The Chevrolet Grand Prix is an annual IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race held every July at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.[1] The race originated in 1975 and is currently a two hour and forty minute race in order to fit the event into a television-friendly package. Previous editions of the Grand Prix were part of the World Sportscar Championship, the American Le Mans Series and the IMSA GT Championship.
 | |
| IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park |
| Corporate sponsor | Chevrolet |
| First race | 1975 |
| First WSCC race | 2014 |
| Duration | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Previous names | Mosport 6 Hours, Mosport 1000, Mosport 500, Mosport Festival, Grand Prix of Mosport, Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix |
| Most wins (driver) | Lucas Luhr (5) |
| Most wins (team) | Audi Sport North America (6) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Porsche (8) |
History
editIn 1961 the first international professional sportscar races at Mosport Park took place with the inaugural Players 200 in June won by Stirling Moss and the first Canadian Grand Prix won by Peter Ryan in September as part of the Canadian Sportscar Championship.[2][3][4] In 1966 the Grand Prix became part of the inaugural Can-Am Series season before becoming a Formula One Grand Prix in 1967.[5] The Mosport Can-Am races continued to be part of the Can-Am series through to its demise in 1986 with the track hosting more Can-Am races than any other facility.
In 1975, the International Motor Sports Association sportscars visited the track for the first time when it’s Camel GT Challenge raced during the Labatt's Blue 5000 Weekend sharing the weekend schedule with the SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship.[6][7] The inaugural 100 mile IMSA race was won by Hurley Haywood in a Porsche Carrera.[8]
The race was included as part of the World Sports Car Championship on six occasions, for the first time in 1976 and for the final time as the 1985 Mosport 1000 which also marked the final FIA World Championship event to be held at the facility.
From 1989 through 1992, IMSA returned to headline GT only races in May and June for their GTO and GTU classes. With the launch of the new World Sports Cars category in 1995, prototypes returned to the track for the first time in a decade for the Chrysler Mosport 500.
In August of 1999, the American Le Mans Series made its first appearance at the track as the new headline IMSA sanctioned series for the renamed Grand Prix of Mosport weekend.[9]
The series reintroduced factory backed prototypes designed for the high speeds of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Prototypes from Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Panoz, Porsche and Acura led to the highest speeds ever recorded at the track. The 2008 Grand Prix of Mosport included the fastest ever lap at the circuit taken by Rinaldo Capello during qualifying in an Audi R10 TDI with a time of 1:04.094.[10][11]
Mosport was one of four tracks that would appear on the American Le Mans Series schedule every year for the next fifteen years of the series existence.[12]
In 2014, the Grand Prix continued as part of the new IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship following the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.[13][14]
In 2020 and 2021, the Grand Prix was not held for the first time in a quarter of a century due to the Covid-19 pandemic.[15][16]
Winners
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | Racetrack, Weddings & Events".
- ^ Makse, Brian. "Tracing the colorful, surprising history of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park". IMSA.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "Grand Prix - Canada's bid for big-time auto racing". Maclean’s Magazine. March 24, 1962. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Henry, Alan (June 6, 2014). "McLaren at Mosport: fast and furious". McLaren.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Fagnan, René (August 27, 2016). "Jack Brabham won the first Canadian GP on this day in 1967". Motorsport.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "Labatt's Blue races set for weekend" (PDF). Whitby Free Press. June 4, 1975. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Brockington, Robert J. (2001). Aykroyd, Steve; Jones, Neal (eds.). Mosport 1961-2001: Four Decades of Racing. Mosport International Raceway. pp. 52 & 53.
- ^ Donnelly, Jim (June 2011). "Invading the North - IMSA's GTs charge into Mosport. Wild, eh?". Hemmings Sports and Exotics. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "1999 Mosport Park ALMS". Motorsport Magazine. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ McDonald, Norris (August 23, 2008). "Italy's Dindo Capello breaks record at Mosport". The Toronto Star. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Lenssen, Jordan (July 18, 2013). "American Le Mans Series at Mosport". PRN Motorsport Magazine. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Lenssen, Jordan (July 18, 2013). "American Le Mans Series at Mosport". PRN Motorsport Magazine. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Malloy, Gerry (September 22, 2013). "2014 United SportsCar Championship coming to Canada". Autofile.ca. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Pruett, Marshall (September 22, 2013). "The 2014 United SportsCar Championship schedule is about compromises". Road and Track. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ "CTMP Announces Cancellation Of IMSA Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix". RaceCanada.ca. May 15, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Malsher-Lopez, David (Apr 7, 2021). "Watkins Glen gains extra IMSA race, Canadian round canceled". Motorsport.com. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ "Mosport International Raceway". Ultimate Racing History. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ "Mosport - List of Races". Racing Sports Cars. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ "Official Race Results" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
- ^ "State of the Sport Sets Table for Momentous 2022 IMSA Season". imsa.com. International Motor Sports Association, LLC. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.