipalities. This delay and the embarrassment that the Mayor and City must feel shows karma at work. Folks have been sitting in the heat for hours with limited food and water. Nothing to see. Many came from far. Markham PW Department should also be ashamed and should have done a better job.