Pirelli World Challenge Rounds 8 & 9: CTMP (Mosport)

[Mechanic Z]

Another Pirelli World Challenge race week, this time at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, better known to all of us as Mosport.

The GT Classes are heading into their eighth and ninth rounds, with last year's double race winner Johnny O'Connell leading the driver's championship ahead of Cadillac Racing teammate Michael Cooper and K-Pax Racing's McLaren factory driver Alvaro Parente.
With EFFORT Racing on hiatus for the rest of the year, Patrick Long switches over to Wright Motorsports' new entry the #58 Porsche.

GTS rolls into rounds 7 & 8 with few major entry list changes, and the always entertaining TC classes finally make their return to the track for their third and fourth rounds.
Sprint-X makes it's debut with eight cars on the entry.

Schedule

Entry List

Live Stream

Live Timing and Scoring

Track Map

Weather (racecastweather.com)

Series Twitter Account

[merak1974]

Only one Maserati in the GTS class

[Mechanic Z]

I missed that, kinda surprised Jeff Courtney's Maserati isn't on the list.

[Mechanic Z]

I like the look of the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche GT Cup car. (In the background.) Very nice Castrol livery.

K-PAX Racing ‏@KPAXracing May 16 Tonight we're classing it up in the Toronto area at a private event with @Pfaff_Auto!

[David A Scott]

I'll be there on the Sunday. Spending my time between Turn 2 and 5.

[rwintle]

Yup, me too on Sunday, with a friend. A couple of others will be there all weekend.

Don't know much about the Sprint-X format - is this the regular GT machinery - and if so, are they really doing two races in one day (Sprint-X in the morning, GT/GTA/whatever later in the afternoon)?

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

I like the look of the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche GT Cup car. (In the background.) Very nice Castrol livery.

That is a great-looking car... they've used that livery for a number of years and it never disappoints!


Chris Green - Pentax ME F, Kiron 28-210mm by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

[nasportscar]

Originally Posted by rwintle

Yup, me too on Sunday, with a friend. A couple of others will be there all weekend.

Don't know much about the Sprint-X format - is this the regular GT machinery - and if so, are they really doing two races in one day (Sprint-X in the morning, GT/GTA/whatever later in the afternoon)?

GT3, GT4 and some single make are allowed, though only GT3 and GT4 cars have entered for CTMP. Some teams will take on the challenge of racing the same car with both Sprint X and the traditional PWC formats.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by rwintle

That is a great-looking car... they've used that livery for a number of years and it never disappoints!


Chris Green - Pentax ME F, Kiron 28-210mm by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

Wow, the front of the car looks as good as the back. Great photo!

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by nasportscar

GT3, GT4 and some single make are allowed, though only GT3 and GT4 cars have entered for CTMP. Some teams will take on the challenge of racing the same car with both Sprint X and the traditional PWC formats.

Thanks.

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

Wow, the front of the car looks as good as the back. Great photo!

And I thank you. Good old 35mm film in an old Pentax SLR with a motor winder, that I borrowed from my brother. Sadly the shutter mechanism is now kaput.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by rwintle

And I thank you. Good old 35mm film in an old Pentax SLR with a motor winder, that I borrowed from my brother. Sadly the shutter mechanism is now kaput.

The first proper camera I learned to use was an old Pentax K1000 that my Dad let me borrow. Fully manual settings and a mechanical shutter.
It looks like Mosport offers some great photo opportunities. It's definitely near the top of my list of great tracks to visit some day.

[DeezPutz]

We are packing up the car now to head across the border for a massive weekend of REAL RACECARS.

I'm hearing Sprint X doesn't have too many entries, but we will be wowed by the quality.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by DeezPutz

We are packing up the car now to head across the border for a massive weekend of REAL RACECARS.

Should be a great weekend for racing. I gotta say, I'm incredibly jealous of all you fans that are able to attend. I've still got more than a month to wait until the Road America weekend.

I'm hearing Sprint X doesn't have too many entries, but we will be wowed by the quality.

