VARAC gears up for Canadian Historic Grand Prix Next Weekend

TORONTO, ON (June 17, 2015) – The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) is gearing up this weekend for the Canadian Historic Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious events on the Vintage and Historic Racing Calendar in North America. Racers from across Canada and the United States will descend on Canadian Tire Motorsport Park just north of Bowmanville, Ontario with their Formula Fords, MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Lotus, Minis, Corvettes and more to challenge the world famous Mosport Grand Prix Circuit. Mosport is one of only three true historic Grand Prix tracks in North America along with Le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec and Watkins Glen in upstate New York.

Del Bruce, president of VARAC says “Open-Wheel Formula Ford Racers will be the “Featured Marque” for 2015 and will compete for the Oliver Clubine Memorial Trophy in honour of Ollie Clubine, a champion and pioneer of Canadian Road Racing.  We have invited one of Canada’s greatest Formula Ford Aces, Gary Magwood to be Grand Marshall for the weekend. IT promises to be a great weekend of racing!”

CHGP Director Bob DeShane adds “There will be three full days of exciting racing for six groups of cars including Monoposto (single seat open-wheel vintage & historic race cars), Small Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (under 2000cc), Big Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (over 2000cc), Wings & Slicks (very fast purpose-built racing cars running on slick tires), G70+ and G90 Cars (cars dating from 1973 to 1994 including all kinds of Alfas, Corvettes, Porsches, Mustangs and a host of others.”

The Canadian Historic Grand Prix is about more than on-track racing! Spectators and car enthusiasts of all stripes will enjoy the scope and scale of experiences open to their participation on the weekend such as:

  • Track Touring Sessions – On-track sessions are offered twice daily.
  • Legends of Mosport Racer’s Reunion” – Toronto Star Wheels Editor, Norris McDonald will host this “meet the fans & Press” session Sunday morning with other champions and greats like Bill Brack, Eppie Wietzes, Ludwig Heimrath, Craig Fisher, Walt Mackay and more. Open to all at no cost.  Mix with old friends, racers and champions.
  • A Concours d’Elegance conducted by the Mercedes Benz Club of America – Toronto Section on Sunday
  • Mini Meet North” all weekend – Canada’s largest Mini gathering,
  • Field of Dreams Car Show” – welcoming hundreds of sports cars, classics and hot-rods, owners and car clubs from far and wide featuring Canada’s largest on-track parade open to car show participants and featuring discounted park admission for entrants.
  • Free weekend camping courtesy Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

 

VARAC is the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada whose members share a desire to preserve, restore and race historically significant cars in a form as close to the original specification as possible.  We race cars made in 1994 or earlier in Ontario and Quebec.  The highlight of our season is the Canadian Historic Grand Prix held annually in June at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.  The 2015 CHGP will feature Formula Ford.

Follow us on Twitter at @VARACBoD, Instagram and YouTube at “VARACVintageRacing”

Photo by Peter Viccary

Inside Track Excerpt – Canada 5000 Rally Schedules Stop at CHGP June 19-21

Who would be crazy enough to fancy driving across Canada in an almost 50-year old car? And we’re not talking about using the Trans-Canada Highway! Dave Clark and Dave Myers have restored a 1967 Volvo 122S and are retracing the original Shell 4,000 Rally route right across Canada, with a stop at the Canadian Historic Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, which as “Mosport” was a Special Stage in the rally years ago.

The following link is a copy of the article written by VARAC member Jeremy Sale for Inside Track Motorsport News:

See the CTV Interview with Dave Clark here.

Diana Carter and Gillian Field got a bit stuck in their Volvo 122S in the 1964 Shell 4000, but made it out and finished 24th overall, 11th in their class. The Canada 5000 car is the same colour, is also a four door and will definitely be drawing some inspiration from this car! Photo courtesy of Shell-4000-Rally.org and Canada5000.ca

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Ajax Driver Bovenizer to Join Fellow Vintage Racers June 19-21

Excerpt from Sports Durham Online – original posting here: sportsdurham.ca/varac

Canadian Historic Grand Prix ready to roar at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Vintage auto racers from across North America will be taking over the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park June 19 to 21, and Ajax resident Bill Bovenizer will be there front and centre, nearly 50 years after his first race back in 1966.

