Mosport International Raceway
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| Image:Mosport logo.jpg Image:Circuit Mosport Park.png | ||
| Location | Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | open seating without capacity limitation | |
| Owner | Panoz Motor Sports Group | |
| Operator | Panoz Motor Sports Group | |
| Broke ground | 1960 | |
| Opened | 1961 | |
| Construction Cost | $500,000 | |
| Architect | Alan Bunting | |
| Former Names | Mosport Park | |
| Major events | ALMS Grand Prix of Mosport NASCAR Canadian Tire Series | |
| Clockwise Road Course | ||
| Circuit Length | 3.96 km (2.46 mi) | |
| Turns | 10 | |
| Paved Oval | ||
| Circuit Length | 0.8 km (0.5 mi) | |
| Mosport Driver Development Centre | ||
| Circuit Length | 2.4 km (1.5 mi) | |
Mosport International Raceway (formerly Mosport Park) is a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville, Ontario. The facility features a 2.459-mile (4.0 km), 10-turn road course; a half-mile paved oval; and the new 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Mosport Driver Development Centre, which was developed from the karting circuit built in 1997.
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[edit] History
Mosport has hosted a wide variety of series throughout its history. The circuit has held Formula 1, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship, CanAm, Formula 5000, and many other sports car, open-wheel, and motorcycle series. The name "Mosport" is a contraction of Motor Sport, and came from the enterprise formed to build the track.
The circuit was the second purpose-built road race course in Canada, after the Westwood Motorsport Park in Coquitlam, British Columbia[1]. It was designed and built in the late 1950s, and held its first major race in 1961, the Player's 200, a sports car race bringing drivers from the world over to rural Ontario. Stirling Moss won the event in a Lotus 19. The hairpin complex consisting of two corners is named Moss Corner in his honour, as he suggested the layout of the corner, to be of greater challenge to the drivers and more interesting for the spectators.
CanAm first visited the track in its inaugural season in 1966, and hosted at least one event in every year of the series' history, except 1968. In 1967, Canada's centennial year, Mosport hosted Formula 1, IndyCar, and a 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix. F1's Grand Prix of Canada remained at the track until 1977.
Mosport has had a succession of owners since the original public company created to build the track. In 1998, the Panoz Motor Sports Group purchased the facility, and in 1999, the newly formed American Le Mans Series visited Mosport for the first time. For 2001, the entire circuit was repaved to meet FIA specifications, and is now 42 feet (12.8 m) wide. Drivers were consulted to ensure the character of the "old" track was kept; almost all the "racing lines" have been maintained.
Mosport has had several fatalities, both track crew, drivers and riders, the most recognized being German Manfred Winkelhock was killed in 1985 when his Porsche 962 crashed into a concrete wall. [2]
Unlike many historic motorsport venues, Mosport track layout has remained till today mostly unchanged from its original form.
[edit] Events
- American Le Mans Series - Grand Prix of Mosport
- NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The track also hosts vintage racing series, motorcycle racing, and Canadian Automobile Sport Club (CASC) amateur events and lapping days.
[edit] Formula One history
[edit] External links
- Official Site(partial source)
- Regional racing information
- Mosport International Raceway is at coordinates Coordinates:
Circuits of the American Le Mans Series |
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Current Circuits (2008) Former Circuits: Former European Le Mans Series Circuits (2001 only) |
Circuits of the Formula One World Championship |
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Current Circuits (2008 season): Future Circuits: Former Circuits: |
Tracks of the USAC Championship Series |
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Former Tracks (1956-1981)
Road Courses
International |
Superbike World Championship circuits |
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Current Circuits (2007): |
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