F1600 At The Honda Indy Toronto

[Toyo Tires F1600 Series]

FORMULA 1600 RETURNS TO THE STREETS OF TORONTO

Series Will Add The Honda Indy Toronto To 2014 Schedule

TORONTO, ON (December 9, 2013) – Announced today, Formula 1600 racing will once again be showcased on the streets of Toronto. Jason Sharpe of Move Motorsports (promoters of both the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship and Formula 1600 Super Series) and Charlie Johnstone (President, Honda Indy Toronto) have reached an agreement to add the entry-level formula car series to the July event for 2014.

The weekend will be the fourth event on the Ontario-based Toyo Tires F1600 Championship schedule and will also be the third of four events on the new F1600 Super Series schedule, an interprovincial initiative between Move Motorsports and Quebec-based Formula Tour.

"As part of our commitment to grow motorsports in Canada, we welcome the opportunity to host these exciting and talented young drivers who will no doubt be the stars of tomorrow," said Charlie Johnstone, President of the Honda Indy Toronto.

“I am thrilled to be able to make this announcement today," said Jason Sharpe of Move Motorsports. "The Honda Indy Toronto has helped launch the careers so many great Canadian racing stars in its history and is one of the best events on the IndyCar Series calendar. Formula 1600 used to be an integral part of that history. The resurgence in Formula 1600 over the last couple of years is largely based on the new Honda powerplant so the fact that we get a chance to support a Honda sponsored event with some homegrown talent is great for the sport.”

Formula 1600 has long been known globally as the logical first step for young racing stars to learn their craft right out of karts. The cars are sleek, fast and provide the ideal balance of power and aerodynamics that encourage wheel-to-wheel action at an affordable price. The cars will take to the track during all three days of the Toronto event and will have the chance to race twice in front of the hometown crowd, once each on Saturday and Sunday.

In the past, Canadian racing legends including Scott Goodyear, Ron Fellows, Paul Tracy and the late Greg Moore all got their start in Formula 1600. Most recently NASCAR stars like the Dumoulin brothers, J.F. and L.P, as well as IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe and American LeMans series star Kyle Marcelli cut their teeth in this form of racing.

Additional announcements including the on-track schedule, sponsorships, regulations and registration will be forthcoming over the next few months.


SERIES CONTACT: Jason Sharpe, (416) 557-5451 or jasons@movemotorsports.com, Twitter: @jasonsharpe

If photographs are required please contact Jason Sharpe (416) 557-5451 or jasons@movemotorsports.com

Honda Indy Toronto contact: Kathleen Stelmach, (416) 341-9929 ext. 227 or kathleen@torchiacom.com

[Steve Bamford]

Will there be a maximum number of cars allowed to compete?

[David G]

good question, this could get like it was back in early 90's, when one year we had 67 cars at montreal, and they started all of them,that were still available, standing start!
I think we should see 35 to 40 cars at Toronto and Montreal this season.

[Brian]

Hinch never ran F1600, except as a one-off a couple of times maybe. He did the Bridgestone Academy series then FBMW and Star Mazda. Conor Daly, on the other hand, did most of the 2008 series in OFFC. Maybe it's just me, but a spurious claim that I know to be wrong just makes the whole piece ring a little hollow.

Brian

[Steve Bamford]

Hinch never ran F1600, except as a one-off a couple of times maybe. He did the Bridgestone Academy series then FBMW and Star Mazda. Conor Daly, on the other hand, did most of the 2008 series in OFFC. Maybe it's just me, but a spurious claim that I know to be wrong just makes the whole piece ring a little hollow.

Brian

Hinch did at least a few races from what I recall hearing...what is wrong with saying that?

[Comp89]

Hinchcliff ran with OFFC VARAC week-end (26-27 Jun 2004) with AIM & won both races. He also ran in 2005 VARAC in his VD91.

[problemchild]

Hinchcliff ran with OFFC VARAC week-end (26-27 Jun 2004) with AIM & won both races. He also ran in 2005 VARAC in his VD91.

Good! I am glad to reaffirm that I can believe everything I read on this interweb thingy

[Brian]

You're right, and I actually found the quote - it comes from a Norris McDonald article in the Star a few weeks ago. I actually am very impressed that these two series may unite and thrive. What got me thinking was that at the time it was a little unique that James skipped Formula Ford and went directly to FBMW after the school series where he drove F2000 cars. I remember thinking how astute it was of his Dad Jeremy, who I raced with in Vintage for years. The OFFC was excellent but no one had "graduated" from it in years. Kyle Marcelli and Conor Daly changed that, and Shane Jantzi had an excellent one-off with Brian Stewart at Indianapolis in the 2007Indy Lights race, but in 2003 it had been a little while. I was at Mosport the weekend that James did drive a F1600, and memory is telling me it was a showcase of the Canadian built Aero II that his FBMW and Star Mazda team (AIM Autosport) had built and campaigned so successfully in the Ontario FF series. The weekend was a VARAC weekend showcasing Canadian built cars.

Brian

[Jonathan Hirst]

Point of Trivia, James' Van Diemen was Greg Moores old chassis, and it won the Ontario Regional FF Championship in 1999 with Adam Burnett driving. The following year was the first year of the OFFC, I believe.

[Brian]

Point of Trivia, James' Van Diemen was Greg Moores old chassis, and it won the Ontario Regional FF Championship in 1999 with Adam Burnett driving. The following year was the first year of the OFFC, I believe.

Hi Jonathan, how are you? I actually wrote that James had driven Greg Moore's FFord, which his dad owned for years, but changed it to driving the Aim Aero II. Nice to know both were right.

Brian

[OFG-128]

Results show that Hinch was disqualified in first race for being under weight.