Mosport International Raceway
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Mosport Park opened in 1961 and represents the first major Canadian racing facility. It is a scenic and spectacular track set in rolling hills 28 kilometers north of Bowmanville. Mosport's inaugural race, (the first international race to be held in Canada), was the Players 200, took place that year and was won by Sterling Moss driving for the mythical Team Lotus. That same race meet saw the first Canadian Grand Prix for sportscars. Most drivers found Mosport to be a tricky, undulating challenge. Well known IMSA commentator, David Hobbs, described comer two as a "ballbreaker" and Jackie Stewart has ranked it as one of the top 10 most challenging comers on any race track worldwide. The Players 200 and the Canadian Grand Prix continued throughout the sixties as sportscar races until the first FIA Formula One grand prix event and the introduction of the Canadian American (CanAm) Challenge. The FIA Formula One Grand Prix circus arrived in 1967. With a late fall spot on the schedule, it was often accompanied by rain! That race was won by Sir Jack Brabham. CanAm began in earnest in 1966 and until its demise in the early eighties, Mosport was a regular venue - and a popular one at that, for this was a driver's circuit. As with all Driver's circuits, there were some monumental accidents here. John Surtees had the worst accident of his racing career here in 1965. When the World Sportscar Championship visited the track in 1985 - the race at which Jaguar returned to sportscar events - Manfred Winkelhock was killed after an accident at the now infamous turn two. Throughout the eighties and early nineties, despite the FIA Canadian Grand Prix moving on to Mont Tremblant and finally Montreal, Mosport park has been host to several national and international events including the now defunct Honda- and Porsche-challenges, and IMSA GTO/GTU events. Today, it is still the thrilling venue of several national events and Club driving schools. |
Where is Mosport? Mosport International Raceway is located just north of Bowmanville Ontario. More Information |