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Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 25 | Friday, July 15, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Hinchcliffe the face of Honda Indy Once a big fan of Toronto race, Oakville driver now in a position to win it By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff James Hinchcliffe steps off the GO train at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto into a horde of waiting TV cameras and photographers. His eyes widen a little and then he turns and climbs back on the train. Hinchcliffe has never shied away from the spotlight and today's no exception. "OK, ready," says one of the camera operators as Hinchcliffe steps off the train again, making sure everyone has the shot they need. Early in his career, Hinchcliffe had to work to promote himself -- Hey, wanna go for a spin in a dog washer? Sure! -- to get his name out there. That's how he became the Mayor of Hinchtown. Today, having proven his ability on the track and reached the level he always dreamed about, Hinchcliffe has become the face of the Honda Indy Toronto, which drops the green flag on its 30th race this Sunday. While he took a back seat to Canadians like Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani at the Toronto race when he was breaking in on the Atlantic and IndyLights development circuits, Hinchcliffe is now the lone full-time Canadian IndyCar driver. He's recognized far more often, especially since Honda made him the centerpiece of its ad campaign. Flying in from Iowa after the last race, a customs officer asked him to remove his Blue Jays hat. He thought nothing of the request until the customs officer said, "Just had to see that racing hair," a reference Oakville's James Hinchcliffe signs Myles Morgan's hat at the Oakville GO station Wednesday afternoon while promoting Sunday's Honda Indy Toronto, and a quick way to the race. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Burlington Post to the latest Honda commercial. "My buddies text me now and ask me how they can get me off their TVs," Hinchcliffe said with a laugh. Needless to say, Hinchcliffe no longer needs to promote himself. Instead, his efforts Wednesday were in endorsing his hometown race, and an easy way to get there. For someone who came to the Toronto race every year as a fan since he was 18 months old, Hinchcliffe gladly accepts his role in raising the race's profile. "It's weird in a way, but if I can be an ambassador for this race and for motorsports, if my presence helps promote the race, then I'll keep doing it," he said. "This race is the reason I am what I am today. If I didn't live in a city with an IndyCar race, I wouldn't be an IndyCar driver." The race couldn't ask for a better ambassador than the walking, talking Toronto Indy Wikipedia page. As Hinchcliffe spoke to passengers on the GO train on the ride from Oakville to Toronto, using his charm to subtly convince them to come check out the race, he asked one rider if he'd been to the race before. "Once, I can't remember when, but it was a long time ago," he said. "Tell me who won and I'll tell you what year it was," Hinchcliffe said. "Unless it was Michael Andretti, he won seven times." "It was Paul Tracy," he was told. "2003," Hinchcliffe said so quickly and confidently that it made it sound like he was bluffing. Paul Tracy did indeed win in 2003, but that may have been an easy one for Hinch. That was the last time a Canadian won the race -- a streak the 29-year-old would love to end. He's won four times since earning his first IndyCar ride six years ago. Although the Toronto race holds a special place in his heart, the track has not reciprocated the love. In his six previous Toronto races, he's been plagued with mechanical issues, flat tires and plain old bad luck, never finishing higher than eighth. In his first full season back since a nearfatal crash in practice for last year's Indy 500, Hinchcliffe says he's feeling 100 per cent, but admits it's been an up-and-down season. Yet you only need to hear Hinchcliffe's victory wish list -- "There's the Indy 500 and then there's Toronto." -- to know he hasn't given up on a track that played such a pivotal role in his childhood. see Hinchcliffe on p. 26 Buy One entree Dish anD receive a 2nD entree Dish Not valid with any other offer. Expires July 31, 2016 $6.00 OFF 376 Iroquois Shore Rd. Oakville · 905.845.7937 Weekdays 11am-3am · Weekends 11am-4am · www.montfortrestaurants.com halF price OFF Not valid with any other offer. Expires July 31, 2016 Buy One pita anD receive a 2nD pita