Kitdy
05-23-2010, 05:28 PM
Today my old man and I attended the Mosport Victoria Day Speedfest Weekend. Held during the May Two Four weekend (it's a long weekend for us Canucks - Monday is off in honour of good old queen Vicky), this weekend held a total of 6 races across 3 days, including two Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship races, two SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge races, one SCCA Trans-Am Series, and the Sundown Grand Prix. The weekend marks the first major event during Mosport's 50th anniversary season
My dad and I were on hand only for Sunday's events, but man it was a lot of fun. I have been to Mosport 3 times (in the last 4 years) before - each for the ALMS event at the Grand Prix of Mosport. This was the first time I had seen any of the above racing series in person, although I had caught very brief bits of Trans-Am and WC before on Speed TV.
Anyways, we arrived just before the first race of the day - the (formerly Speed) World Challenge. 3 classes were involved - in order of fastest to slowest - GT, GTS, and TC. GT was where most of the crowd's attention was as home favourite (Canadian) Windsor, Ontario native Ron Fellows (possibly in semi-retirement? I'm not sure) was contesting the race from second on the grid in a Corvette. Ahead of him on the grid was one of the turbo AWD Volvo S60s (which were rather quiet for racecars - due to the turbos I'd figure). Ron managed to sneak by the S60 somewhere near the middle of the race and held on for the victory. In GTS John Heinricy (yes of GM/CTS-V-Nürburgring-dick-wagging-lap-time-contest fame) took the win in an old C4 Corvette. The aptly named (for the class) Scion tC took first in TC after a race long battle with a Jetta GLI and Golf GTI which was very entertaining. A solid race; one of the 911 WC GT3s was louder than all hell and just about the loudest thing I have heard at Mosport.
Up next was the Canadian Touring Car Championship race. The race was a short 30 minute sprint. There were tons of Hondas/Acuras: Civics, a CSX, an RSX, all sorts. There were two nicely liveried Castrol sponsored Genesis Coupes, an M Coupe (which won handily), two aggressive and quick Minis, two E46s, an E90 - well, a broad assortment as you can see in the pictures. The Minis were really going for it which was rather amusing.
Finally, there was the Trans-Am race, which saw a small (8 car) grid. Two of the cars were Jags (and some of the crowd were out to show their support of the manufacturer) and the rest Corvettes. Unfortunately, the points leading (up until the Mosport round) #5 A-Team liveried XK experienced problems early on, and the other Jaguar was well off the pace, leaving the Corvettes unchallenged. The orange #99 car easily took the win.
I've got some pictures below. They represent the cream of the crop - yes, sad I know, but keep in mind I am a very poor photographer and they are being taken on a several year old nonprofessional Lumix TZ1 a la:
http://topicpoint.com/panasonic_lumix_tz1_review/panasonic_lumix_tz1.jpg
Photographers, feel free to criticize my photography and my father's choice of camera.
1. The loud as hell GT3. 2. One of the quiet AWD Turbo S60s. 3. The cars prepare to go on their parade la.p 4. A Viper. 5. One of the GT-Rs, which were not very competitive. Note the screaming monkey. 6. The Lotus, of which my dad commented that it's engine sounded like "one of those RC planes."
My dad and I were on hand only for Sunday's events, but man it was a lot of fun. I have been to Mosport 3 times (in the last 4 years) before - each for the ALMS event at the Grand Prix of Mosport. This was the first time I had seen any of the above racing series in person, although I had caught very brief bits of Trans-Am and WC before on Speed TV.
Anyways, we arrived just before the first race of the day - the (formerly Speed) World Challenge. 3 classes were involved - in order of fastest to slowest - GT, GTS, and TC. GT was where most of the crowd's attention was as home favourite (Canadian) Windsor, Ontario native Ron Fellows (possibly in semi-retirement? I'm not sure) was contesting the race from second on the grid in a Corvette. Ahead of him on the grid was one of the turbo AWD Volvo S60s (which were rather quiet for racecars - due to the turbos I'd figure). Ron managed to sneak by the S60 somewhere near the middle of the race and held on for the victory. In GTS John Heinricy (yes of GM/CTS-V-Nürburgring-dick-wagging-lap-time-contest fame) took the win in an old C4 Corvette. The aptly named (for the class) Scion tC took first in TC after a race long battle with a Jetta GLI and Golf GTI which was very entertaining. A solid race; one of the 911 WC GT3s was louder than all hell and just about the loudest thing I have heard at Mosport.
Up next was the Canadian Touring Car Championship race. The race was a short 30 minute sprint. There were tons of Hondas/Acuras: Civics, a CSX, an RSX, all sorts. There were two nicely liveried Castrol sponsored Genesis Coupes, an M Coupe (which won handily), two aggressive and quick Minis, two E46s, an E90 - well, a broad assortment as you can see in the pictures. The Minis were really going for it which was rather amusing.
Finally, there was the Trans-Am race, which saw a small (8 car) grid. Two of the cars were Jags (and some of the crowd were out to show their support of the manufacturer) and the rest Corvettes. Unfortunately, the points leading (up until the Mosport round) #5 A-Team liveried XK experienced problems early on, and the other Jaguar was well off the pace, leaving the Corvettes unchallenged. The orange #99 car easily took the win.
I've got some pictures below. They represent the cream of the crop - yes, sad I know, but keep in mind I am a very poor photographer and they are being taken on a several year old nonprofessional Lumix TZ1 a la:
http://topicpoint.com/panasonic_lumix_tz1_review/panasonic_lumix_tz1.jpg
Photographers, feel free to criticize my photography and my father's choice of camera.
1. The loud as hell GT3. 2. One of the quiet AWD Turbo S60s. 3. The cars prepare to go on their parade la.p 4. A Viper. 5. One of the GT-Rs, which were not very competitive. Note the screaming monkey. 6. The Lotus, of which my dad commented that it's engine sounded like "one of those RC planes."