Trans Am Series Adds to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Legacy in September

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli returns to its most historic international venue on September 2-5, racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.

Opening in June of 1961 as Mosport Park, the circuit was the second purpose-built road racing course in Canada. Mosport became the Canadian home for many of North America’s most prestigious racing series and hosted Formula One’s Canadian Grand Prix throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

The Trans Am Series contests its 33rd event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Labour Day Weekend. Past winners at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park include Trans Am Hall of Famers such as countryman Ron Fellows, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Paul Gentilozzi, Tommy Kendall, Greg Pickett, Scott Pruett and Bob Tullius.

Trans Am first raced at Mosport in 1976. Ludwig Heimrath earned the overall victory in his No. 74 Porsche Carrera RSR Category II entry, with Norm Lelliott winning in Category I in the No. 57 Chevrolet Camaro.

From there, Mosport remained a fixture on the Trans Am calendar for decades to come. The Trans Am Series visited again in 1977 through 1979, 1981, and then every year from 1984 to 2003.

The 1990 Trans Am event at Mosport saw six lead changes in the first 22 laps between five different drivers. Kendall, Fellows, Les Lindley and Darin Brassfield all spent time at the front of the field, but it was Dorsey Schroeder who claimed the top spot on lap 22 and led the rest of the way for the win.

Schroeder won another dramatic Trans Am battle at Mosport in 1995, finishing just 0.265 seconds ahead of Ron Fellows. The following year, Gentilozzi won in another nailbiter, just 0.349 seconds ahead of Kendall.

Pruett holds the all-time wins record for the Trans Am Series at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, with wins in 1986, 1987, 1994, and 2003.

Scott Sharp is a three-time winner at the track, winning three in a row between 1991 and 1993. Sharp won from the pole in all three races and led from flag-to-flag in both 1992 and 1993.

Tullius earned a Trans Am overall victory in 1981. He also earned class victories in 1977 and 1978 at the venue.

After several years away following the 2003 event, the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli returned to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2009 with Klaus Graf scoring the victory. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park remained on the calendar until 2014, with Ron Fellows winning from the pole that season.

Paul Menard is in position to join the list of three-time winners at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this year. Trans Am returned to the venue in 2024 after a decade away. Menard won the TA class in both Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli events since that return.

In 2024, Rafa Matos secured the TA2 victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, with Barry Boes (TA2 Pro/Am), and Kaylee Bryson (SGT) also taking home wins. Last year, Tristan McKee (TA2), Roberto Sabato (TA2 Pro Am), and James Beaton earned class wins at Canadian Tire.

Through all the years of competition, the layout of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park has remained largely unchanged. The 10-turn layout boasts 2.459 miles of undulating pavement, twisting through the hills and countryside to form a circuit equal parts scenic and challenging.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has hosted nearly half of the Canadian events held in Trans Am Series history. Other Canadian circuits to host the Trans Am Series in its 60-year history include Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Exhibition Place, Eastwood Motorsport Park, Sanair International, Edmonton International Speedway, Pacific Place, Edmonton Centre City Airport and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 series battle at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Saturday, September 5.

-Photo credit: Chris Clark Photography