# IndyCar Series at Markham Centre
The IndyCar Series at Markham Centre is a street-course round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES held on a temporary circuit in Markham Centre, the downtown core of [Markham, Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/markham-ontario), first run August 14 to 16, 2026 as the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham. The event replaced the long-running Toronto street race at Exhibition Place as IndyCar's only Canadian stop, under a five-year agreement between the City of Markham, promoter Green Savoree Toronto ULC, and INDYCAR announced on September 3, 2025.[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) • [2](https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007802/ontario_hosting_2026_indy_race_in_markham)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, inaugural edition August 14-16, 2026[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) |
| Circuit | 12 turns, 3.52 km (2.19 mi), temporary street course with a double-sided pit lane, designed by Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) |
| Location | Eastern precinct of Markham Centre, between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks, and Highway 407[4](https://markhamward1.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ward-1-Fall-2025-Winter-2026-Newsletter.pdf) |
| Agreement | Five-year deal announced September 3, 2025, moving the Ontario IndyCar race from Exhibition Place in Toronto, where it had run since 1986[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) • [3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) |
| Inaugural winner | Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global, ending a 63-race winless drought[5](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-16-markham-race) |
| Expected impact | More than 150,000 attendees over three days and over $85 million in local economic activity, per the Government of Ontario[2](https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007802/ontario_hosting_2026_indy_race_in_markham) |
| Public funding | $1.5 million from the Government of Ontario; up to $9 million in road improvements reported by the Associated Press[2](https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007802/ontario_hosting_2026_indy_race_in_markham) • [6](https://apnews.com/article/b09186775bf2788380c49df9a29774e8) |
## Origin of the move
The Ontario IndyCar race had been held on the streets of Toronto since 1986, with absences only in 2008 due to open-wheel unification and in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) On September 3, 2025, Green Savoree Toronto ULC, the City of Markham, and INDYCAR announced that the race, titled the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy, would move to a brand-new street circuit in Markham for 2026 under a multi-year agreement.[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) Jeff Atkinson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, said the new venue would offer an improved fan experience compared with Exhibition Place, whose 11-turn, 1.786-mile course had maxed out its available space.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit)
**Why Markham Centre.** The race is held in Markham Centre, the city's downtown core, home to Canadian corporate headquarters, the York University Markham Campus, and the Markham Pan Am Centre, a venue of the 2015 [Pan Am](https://www.edgepedia.org/pan-am) and Parapan Am Games.[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) The temporary track occupies the eastern portion of the district, bounded by Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks, and Highway 407.[4](https://markhamward1.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ward-1-Fall-2025-Winter-2026-Newsletter.pdf) Markham, a city of about 365,000 people, lies roughly 23 miles (37 km) northeast of Exhibition Place.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit)
## The circuit
Track designer Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting, who has worked on several INDYCAR SERIES circuits, led the design of the 12-turn, 3.52-kilometer (2.19-mile) layout.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) Because the Unionville GO Train line runs through the area, the layout includes a double-sided pit lane, a feature also used at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix and the new [Arlington, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/arlington-texas) street race.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) Cars pass beneath the train line between Turns 4 and 5 and again after the exit of Turn 5.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit)
The circuit's signature section is a wide Turn 5 hairpin with multiple racing lines that feeds a long straightaway along Enterprise Boulevard, where cars were expected to exceed 180 mph before the fast right-hand Turn 6.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) Additional passing zones were identified between Turns 8 and 10.[3](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit) After a total repaving of the circuit late in construction, drivers found a surface grippier than a typical street course; Alex Palou described it as "like you're on a road course with walls looking at you."[7](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-15-markham-p1)
## Inaugural event, 2026
The first race weekend ran August 14 to 16, 2026.[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement) Preparation was troubled: the Friday program was canceled because the circuit was not finished, with the asphalt complete but tire barriers and other safety infrastructure still being installed that morning.[8](https://as.com/motor/mas_motor/indycar-cancela-el-dia-por-obras-en-la-pista-f202608-n/) On-track action began on Saturday, when 25 drivers took their first laps; Palou paced the hour-long first practice at 1 minute, 14.9915 seconds, with rookie Caio Collet of AJ Foyt Racing second at 1:15.0454.[7](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-15-markham-p1)
In the race, Andretti Global's Marcus Ericsson won the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, a victory that ended a 63-race winless drought for the Swede.[5](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-16-markham-race)
## Economics and reception
The [Government of Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-ontario) invested $1.5 million in the 2026 event and projected more than 150,000 attendees over the three-day weekend generating over $85 million in economic activity through sport tourism, hospitality, and event services.[2](https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007802/ontario_hosting_2026_indy_race_in_markham) The Associated Press reported that up to $9 million was being spent on road improvements ahead of the Markham race, a figure cited as a comparison for road-fix costs at the new Washington, D.C. IndyCar event.[6](https://apnews.com/article/b09186775bf2788380c49df9a29774e8) The event was billed by the City of Markham as the largest sports and cultural celebration in York Region's history.[1](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement)
The move drew mixed reaction from fans and residents, with some welcoming a new venue and others lamenting the loss of the Toronto tradition; the Friday cancellation and unfinished construction drew particular criticism.[8](https://as.com/motor/mas_motor/indycar-cancela-el-dia-por-obras-en-la-pista-f202608-n/) As with all street venues, Markham's staying power beyond the five-year agreement remains an open question for the series.[9](https://racer.com/2026/08/10/canada-s-greatest-tracks-why-markham-has-much-to-live-up-to)
## References
1. [Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Moves to City of Markham Under a Multi-Year Agreement, City of Markham](https://www.markham.ca/about-city-markham/news/news-releases/ontario-honda-dealers-indy-moves-city-of-markham-under-multi-year-agreement)
2. [Ontario Hosting 2026 Indy Race in Markham, Ontario Newsroom](https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007802/ontario_hosting_2026_indy_race_in_markham)
3. [New Markham Circuit On Course for Even Better Racing, INDYCAR](https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/09/09-05-markham-circuit)
4. [Bayview John Visioning Exercise, Ward 1 Newsletter, City of Markham](https://markhamward1.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ward-1-Fall-2025-Winter-2026-Newsletter.pdf)
5. [Marcus Ericsson Undeniable in Markham to End 63-Race Drought, INDYCAR](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-16-markham-race)
6. [Trump's IndyCar race: Doing 200 in a 25 mph zone with manhole cover-displacing torque, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/b09186775bf2788380c49df9a29774e8)
7. [Alex Palou Gets Markham Weekend Started With Hot Lap, INDYCAR](https://www.indycar.com/news/2026/08/08-15-markham-p1)
8. [IndyCar cancela el día por obras en la pista, AS](https://as.com/motor/mas_motor/indycar-cancela-el-dia-por-obras-en-la-pista-f202608-n/)
9. [Canada's greatest tracks: Why Markham has much to live up to, RACER](https://racer.com/2026/08/10/canada-s-greatest-tracks-why-markham-has-much-to-live-up-to)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Cycling and motor sport › North American open-wheel racing › IndyCar street-circuit Grands Prix*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license