Tag Archive for: Mosport International Raceway

Successful Weekend at VARAC Test & Tune April 22, 2012

The season has started off with an excellent turn-out to the VARAC Test & Tune that was held on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport).  A large number of new members and “new” vintage and historic cars along with a strong turnout of our regular members teched their cars and hit the track.

The day served as an excellent warm-up for the first race of the season to be held on May 4/5 as part of the BEMC Spring Trophy Races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park as well as for the Canadian Historic Grand Prix coming up on June 15 to 17.

A visit from Ludwig Heimrath was a special treat and an honour for our club whos passion lies in the history of race cars and racing legends.  Media personality Gary Grant was on hand to capture the visit and even wrote about it in the Wheels section of the Toronto Star – see the posting here.

Our first annual edition of “Pit Signals” by Jeremy Sale will be released shortly with more coverage on the event, in the meantime pictures of the event can be found here.

2012 Canadian Historic Grand Prix – June 15-17, 2012

CHGP Poster

Toronto, Ontario (April 18, 2012) – The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) will hold its 33rd Annual Vintage Racing Festival, renamed for 2012 as the “Canadian Historic Grand Prix”  sponsored by Wilson-Niblett Performance of Richmond Hill at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) .  Wilson-Niblett is Canada’s largest Corvette Dealer and agent for Callaway Performance Cars.

Fittingly, this prestigious historic racing event is Canada’s premier vintage and historic race meeting.  The annual event will be held at the world-renowned circuit from June 15 through 17, 2012. This technically demanding, very fast 2.459 mile track and former home to the Formula One Grand Prix, Can-Am, Trans-Am and Formula 5000 is just one hour northeast of Toronto.

Corvette will be the featured marque for 2012.  Corvette racing cars from across Canada and the United States will descend on the Toronto-area track for the second major historic Corvette focus event following the very successful Corvette World Tribute held at Road America in Wisconsin this past August.

In addition to Corvette racing, VARAC will make High Performance Driving and Touring sessions on the Grand Prix track available and there will also be lots of activities both on and off the track for Corvette Clubs and other enthusiasts including a rally/tour of the area.

Subject to finalizing personal schedules, Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim have tentatively agreed to act as Grand Marshals for this prestigious event. .

There will be racing for six groups of cars including Monoposto (single seat open-wheel vintage & historic race cars), Small Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (under 1800cc), Big Bore Vintage & Historic Cars (over 1800cc), Wings & Slicks (very fast purpose-built racing cars running on slick tires), G70+ Cars (cars dating from 1973 to 1989 including Porsches, Mustangs, etc.) and of course Corvettes.

The weekend will also play host to the only Canadian round of the Small Bore Challenge Cup, an enduro series for small bore vintage & historic racing cars.

VARAC extends a special invitation to all drivers, crew, marshalls, volunteers and media involved with racing in past years to join in the ”Great Canadian Racers Reunion” on Sunday morning.  This will be a fantastic opportunity to re-connect with old friends and celebrate the history of Canadian racing.   As in important and integral part of the larger gathering, former Canadian National Champion, Gary Magwood will host the “Legends of Mosport” driver’s reunion and many of Canada’s racing greats will be in attendance.

The VARAC – 2012 Canadian Historic Grand Prix is about more than racing. This year VARAC has added a new event on Friday evening – the “Checkered Flag Charity Cruise”, which is open to all cruisers with proceeds going to the Wounded Warriors of Canada.  The cruise will be held on the Start/Finish Straight of the famed racing circuit and will give participants and spectators alike a glimpse of the excitement surrounding this race weekend and an opportunity to walk where champions have walked, while viewing a fabulous mix of machinery from hotrods to race cars with the best of rock & roll music and good food and drinks. We encourage everyone to come out for the cruise, join the party and support the Wounded Warriors of Canada, the designated charity for the event.

Other features of the weekend include the fast growing “PartSource Field of Dreams Car Show” and welcomes sports cars, hot-rods, car clubs and enthusiasts from far and wide.  Mosport offers a special discounted day pass for those attending the car show.  Also, parade laps of the Grand Prix track will be available to registered car show entries with the proceeds going to Wounded Warriors of Canada. Also, take in Canada’s largest Mini gathering, Mini Meet North while you’re there.

Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the VARAC Canadian Historic Grand Prix where you are encouraged to take it all in. Walk through the paddock and get up close to the cars and drivers who will be happy to greet you. Youngsters will enjoy meeting the drivers and being photographed with the race cars. Enjoy free camping. Explore the booths of vendors of all types. Within the park you’ll also find good food and beverage and modern comfort facilities.  That’s a lot of action and a super value!

Vintage racer, cruiser, motorsport enthusiast, sports car or Corvette owner, you won’t want to miss this event! Be sure to put it on your calendar today, June  15,16,17,  2012. For more information contact Bob DeShane tel: 705-878-5422 email: [email protected]

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PDF version of this press release

VARAC Test & Tune April 22nd, 2012 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Online registration is now open (for VARAC Members and Lotus Club Members) for the April 22nd, 2012 Test and Tune event at the newly renamed Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport International Raceway).   Click here for information and registration.

2012 Canadian Historic Grand Prix Registration Now Posted

VARAC is proud to be hosting our 33rd Annual Vintage Racing Festival on June 15-17, 2012, renamed the 2012 CANADIAN HISTORIC GRAND PRIX.  This years event is sponsored by Wilson-Niblett Performance with CORVETTE as the featured marque and includes a variety of exciting activities for car and race enthusiasts alike!

Click the CHGP link on our site for event information and registration forms.

