Mosport

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Facility statistics
Mosport International Raceway


Location	Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Broke ground	1960
Opened	1961
Owner	Panoz Motor Sports Group
Operator	Panoz Motor Sports Group
Construction cost	$500,000
Architect	Alan Bunting
Former names
Mosport Park
Major events
ALMS Grand Prix of Mosport NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
Seating capacity
open seating without capacity limitation
Current dimensions
Track shape	clockwise road course
Track length	2.46 mi (3.96 km)
Track banking

Mosport International Raceway (formerly Mosport Park) is a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville, Ontario. The facility features a 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course; a half-mile paved oval; and the new 1.5-mile Mosport Driver Development Centre, which was developed from the karting circuit built in 1997.

1 History
2 Events
- 2.1 Formula One history
3 External links

[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 first purpose built road race course in Canada. It was designed and built in the 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. [1]

[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

Season	Date	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Report
1977	October 9	Jody Scheckter	Wolf-Ford	Report
1976	October 3	James Hunt	McLaren-Ford	Report
1974	September 22	Emerson Fittipaldi	McLaren-Ford	Report
1973	September 23	Peter Revson	McLaren-Ford	Report
1972	September 24	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report
1971	September 19	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report
1969	September 20	Jacky Ickx	Brabham-Ford	Report
1967	August 27	Jack Brabham	Brabham-Repco	Report