Regardless of what type of racing Dad prefers, from
stock-cars to high performance sedans and open-wheel
racers, he will find plenty of exciting on-track action
this Father's Day weekend at Mosport when the NASCAR
Canadian Tire Series and Grand-Am KONI Challenge return
to co-headline the Father's Day Doubleheader, June
13-15.
It has become a Father's Day weekend tradition to
showcase the powerful stock cars of the NASCAR Canadian
Tire Series as they take on the famed 4 kilometre,
10 turn road course in the Dickies 200 presented by
Lucas Oil. Last year's Dickies 200 produced a great
battle for the lead between NASCAR rookie Andrew Ranger
of Roxton Pond, Quebec and former Canadian stock-car
champion J.R. Fitzpatrick of Cambridge, Ontario. Ranger
ultimately won the battle late in the race and secured
a victory that helped him win the inaugural season
championship. Both he Fitzpatrick return along with
a strong field of drivers, including D.J. Kennington
of St. Thomas, Ontario, Dave Whitlock of Wyoming,
Ontario, Don Thomson Jr. of Ayr, Ontario and Kerry
Micks of Mt. Albert, Ontario. This season, Ranger
will be paired with former Champ Car World Series
driver Alex Tagliani of Montreal, Quebec who will
race a second car for the Jacombs Racing team.
On the other half of the doubleheader are the high-performance
sports sedans of the U.S.-based Grand-Am KONI Challenge,
which will run a combined class 400 km feature race.
The Series is comprised of two distinct classes, the
Grand Sport (GS) and the Street Tuner (ST) divisions.
The GS ranks are filled with powerful, high-horsepower
cars such as BMW's, Porsches and Mustangs, while the
ST roster has quick and agile machines from Acura,
BMW and Mazda among others.
Both divisions of the KONI series feature several
Canadian drivers and teams. For example, Compass360
Racing of Toronto, will be entering a four-car Acura-powered
team with several Canadian drivers in the ST class.
Team owner and co-driver Karl Thomson of Toronto will
be joined in the #76 Acura by Travis Walker of Mississauga,
Ontario. Ken Wilden of Oakville, Ontario and fellow
Ontarian Jeremy Willard will drive the #73 Compass360
Acura. The Predator Auto Sport, Georgian Bay Motorsports
and i-MOTO Racing teams in the ST division are employing
at least one Canadian driver per team.
In the GS division, veteran sports car racer Scott
Maxwell of Toronto will once again co-drive the #55
Hyper Sport Ford Mustang GT with American Joe Foster.
The pair won the GS race at Mosport in 2007. In all,
22 Canadian drivers will be suiting up for various
teams across both divisions in 2008.
The Grand-Am KONI Challenge race is set for Saturday
afternoon and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Dickies
200 presented by Lucas Oil is set for Sunday. Joining
the stock cars and the sports sedans on the schedule
is the new Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller
Cup, which will be making its Canadian debut at Mosport.
This new Series features a grid of identical, race-modified
Ford Mustangs that will battle it out in a 45-minute
feature race on Sunday.
The Castrol Canadian Touring Championship also returns
to the road course for its second of three 2008 appearances,
while the open-wheel racers of the Skip Barber BFGoodrich
National presented by Mazda and the Ontario Formula
Ford Challenge round out the weekend schedule.
A three-day SuperTicket is $50 until June 11 ($60
at the Gate) and each ticket includes parking, paddock
admission, and entrance to the Saturday Night Stock
Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Children 12 and under
are free when accompanied by a paid adult admission.
Single day tickets are also available.
General and family camping areas are available, with
full-service washrooms, showers and children's playgrounds.
An advanced three-day weekend general camping pass
is just $30 for tents and pop-up trailers and RVs
are $50 for the weekend.
Also returning for this Father's Day weekend is the
Grand Prix Club, which for $90 gives Dad a real VIP
experience. Located near corner one overlooking the
front straight, the Grand Prix Club includes a three-day
admission and Sunday VIP Hospitality which features
a fully catered lunch and beverages. |
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