Canadian Race Track Database
Canadian Tire Motorsports ParkBowmanville, ON
Status
Open
Years in Operation: 1961-present
Name History:
Mosport Park (1961-1996)
Mosport International Raceway (1997-2011)
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (2012-present)
Track Configurations:
2.54 mile paved road course
Notes:
Track was designed by Alan Bunting
The name Mosport is a contraction of motorsport
The British Empire Motor Club built the track
The Oakville Trafalgar Light Car Club organized the first race on June 3, 1961 - it was a non-spectator event
The first spectator event was organized by the British Empire Motor Club and held on June 10, 1961
The first professional race was the Player's 200 on June 24, 1961
The Esso Tower (later Castrol) tower was opened in June 1962
The track suffered financial problems in 1966 and went bankupt - it purchased by Cantrack Motor Racing Limited
The two main managers from Cantrack were Bernard Kamin and Harvey Hudes
Held more Can-Am races than other track - 24
1997 - lease was taken over by International Motorsports Group
1998 - purchased by Panoz Motorsports
1999 - major renovations included an extended pit lane and enlarged run-off areas in turns 2, 4 and 5
2000 - whole track was repaved and widened from 28 feet to 40 feet
2006 - the lower paddock was paved
2011 - purchased by Carlo Fidani, Al Boughton and Ron Fellows in June, under the company name Canadian Motorsport Ventures Ltd
2012 - Castrol Tower was torn down in the autumn
2013 - event centre was built on the outside of turn 10 / front straight
Corner names
2 - Clayton Corner, named after Jim Clayton
3 - Quebec Corner, due the number of Quebec race fans who congretated there (there are other explanations)
5 - Moss Corner, named after Stirling Moss
10 - White's Corner, named after Ron and Eve White
The back straight is called the Mario Andretti Straightaway
Major Series Hosted
FIA Formula 1: 1967, 1969, 1971-74, 76-77
SCCA Can-Am: 1966-67, 1969-74, 1977-86
SCCA Trans-Am: 1976, 1978-79, 1981, 1984-97, 1999-2003, 2009, 2011-13
IMSA GT: 1975, 1980, 1982-83, 1995-96
IMSA GTO/ GTU/ AC: 1989-92
FIA World Endurance Championship: 1976, 1980, 1984-85
SCCA F5000: 1974-76
USAC Stock Car: 1962, 1966-68
USAC ChampCar: 1967-68, 1977-78
NASCAR Truck Series: 2013-19
CASCAR Super Series: 1998-2006
NASCAR Pinty's Series: 2007-present
American Le Mans Series: 1999-2013
Weathertech SportsCar Championship: 2014-present
Player's 200: 1961-66
Canadian Grand Prix (for sports cars): 1961-66
American Speed Association: 1992
SCCA Continental Formula A: 1968-70
FIM Motorcycle: 1967, 1977-79, 1989-90
