Taming the Track with James Hinchcliffe and Honda Canada

A row of Honda Civic Si's await their time on the track

As mentioned last week, Real Man Travels and Honda Canada (@HondaCanada) have teamed up to hit the road this summer. We got our first taste of Honda action this week at Tame the Track, their preview for this weekend's Honda Indy Toronto. And by taste, I mean they dropped me in an open wheel car and let me take her for a spin!

Getting belted in before hitting the track

Arriving at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, I got my first glimpse of the Formula F race cars I would have the chance to pilot that day. Check our these little rockets on wheels: 

Trying my hand at kart racing. Photo credit to champion kart racer Daniel Morad

All told, we got to experience driving a Honda-powered kart, Formula F1600 and Civic Si, all with impressive speed and handling. To top off the day, we were challenged to a one lap timed race in a stock Honda Civic Si by one of the best Indy car drivers on the planet: and Mayor of Hinchtown, James Hinchcliffe (@hinchtown). No easy feat for us mere mortals. While I was not up to the challenge, I did get a chance for a chat with James as he whipped around the track at speeds where conversation should be impossible. Here's a quick synopsis of our high-speed face time:

This is Hinchcliffe's selfie was on my camera when I returned from driving karts. Seems fair to publish it to the world

RMT: When you're away from the race track what do you enjoy doing?

Hinch: I love scuba diving.  I know it seems like a stretch from racing, but so much of my life is filled with being told what to do and where to be. When im diving,  no one tells me what to do.

RMT: Where's your favourite vacation spot? 

Hinch: I love Turks and Caicos. They have several beautiful dive locations.

RMT: We have a passion for beer at Real Man Travels, is there a craft beer out there you like?

Hinch: I actually have my own beer. It's brewed by Flat 12 Bierwerks back in Indy.
RMT: Really? That's awesome! What's it called?

Hinch: Pretty cool right? It's called Hinchtown Hammer Down. I'm Canadian, so naturally, I love beer.

James and I after a hot lap in the Civic Si

Amen to that! We will be cheering on James' #27 United Fiber Data, Andretti Autosports Honda as he takes on the field in the Honda Indy Toronto this weekend, July 19 and 20. Maybe then we can talk to him about a sample of Hinchtown Hammer Down.

Cheers,

Sam