Honda Indy launches in Markham
Residents packed the Markham Centre Courtyard for the Indy launch pre-race celebration. Racers, local dignitaries, and hundreds of community members came to be part of the inaugural event.
The Honda Indy at Markham will showcase the NTT IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Canada Series. The weekend will also include USF Pro 2000, the USF 2000, and the Emzone Radical Cup Canada.
The August 10th launch party included a Q&A with local athletes set to compete in the race weekend.
Unionville racer Antonio Serravalle was part of the festivities; regrettably, his team just announced they will be pulling out of the race. Serravalle shared his excitement about the race; he is looking forward to the opportunity to compete in Markham next year.
“We’re working really hard for next year so we can have a Canadian driver on the grid for the Markham race.”
Anthony Martella is a 17-year-old from Woodbridge competing in the USF2000 Championship. At 15, he celebrated a TCR class victory at the 2024 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. Martella is proud to represent Canada on the global stage.
“I’m happy to be here at Markham racing in USF 2000,” Martella said. “(I am) one of two Canadians actually racing in USF 2000. So yeah, I hope I can bring Canada to the top step of the podium where it belongs right here in Markham.
Selene Tsang is one of the hopefuls for this year’s Radical Cup. Tsang shares her excitement about competing in a local environment.
“So being in Markham has been a part of my childhood since a very young age. I grew up here,” Tsang said. “So being a part of this community is so meaningful, and I’m so proud to be able to race and also be involved with something so important to me.”
Demi Chalkias will also be in attendance. “It’s been an incredible career, an incredible journey. I got to do a lot of cool things,” Chalkias said. “Also encountered a lot of setbacks and heartbreaking defeats, but it’s always just how you kind of rebound from that.”
Mayor Frank Scarpitti took the stage to get the crowd excited for the upcoming weekend. “The legacy in this city is gonna be felt for decades to come,” Scarpitti said. “Enjoy this week. This is the party. But this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Start your engines, Markham. Let’s party.”
To book your tickets for the August 14-16 Honda Indy at Markham, visit hondaindy.com
Photo: Racers and local dignitaries celebrate at the Honda Indy launch party. (Matthew Fletcher photo)