Seventy- year-old Bovenizer made his racing debut in an MGB in 1966, and he hasn’t quit yet! In 2015 he will be racing in a 1968 Titan Mk III Formula B Racecar at the Canadian Historic Grand Prix at the former Mosport track.

The Grand Prix, hosted by the Vintage Auto Racing Association of Canada (VARAC), is one of the most prestigious events on the Vintage and Historic Racing Calendar in North America, says Del Bruce VARAC President and Race Director. It is the largest and most popular event of its kind in Canada and counted as a “Major Spectator Event” at Mosport since 1999, says Bruce.

The field will include a wide variety of vintage vehicles including Formula Fords, MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Lotus, Minis, Corvettes and more to challenge the world famous Mosport Grand Prix Circuit.

Open-Wheel Formula Ford Racers will be the “Featured Marque”for 2015 and will compete for the Oliver Clubine Trophy in honour of Ollie Clubine, a champion and pioneer of Canadian Road Racing.

Vintage Auto Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) is staging what promises to be the largest ever such contest in its history.

In addition to the Formula Ford Feature, racing fans will once again be thrilled to witness a huge grid of fast Triumphs and MGs piloted by drivers from across Canada and the US, returning to vie for the claim of victory in the Triumph vs MG Challenge.

In addition, there will be three full days of exciting racing for six groups of cars including Monoposto (single seat open-wheel vintage & historic race cars), Small Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (under 2000cc), Big Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (over 2000cc), Wings & Slicks (very fast purpose-built racing cars running on slick tires), G70+ and G90 Cars (cars dating from 1973 to 1994 including all kinds of Alfas, Corvettes, Porsches, Mustangs and a host of others.

Bovenizer raced the VAY Canada Class in 1967 and then a Lotus 51 in 1968. This was followed by a Crossle 16F in 1969 and then the Canadian Championship and Continental series in 1970 in a Brabham BT 21.

He competed until 1980 in Atlantic F 5000 and a 2 litre Chevron B 21, finishing second in the Canadian National championship in 1975.

When Bovenizer decided to get back into racing “It had to be in a real race car, and formula (open wheel cars) have always been my passion.
“I love the old and new friendships and the atmosphere of the vintage racing. The Canadian Historic Grand Prix is the highlight of the year and 2015 will be a great one. Come and see some wonderful cars at one of the world’s great race tracks, Mosport!”

The Canadian Historic Grand Prix is about more than on-track racing, says Bruce., adding spectators and car enthusiasts of all stripes will enjoy the scope and scale of experiences open to their participation on the weekend.
These will include”

Track Touring Sessions – On-track sessions are offered twice daily.

“Legends of Mosport Racer’s Reunion” – Toronto Star Wheels Editor, Norris McDonald will host this “meet the fans & Press” session Sunday morning with other champions and greats like Bill Brack, Eppie Wietzes, Ludwig Heimrath, Craig Fisher, Walt Mackay and more. Open to all at no cost. Mix with old friends, racers and champions.

A Concours d’Elegance conducted by the Mercedes Benz Club of America – Toronto Section on Sunday

“Mini Meet North” all weekend – Canada’s largest Mini gathering,

“Field of Dreams Car Show” – welcoming hundreds of sports cars, classics and hot-rods, owners and car clubs from far and wide featuring Canada’s largest on-track parade open to car show participants and featuring discounted park admission for entrants.