Yeah, the Sprint X thing seems kind of a dud so far, but the main GT/GTA/GTcup races should be epic! GTS and the TC races are always fun too, especially live in person.

[David A Scott]

Originally Posted by TRspitfirefan

The first proper camera I learned to use was an old Pentax K1000 that my Dad let me borrow. Fully manual settings and a mechanical shutter.
It looks like Mosport offers some great photo opportunities. It's definitely near the top of my list of great tracks to visit some day.

Another Pentaxian here! My first camera was a Program Plus. I now have a K20D. Nice solid camera. Not like the plasticy Nikon's and Canon's in the price range.

[Mechanic Z]

I guess I'm the odd man out, I started with an old Olympus OMG.
Been using an OM-1 to shoot color slides more recently, because my old OMGs both broke in '13.
And I've been borrowing a plasticky Nikon D40 to shoot digital for a while now.

Originally Posted by rwintle

And I thank you. Good old 35mm film in an old Pentax SLR with a motor winder, that I borrowed from my brother. Sadly the shutter mechanism is now kaput.

Can you still get 35mm developed in Canada? Wal-Mart still does it down here in the States, but they don't send the negatives back, and Walgreens developing is a bit pricey.

[Mechanic Z]

K-Pax retweeted this today. I thought it was cool, so I'm posting it here.

K-PAX Racing Retweeted CT Motorsport Park ‏@CTMPOfficial 13h13 hours ago
#TBT - McLaren then & now @WCRacing #PWCCTMP #CastrolVDS @McLarenAuto @KPAXracing @McLarenToronto

[jjvincent]

Anyone know the driver rankings for Sprint X? As per SCCA, it is Pro-Am but if you are a Platinum, you are only allowed to drive with a Bronze (no Platinum-Silver combos are allowed).

Pit window is 25-35 minutes and you can change one tire. Should be interesting to see the pit strategy play out for this race.

90 second minimum time from when you enter the pits (pass the transponder line) as to when you leave (pass the transponder line). If you go too fast (i.e. 89 sec) you have a drive through.

Top 4 in Sprint X GT qualified within 4.2 sec and top 3 in Sprint X GTS were 4.3 second spread. GMG did not qualify for Sprint X GT.

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by jjvincent

Anyone know the driver rankings for Sprint X? As per SCCA, it is Pro-Am but if you are a Platinum, you are only allowed to drive with a Bronze (no Platinum-Silver combos are allowed).

Pit window is 25-35 minutes and you can change one tire. Should be interesting to see the pit strategy play out for this race.

90 second minimum time from when you enter the pits (pass the transponder line) as to when you leave (pass the transponder line). If you go too fast (i.e. 89 sec) you have a drive through.

Top 4 in Sprint X GT qualified within 4.2 sec and top 3 in Sprint X GTS were 4.3 second spread. GMG did not qualify for Sprint X GT.

It's hard to believe there's only eight cars doing this.

[jjvincent]

Wright Motorsports takes the pole in GT (Patrick Long) and GTA (John Schein). Good job!

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by jjvincent

Wright Motorsports takes the pole in GT (Patrick Long) and GTA (Michael Schein). Good job!

A good job indeed. Very impressive form from the Wright team.

[TRspitfirefan]

Fun TC race 2. Four car battle for the TC class lead throughout virtually the entire race! Congratulations to Toby Grahovec and the Classic BMW Motorsports team. Great win!
Wittmers Accord was sure fun to watch. Crazy loose! Had to be a bit frustrating for the Mazdas, being so much quicker outright but losing out in the long straight. Overall a really enjoyable race. GTS up next.

[TRspitfirefan]

So how about that GTS race. Total dominance from Aschenbach, the race for second on back was stellar and no cautions.
Can't wait for tomorrows race, looks like it's going to be tough to beat Sandberg and his Xbow.

next up GT!

[divxx]

That was the least exciting race I've ever seen occur at Mosport. Though I guess expectations based on track history are more to blame than anything.

[Mechanic Z]

Yep, not a super exciting race. Pat Long back on the top step of the podium so quickly is a great story, but other than that... hoping for more movement through the field, different track conditions or something for tomorrow's race.