Tracy's new ride fuelled by his true patriot love

Jun 24, 2009

Staff reporter

Canadian racing icon Paul Tracy will carry the colours of a Canadian military support group when he rides into battle at next month's Honda Indy Toronto.

Tracy, the Scarborough native known as "The Thrill from West Hill," will be sponsored in the July 12 race by the Honda Dealers Association of Ontario in support of WoundedWarriors.ca.

Unveiled yesterday, Tracy's mount is an Indy car entered by KV Racing Technology.

"This is the coolest thing I've ever done in my whole career," said Tracy in acknowledging the sponsorship. "For a proud Canadian to race in support of our Canadian troops is one of the proudest things I think I've done in my life."

Tracy, except for perhaps the Villeneuve family, is Canada's best-known racing driver but his career came pretty much to a halt early last year when the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League merged.

His car owner decided against participating in the new series and Tracy has only driven in a few races since.

Retired driver Jimmy Vasser, a partner in KV Racing Technologies that will field the car for the 40-year-old Tracy, said the team had decided to enter him in the race at Watkins Glen a week before Toronto "to get him warmed up and knock some rust off the old guy."

So how does he expect Tracy – who won this race twice when it was known as the Molson Indy – will perform in front of his hometown crowd?

"I think he'll be a menace to the field," Vasser said. "I think he's going to do great. He knows the place and there's a lot of guys (IRL regulars) who haven't been here."

For his part, Tracy was short and to the point.

"The Toronto race without me? I don't think it would be the same," he said.

"It's going to go on at some point without me but obviously, the first year it's back in Toronto, for me to be in the race I think is great."

Canadian Forces Capt. George W. Johnston, president and founder of the non-profit WoundedWarriors.ca, explained that it supports Canadian soldiers who are wounded overseas.

"We provide funding for a "little bit of home" for soldiers in hospital," Johnston said, "such as things a father would bring his son – DVD players and the like."

The Honda Indy Toronto, including support races, will be run through the streets of the CNE and Lake Shore Blvd., from July 10-12.

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