Free weekend camping courtesy Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

The public is welcome to attend the Grand Prix, says Bruce. Fans can wander around the paddock and meet the drivers all weekend. Tickets are $30 for the weekend Super Ticket, $20 for Sunday only. There is racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

7th Annual Mini Meet North at Canadian Historic Grand Prix This Weekend

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario (excerpt from Vintage Motorsport Newsletter) — The 7th Annual Mini Meet North is all lined up and ready to go during the Canadian Historic Grand Prix at Mosport international Raceway on June 19-21. Commemorating the Mini’s 50th anniversary, the first-ever Mini Meet North event at Mosport was held in 2009. It proved such a huge success that organizers decided to make it an annual affair. Including a full weekend of vintage racing and car shows, it’s subsequently attracted a great turnout and lots of media coverage.

Mini Meet North will be a featured event at this year’s historic festival. One goal is to achieve the largest Mini event ever in Canada. Another is to provide an opportunity for enthusiasts and their families to share and enjoy their passion for such a great car. To suit, organizers this year are introducing a “Mini only” area in the car show (which will include trophies and prizes). Better still, all car-show entrants will get to do a couple of parade laps on the historic Mosport track, followed by a panoramic photo opportunity. A road rally has additionally been planned, along with a dynamometer setup for those who wish to find out how much power their Mini really puts to ground

Organizer Tamer Metwalli says that Mini Meet North is accepting donations and prizes, and has sponsorship opportunities available to make this event as spectacular as the little car itself. For more information send an email to [email protected], or check out the “Mini Meet North” page or event on Facebook.

Father’s Day VARAC CHGP Field of Dreams Car Show & Parade Laps

Discounted Ticket Entry to CHGP for Car Show Participants

BOWMANVILLE, ON (June 15, 2015) – Don’t miss participating in the annual favourite of the Canadian Historic Grand Prix!   The CHGP Field of Dreams Car Show welcomes all classic and exotic cars to the infield of Corner 8 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park all day on Father’s Day, Sunday June 21, 2015.

Special admission rates to the entire CHGP event on Sunday of $20 per car (as opposed to the regular $20 per person) apply to all cars participating in the Field of Dreams car show.  Simply bring your classic or exotic car to CTMP and let the gate know that you’re participating in the Field Of Dreams car show, then drive on up and park on the infield of Corner 8.  Spend your time admiring other cars, watching historic races and meeting new friends.

At noon – a $10 registration will get you a VARAC commemorative dash plaque and a couple of parade laps on the fantastic Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Grand Prix track!

 

For more information, please contact CHGP director [email protected]

VARAC Racers Head to Calabogie for MCO May Madness

TORONTO, ON (May 27, 2015) – The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada will be competing this weekend at Calabogie Motorsports Park, a world class, 5.05 km long race track facility with all the challenges of elevation, camber changes and 20 challenging turns.

Calabogie has quickly built a great reputation for exciting racing. CASC/OR Regional Race Groups will include VARAC Sportsman; Radical/F2000; Formula Libre; GT Sprints; plus the Invitational Formula Libre Club.

Racers take to the track first thing Saturday morning to kick off a full race weekend with lots of track time! The Motorsport Club of Ottawa is looking forward to a great weekend of racing at this scenic track. Created in 1949 as the Ottawa Light Car Club, MCO has grown to become the largest Motorsport club in Ontario with nearly 400 members.

Don’t forget, coming up really soon is the highlight of VARAC’s season, the Canadian Historic Grand Prix, Father’s Day Weekend, June 19-21 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. This unique event continues to celebrate the history of Canadian motorsport, this year will feature the entire history of Formula Ford, including the Oliver Clubine Memorial race, run groups for all eras of Formula Fords and a special addition, the Toyo Tires F1600 Series at the CHGP as part of their championship schedule.

Inside Track Excerpt – Gary Magwood: My 1970 Formula Ford Championship Season

Canadian racing legend and 2015 Canadian Historic Grand Prix Grand Marshal Gary Magwood recently spoke to the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada’s Jeremy Sale about how his 1970 title-winning season came together.

The following link is a copy of the article written by VARAC member Jeremy Sale for Inside Track Motorsport News:

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