VARAC has added a new event-Checkered Flag Charity Cruise

June 9, 2011 – The Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC) will hold its 33rd Annual Vintage Racing Festival at world-renowned Mosport International Raceway, June 17, 18, 19, 2011. This technically demanding, very fast 2.459 mile track is just one hour northeast of Toronto. This year’s Vintage Festival features the “Cars of Italy” and “Those Amazing Porsches”.

This summer VARAC joins with Mosport to celebrate the tracks 50th year of hosting world-class racing including Formula One, Indy cars, USAC, Can-Am and Trans-Am and more recently the North American Le Mans Series. In June 1961 the track opened the gates for its first major race, the Player’s 200 for sports cars. The race attracted over 40,000 spectators and was won by Stirling Moss in his 2.5 litre Coventry Climax-powered Lotus 19. In the following years a small selection of the famous drivers who competed at Mosport would include; A.J. Foyt, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, John Surtees, Mark Donohue, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Bobby Unser, Roger Penske, Dan Gurney, Jackie Ickx, Jackie Stewart and many, many others, including of course the great Gilles Villeneuve, who made what would turn out to be his last appearance at the track, as he drove a Ferrari in the 1977 Labatt Grand Prix won by Jody Scheckter in the Canadian Wolf. Even the great World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio drove at Mosport, in a bizarre celebrity Mini race.

 

In addition to the “Cars of Italy” and “Those Amazing Porsches” there will be plenty of other classes and cars to see from the golden era of racing; Jaguars, Fiats, Triumphs, Daimlers, Alfas, Minis, Lotus, Austin-Healeys, Sadlers, Sunbeams and many, many more including formula cars and sports racing cars. The 2011 VARAC Vintage Racing Festival celebrates the glory days of grassroots sports car racing with three full days of spectacular on-track action. Hundreds of cars and drivers from all over Canada and the US will contend with this challenging race track as it rises and falls through the beautiful park setting, competing just for the thrill, the fun and bragging rights, in true amateur fashion.

The VARAC Festival is about more than racing. This year VARAC has added a new event on Friday evening – the “Checkered Flag Charity Cruise”, which is open to anyone for a two dollar donation per car to the VARAC charity.  The cruise will be held on the Start/Finish Straight of the famed racing circuit and will give participants and spectators alike a glimpse of the excitement surrounding this race weekend.  The public is encouraged to come out for the cruise as well and join the party with admission being only the donation to the charity.

Other features of the weekend include largest Mini gathering, Mini Meet North as well as the “Field of Dreams” car show that welcomes sports cars and hot-rods and car clubs from far and wide with Sunday noon parade laps on-track. Entry to the car show and parade laps is free! That’s a lot of action and a super value!

Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the VARAC Vintage Racing Festival where you are encouraged to take it all in. Walk through the paddock and get up close to the cars and drivers who will be happy to greet you. Youngsters will enjoy meeting the drivers and being photographed with the race cars. Enjoy free camping. Explore the booths of vendors of all types. Within the park you’ll also find good food and beverage and modern comfort facilities.

Vintage racer, motorsport enthusiast or sports car owner, you won’t want to miss this event! Be sure to put it on your calendar today, June 17, 18, 19, 2011. For more information see our Festival section.

Attached, please find a vintage racing photo.

 

For more info, contact Bob DeShane, Promotions Director, VARAC 705-878-5422 days or 705-878-3940 evenings – email: [email protected]

Pit Signals May 2011

Jeremy Sale and Walter Davies have just finished putting the final touches to the latest “Pit Signals” – chock full of pics. From the BEMC weekend and with a great story from Joe of his trip to Infineon Raceway.

You can download your copy HERE

Confirmed Registrations For Test And Tune Day

Hello VARAC racers

 

With just under 2 weeks to go until Test and Tune Day, I wanted to confirm who has registered to date. As this is one of the first times we’ve used the new Online Registration System, some members seem to have had problems with it as there are a number of “abandoned” entries.

So just to make sure, I thought I’d list who is currently registered – if you are NOT on this list, you are NOT registered.

 

If you are not on the list, you can still register online HERE . If you prefer to wait and register at Mosport, you’ll pay an additional $75 over the online rate of $175, so we really hope everybody will register online.

 

So here is the list of CONFIRMED REGISTRATIONS:

 

Name                              # of Cars

Gary Allen 1
Gord Ballantine 1
Del Bruce 1
Jeff Clark 1
Steve Clark 1
Neal Cockshutt 1
Christopher Creighton 1
Diane Dale 1
Jeff Devine 1
Michael Deweerd 1
Ted Dobbie 1
Bob Eagleson 1
Patrick Ferrier 1
Colin Gibson 1
Glenn Grainger 1
Steve Hamann 1
Tom Harwood 1
David Heino 1
Gavin Ivory 1
Andy Januszewski 1
Geoffrey Layne 1
Walt MacKay 1
Geoff McCord 1
Cam McRae 1
Matt Molson 2
Robert Murray 1
Richard Navin 1
Andrew Nelson 1
Steve O’Connell 1
Mike Palladino 1
Richard Paterson 1
Bob Polak 1
Craig Rodwell 1
Fred Samson 1
Tim Sanderson 1
Peter Schlag 1
Robert Searle 1
John Stammers 1
Mike Steplock 1
Michael Strelbisky 1
James Sutherland 1
Douglas Switzer 1
Brian Thomas 2
Harry Vegter 1
Stefan Wiesen 2
Kevin Young 1

 

Please check carefully – you may think you’ve registered but you may accidentally be one of the “abandoned” if your name is not on the list. If you have trouble registering, please Email me and I’ll talk you through the Registration process

 

Walter