FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE VINTAGE AUTOMOBILE RACING ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
TO HONOR THE 2012 RACE CHAMPIONS

TORONTO, ON (October 23, 2012) – The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) will honor all of their 2012 “Champions” immediately after the VARAC Annual General Meeting in a presentation scheduled to take place at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel, 600 Hwy 7 East, Richmond Hill, Ontario on Saturday November 10th, 2012 from 4 to 6pm.

Based in Ontario, VARAC is the premier Vintage Automobile Road Racing Club in Canada with members from the Prairie Provinces, the US, Europe and of course, Ontario and Quebec.

VARAC races cars made in 1989 or earlier, and splits the cars into 4 age groups:

* Pre-war – including post war MG T series cars (as they were built to pre-war designs)
* Vintage – for cars up to 31 December 1961
* Historic – for cars from 1 January 1962 to 31 December 1972
* Group 70+ – for cars from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1989.

2012 VARAC Championship Awards

VARAC Group 70+

G70+ Overall Champion – Mike Steplock

G70+, H Class, 1st – Steve Clark

G70+, E Class, 1st – Dave Margolese
G70+, E Class, 2nd – Tim Sanderson
G70+, E Class, 3rd – Jamie Sutherland

G70+, F Class, 1st – Dan Rosewell
G70+, F Class, 2nd – Peter Schlag
G70+, F Class, 3rd – Kevin Young

G70+, G Class, 1st – Mike Steplock
G70+, G Class, 2nd – Doug Kurtin
G70+, G Class, 3rd – Andrew Atkins

VARAC Vintage/Historic

V/H Overall Champion – Howard Freeman

V/H, K Class, 1st – Ed Luce
V/H, K Class, 2nd – Howard Freeman
V/H, K Class, 3rd – Andre Gagne

V/H1, 1st – Ted Michalos
V/H1, 2nd – Jeremy Sale
V/H1, 3rd – Brian Thomas

V/H2, 1st – Joe Lightfoot
V/H2, 2nd – Richard Navin
V/H2, 3rd – Dave Morgan

V/H3, 1st – Bob Eagleson
V/H3, 2nd – Yvon Lepinay
V/H3, 3rd – Peter Lambrinos

V/H4, 1st – Chris Rupnik
V/H4, 2nd – Ken Lee
V/H4, 3rd – Robert Searle

V/H5, 1st – Alain Raymond

VARAC Lifetime Membership Awards

In addition to the awards for the Racing Championship, VARAC will acknowledge the contribution and loyalty of several members by presenting them with the coveted “Lifetime Membership Award”.  This award recognizes individuals who have exhibited “The Spirit of Vintage Racing” through their involvement with and contribution to VARAC and Vintage Racing over an extended period of time and may include Drivers with a long term history in vintage racing and especially VARAC, also Workers who have significantly contributed to VARAC and Crew members who always seem ready to help others.

Recipients of the Lifetime Member Award in 2012 are:

•  Walt MacKay, Racing Driver, Canadian Racing Champion and VARAC member
• Michael Rosen, Racing Driver, Former VARAC President and VARAC member
• David and Nancy Turnbull, Racing Drivers and VARAC members
• Scooter Elcomb, Racing Driver and VARAC member
• Jeremy Hinchcliffe, Racing Driver, Former Director and VARAC member
• John DeMaria, Racing Driver and VARAC member
• Oliver Clubine, Racing Driver, Canadian Racing Pioneer, Former President and VARAC member
• Peter Christensen, Team Owner and VARAC member

VARAC Honorary Member Awards

Vintage Racing is a celebration of “Racing into the Past”. VARAC is fortunate to be supported by a number of Canada’s greatest racing drivers, National and International Champions who contribute their time and reputations to furthering the “Spirit of Vintage Racing”.  In recognition of their efforts, VARAC has created a new “Honorary Member Award” for 2012 and beyond.

The “Honorary Member Award” is presented to those who are not current members of VARAC and who have made a significant contribution or continue to make significant contributions to VARAC and vintage racing through their support and affiliation.  Recipients may include “name drivers”, sponsors or others.

Recipients of the Honorary Member Award in 2012 are:

• Bill Brack, Triple Canadian Racing Champion, Two-time Formula Atlantic Champion, Formula 1 Driver, Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee
• Craig Fisher, Canadian Racing Legend, Hall of Fame Inductee
• Ludwig Heimrath, Twice Canadian Racing Champion, Twice SCCA Trans-Am Champion, Formula 1 Driver, Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee
• Gary Magwood, Canadian Formula Ford Champion, Motorsport Hall of Fame Founder
• Eppie Wietzes, Twice Canadian Racing Champion, Trans-Am Champion, Formula 1 Driver, Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee

Members of the Press are invited to attend the 2012 VARAC Social and Awards Presentations beginning at 4pm on November 10^th, 2012 at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel, 600 Hwy 7 East, Richmond Hill, Ontario.  R.S.V.P. Bob DeShane at [email protected] or 705-878-5422

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 1989 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 2013 CHGP will feature Porsche.