Star Mazda added to Toronto lineup

Toronto, Ontario – The Grand Prix of Toronto is proud to ring in the New Year by announcing the addition of the Star Mazda Championship to its 2007 race schedule. This final addition to the on-track line-up ensures the Grand Prix of Toronto will showcase the most impressive open-wheel and production-based racing events ever to hit the Exhibition Place circuit.

“As the largest annual sporting event in Ontario, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure fans have new reasons to return year after year." says Charlie Johnstone, president and CEO, Grand Prix Association of Toronto. “With six races that will bring more than 180 race cars, drivers from more than 10 countries and over 24 different makes of cars – from Champ Car’s Panoz DP01 to Mazda, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac and Dodge Viper – this year’s event will demonstrate an extraordinary range of racing action for our visitors."

The Star Mazda Championship is the most competitive open-wheel development series in North America and has helped propel aspiring young drivers up the ranks in open-wheel racing. Alumni include Oakville, Ontario native and 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship top-ten finisher, James Hinchcliffe and one of the most recognized family names in racing, Graham Rahal, second place finisher in the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. The Toronto stop on the Star Mazda Championship schedule will boast a field of up to 30 Pro Formula Mazda cars featuring a carbon-fiber chassis, six-speed sequential gearbox and a 240-horsepower Mazda rotary powerplant.

In addition to the Star Mazda Championship, the 2007 Grand Prix of Toronto on-track schedule will showcase the accomplished driving skills of an international field of racers from the Champ Car World Series and Champ Car Atlantic Championships, SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships (SCCA SPEED GT and SCCA SPEED Touring Car) and the Canadian Touring Car Championship.