For one day each summer, the cars at Toronto Motorsports Park are there for something bigger than lap times.
Drive For Smiles is Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada’s signature automotive fundraiser, pairing children living with chronic or critical illnesses with drivers of exotic and high-performance cars for supervised track rides in a safe, controlled environment. The program is part of Starlight Canada’s Great Escapes initiatives, which are designed to give seriously ill children and their families opportunities to step away from the routines of treatment and hospitalization and spend time together.
The event has grown into a national program, with stops in Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto in 2026. Since 2013, Drive For Smiles has provided dream rides to thousands of children and family members while raising nearly $5 million for Starlight Canada.
Autostrada has been a longtime supporter of the Toronto event, which returned to Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga on August 29, 2026. Starlight Canada describes Drive For Smiles as one of its highest-rated Great Escapes experiences among participating families.
The video above offers a look back at this year’s gathering — and at the drivers, volunteers, sponsors and families who make the day possible.
Video by Ammar Kamal, AutoMood Studio.