Mosport International Raceway
Opened in 1961, Mosport International Raceway originally consisted of one track-the 3.96 kilometre (2.459 mile) road course. Mosport has now grown to include four circuits on 750 acres of beautiful park land.
Over the years, Mosport has hosted just about every class of road racing on its famed road circuit, including F1, Indy cars, sports cars, stock cars, endurance racing, motorcycles, motocross, showroom stock, historic vintage racers, "Big Rig" trucks and carts.
Owned since 1998 by Panoz Motor Sports Group, the track has received more than $6.5 million in improvements and new facilities over the last ten years.
In 2011, Mosport’s schedule features Canada’s top national championships and many of North America’s best road racing series. The biggest event of the season is the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, featuring the American Le Mans Series sports car race. Last year, this event drew a three-day weekend crowd of more than 70,000 and reached a world-wide television audience of more than 500 million homes.
Mosport is also a featured stop for the country's top domestic motorsport tours; the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the Castrol Touring Car Championship and the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.
FAST FACTS
Official opening: June 24, 1961
Track dimensions: The track length is 3.957 kilometres or 2.459 miles measures on the centre line of the track. There are ten turns. The "bump" was removed from the top of the Mario Andretti Straightaway in 1997.
Mosport Name: Mosport is a contraction of the words "Motor" and "Sport". The name is pronounced "Moe-sport".
First Race Event: June 3, 1961. It was a non-spectator event organized by the Oakville-Trafalgar Light Car Club. The winner of the first race at Mosport was Sam Bird in a Triumph TR3. Walt MacKay driving a Lotus 18-Formula Junior won the first feature race.
First Spectator Event: June 10, 1961. The inaugural spectator event at Mosport was the British Empire Motor Club Spring Trophy Races. The feature race was won by Ludwig Heimrath driving a Porsche RS60.
First Professional Race: June 24, 1961. Stirling Moss of England, drove a Lotus 19 to victory in the first Player’s 200 at an average speed of 144.382 km/h (88.851 MPH). Joakim Bonnier of Sweden was second overall and under 2-litre class winner in a Porsche RS61.
First race won at over 100 MPH: Jim Hall driving a Chaparral-Chevrolet 2 won the 1965 Canadian Grand Prix for Sports Racing Cars at an average speed of 100.054 MPH (162.587 km/h) for 100 laps or 245.900 miles (399.587 kilometres).
Fastest Qualifying Lap: Dindo Capello of Italy driving an Audi R10 TDI turned a lap of 1:05.829 for an average speed of 134.476 MPH (218.748 km/h), in qualifying for the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, American Le Mans Series race on August 25, 2007.
Fastest Race Lap: Marco Werner of Germany driving an Audi R10 TDI put down a lap of 1:06.371 for an average speed of 133.377 MPH (216.962 km/h), during the Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport, American Le Mans Series race on August 26, 2007.
Longest Race: 1990 Toronto Star/Wheels SCCA Escort World Challenge Race. The team of Andy Pilgrim, John Heinricy, Don Knowles and Stuart Hayner drove a Chevrolet Corvette to victory completing 825 laps or 2,028.675 miles/3,264.525 kilometres.
Did you know? Mosport is one of only two race tracks to have hosted Formula One, IndyCar, FIA World Endurance Championship and Can-Am races. The other is Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, NY.
