Track engrained in Canadian racing history
Mosport International Raceway has been a staple of Canadian motorsports since it opened in 1961 and one of the premier events on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule since its inception in 2007.
Over the years, Mosport has seen it all from stock cars to Formula 1 cars to Indy cars to sports cars of all varieties. The likes of Richard Petty, Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and Gilles Villeneuve have all competed on the 750-acre multi-track site.
June 17, 2007 was the date of the first Canadian Tire Series event on the 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course that twists and turns through the countryside near Bowmanville, Ont. A 20-year-old Andrew Ranger won that inaugural event in just his third start in a stock car after making the switch from open-wheel racing.
Ranger won the 2009 event, as well. Winning the other two series events at Mosport International Raceway was JR Fitzpatrick.
The Mosport road course is as challenging today as it was 50 years ago. Robin Buck has turned as many laps there as anybody - both as a competitor and an instructor.
"The pretty drastic elevation change along with a couple blind turns makes Mosport fairly unique," said Buck. "It's a driver's course, but long straightaway from Moss Corner to The Esses requires horsepower regardless of what kind of car you are in."
Plenty of ground can be made up or lost in what is known as the Mario Andretti Straightaway.
"If you have a car than can't pull up that straightaway, then you're going to have a long day at Mosport," said Fitzpatrick.
Along with the technical and speed portions of the course, the Vortex Brake Pads 200 presents another challenge to Canadian Tire Series teams. At 200 kilometers, it is the longest of the five road-course events on the schedule. Therefore, it requires a pit stop and depending on how the cautions fall that stop could come under green-flag conditions. At that point, it's decision time. Series rules mandate that a team cannot change tires and fuel the car on the same stop.
"There's going to be a caution at some point. The odds of the race going green-white-checkered are pretty slim," said veteran driver and master strategist Kerry Micks. "So, when a caution does come, you have to decide what's most important at the time - fuel or tires. Obviously, a fuel stop under green is easier than changing tires but everything depends on those yellows."
The challenge of the course and implementation of pit strategy are two major factors in the equation for success at the Vortex Brake Pads 200. There are a couple non-tangible forces at work inside the psyches of the drivers and teams at Mosport - history and location.
The rich history of the venue speaks for itself. Its location inside the Greater Toronto Area is perhaps more important. With most teams based in Ontario and much of Canada's business community residing in Toronto, Mosport becomes a showcase event.
Practically every racing fan in Canada has heard of Mosport and knows of its history," said defending series champion DJ Kennington. "For sponsors, it's an easy drive from Toronto. The setting at the track is comfortable. It's not cramped. All in all, it's a good setting and if your sponsors are there, then you want to win."