TORONTO, ON, July 10, 2013 – Organizers of the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto are pleased to announce that newly acquired Toronto Maple Leafs players Dave Bolland and David Clarkson will serve as the Grand Marshals for 2inTO, the two INDYCAR races taking place during the event weekend, July 12-14.
The local natives of Mimico will perform the standard Grand Marshal duties that include giving the famous “drivers, start your engines” command to start the afternoon races: Bolland on Saturday, July 13 and Clarkson on Sunday, July 14. They will also meet the INDYCAR drivers, tour the INDYCAR paddocks and will participate in the Drivers Parades for each respective race.
“We are thrilled to have Dave and David as the grand marshals of our event,” said Charlie Johnstone, President of the Honda Indy Toronto. “The Honda Indy is Toronto’s event, so it’s only fitting for two Toronto-natives and members of Leafs Nation to make the famous call to start the races.”
Bolland is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, most recently scoring the winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins just last month. Scoring in the final minute of the game, he set a new record for the latest Stanley Cup-winning goal scored in regulation time. In 2012, he officially launched the Dave Bolland Foundation to help empower youth from marginalized communities in shaping their futures for success.
Clarkson has a strong connection to the event and racing. At the 2012 Honda Indy Toronto, he announced a partnership between his charity, Clarky’s Kids, and the Graham Rahal Foundation, both of which raise funds to help chronically ill children and their families. This year, the Dale Coyne Racing No. 19 piloted by Justin Wilson, 2005 winner on the streets of Toronto, will carry the Clarky’s Corner logo on race day in support of the charity ‘s fundraising efforts. Clarky’s Corner Children’s Charities is an umbrella foundation recently launched in Toronto to allocate funds to numerous initiatives with the goal of improving the lives of kids and their families.
Tickets to the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto are available at hondaindy.com/tickets or by phone at 1-877-503-6869.
About Honda Indy Toronto
The Honda Indy Toronto, Ontario’s largest annual sporting event, takes place July 12-14 on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto. For the first time in event history, the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto will feature two INDYCAR races in one weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, for full points and prize money on both days. In addition to world-class racing, the event is a festival of festivals featuring craft beer, food trucks, BMX stunt shows, interactive games and activities, live entertainment, charity events and celebrity appearances. For more information, visit HondaIndy.com.
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