VARAC’s CHGP Supports #ProstateCancerCanada #PlaidForDad on Friday June 17th

Bowmanville, ON – The VARAC Canadian Historic Grand Prix which will be held June 17 -19 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is proud to be supporting Prostate Cancer Canada’s Wear Plaid For Dad initiative at the track on Friday, June 17.

“Many of our member’s have been directly or indirectly impacted by Prostate Cancer at some point in their lives”, says Ted Michalos, event director for VARAC’s CHGP, “it is with great pride that VARAC’s Board of Directors is pledging to Wear Plaid For Dad on our first day of our race weekend, we hope that all the competitors will join in with us and the paddock will be alive with plaid!”.

Prostate Cancer Canada is expecting thousands of Canadians to put on something plaid to help raise awareness and funds to protect men from prostate cancer this Friday. Celebrity and high profile greats such as Don Cherry, vice Admiral Norman, Dave Thomas, Premier McNeil, Eric McCormack, Chief Saunders and John Catucci have backed this initiative and social media is alive with the support.

It’s a fun and easy way to help protect men from prostate cancer.

Join us and pledge to wear plaid  www.wearplaidfordad.ca on Friday June 17th!

A Spectator’s Delight at the Canadian Historic Grand Prix

Come one, come all – if you haven’t been a spectator at a racing event for a while then we may have the perfect weekend for you!

June 17, 18 and 19, 2106 at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is the Canadian Historic Grand Prix.  We have over 200 entries running on 6 grids that include:

  • Monoposto cars – historic single seat race cars.  Formula Juniors, Club Fords, Sport 2000, and even more powerful open wheeled cars from the past
  • Vintage Historic Small Bore – 50 cars from the 50s and 60s including Minis, Sprites, Midgets, Triumphs, Alfas and a couple of MG Ts
  • Vintage Big Bore – another 50 car grid including  MGBs, MGAs, Triumphs, Alfas, Porsches, BMWs and many, many more
  • Classic – again over 50 cars from the 70, 80s and 90s including Porsches, BMWs, Corvettes, Mustangs, and Datsuns just to name a few

The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship is also running a 25 car grid.  This is some of the best racing you can watch anywhere!

New this year is the Formula Vee Spectacular which has drivers from two F1200 Series competing.  The Challenge Cup Series is a cross-border Formula Vee groups is being joined by CASC-ORs Millers Oils F1200 Championship.  We expect 6, 7, 8 car trains drafting up the back straight.  If you like to watch close racing – these guys are it!

Off track on Sunday (Fathers’ Day!) there is the Field of Dreams Car Show by corner 8, as well as the Legends of Motorsport discussion panel that is open to the public at noon in the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Conference Centre.  Bring your lunch and meet some of Canada’s greatest motorsport personalities.

The final on track session for the weekend is the VARAC Grand Prix open to any and all Vintage and Historic cars, as well as Classic cars weighing less than 2500 pounds.  We expect this to be a grand finale indeed!

What more do you need?  The weather will be beautiful.  The racing outstanding.  Come and watch 200+ drivers compete for glory under the summer sun…”

 

VARAC Announces Ludwig Heimrath as 2016 CHGP Grand Marshall

The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) is gearing up for what promises to be the biggest, most exciting and best-attended event in its history.

Our Grand Marshall is one of the most famous names in Canadian auto racing, Ludwig Heimrath, who won the Canadian Sports Car Racing Championship (later known as the Canadian Driving Championship) in 1961, which was the first year the title was awarded, and again in 1964. He was the first runner-up in ‘62, ‘63 and ‘65.

Ludwig Heimrath

He was the first Canadian to drive in Formula 1 when he was entered by Porsche, in Pau, France in 1962. He won the SCCA Trans- Am championship twice.  He was an expert long-distance racer and teamed up with such champions as Johnny Rutherford and Craig Hill in entering the Sebring 12 Hours and the 24 Hours of Daytona. He was a USAC IndyCar competitor in ‘68 and ‘69 and raced in the Canadian and Continental Formula A division in 1970. Heimrath raced touring cars until 2000, before retiring at the age of 66.

Join Ludwig Heimrath at “Legends of Mosport Racer’s Reunion”

Toronto Star Wheels Editor, Norris McDonald will host this “Meet the Fans & Press” session Sunday morning with Ludwig Heimrath and other champions like Bill Brack, Eppie Wietzes, and more.  Open to all at no cost.  Mix with old friends, racers and champions.

Ludwig Heimrath

The Canadian Historic Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious events on the Vintage and Historic Racing Calendar in North America and it is the largest and most popular event of its kind in Canada and counted as a “Major Spectator Event” at Mosport since 1999. More information at www.varac.ca

Steam Whistle Paddock Tour at CHGP – Friday June 17, 2016

Join us for the Steam Whistle Paddock Tour – a social event being held Friday, June 17 at 6:00 pm in the upper paddock at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. All competitors, crew (with a ticket) and volunteers of the Canadian Historic Grand Prix are welcome to attend.

First Whistle Stop – near Corner One, hosted by Tom and Carol Burgess and the MG community. Steam Whistle Pilsner, Black Prince Wines, and chicken wings by Simply BBQ and crudites.

Second Whistle Stop – in the middle paddock, hosted by Move Motorsports and the open wheel community. Steam Whistle Pilsner, Black Prince Wines, Subway sandwiches and chips.

Third Whistle Stop – near the Mock Grid, hosted by the VARAC Board of Directors. Tim Horton’s coffee, cookies and other light desserts.

Looking forward to seeing you on the Tour!

Black Prince WinerySimply BBQ