The Trans Am Sequence introduced by Pirelli goes worldwide, heading to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) in Bowmanville, Ontario in Canada. The longest-running skilled street racing sequence in North America has a protracted historical past at CTMP, with 30 occasions held on the observe since 1970. Nevertheless, this would be the first time in a decade that the sequence has visited the observe, also referred to as Mosport, with the final occasion held in 2014. Now a co-owner of the circuit, Trans Am driver and Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows received the race in Trans Am’s final go to to CTMP.
This weekend’s occasion shall be a bit totally different than the remainder this season, with TA/XGT/SGT/GT and the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence competing in the identical race, identical to they did 10 years in the past. We’re assured a first-time winner this weekend, as not one of the drivers entered in Saturday’s occasion have beforehand pushed to GYM WEED Winners Circle on the 2.459-mile street course in a Trans Am race.
Schedule:
All Lessons
Qualifying:
Friday, August 30
3:50-4:10 p.m. ET
Race:
Saturday, August 31
2:15-3:30 p.m. ET
Race Size: 41 Laps/75 Minutes
TV Broadcast:
LIVE on MAVTV
Highlights Present:
MAVTV
Thursday, September 5
8:00 p.m. ET
CTMP winners
Though there is not going to be any earlier Trans Am winners within the subject, there are a number of entrants on this weekend’s occasion who’ve pushed to Victory Lane at CTMP in different sequence. Canadian driver Aaron Pettipas has victories within the CASC Ontario Pirelli Tremendous Touring Championship GT1 class in 2023 and 2024. Three-time champion Chris Dyson had a 2003 American Le Mans Sequence victory within the LMP675 class. Milton Grant received the NASPORT East championship there in 1995.
Meet the drivers
Followers attending the CTMP SpeedTour could have the chance to satisfy all of the drivers racing this weekend at an autograph session on Saturday morning at 11:00-11:45 a.m. ET. The autograph session shall be held by the Trans Am Sequence hauler in Paddock F.
New numbers
With the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence and TA/XGT/SGT/GT lessons combining on this weekend’s race, there shall be a couple of quantity modifications within the subject to keep away from duplicates. Paul Menard’s Menards/Masterforce Instruments Ford Mustang will sport the No. 31 since Adrian Wlostowski will declare the No. 3 for his CMI/Spot-On Companies Ford Mustang. Jim Gallagher will run the No. 6 Regulator by Waypointe Ford Mustang in lieu of his conventional No. 16, which shall be utilized by Chris Dyson on his GYM WEED Ford Mustang.
Appears like residence
There are two drivers on this weekend’s subject who hail from nation of Canada.
TA2
Leroy Micallef, No. 10 BC Race Vehicles Ford Mustang (Brampton, Ontario)
Aaron Pettipas, No. 78 DQ Chevrolet Camaro (Bedford, Nova Scotia)
TA/XGT/SGT/GT
Dyson carries momentum to CTMP
Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang) completely dominated final weekend at Watkins Glen Worldwide, incomes the Pole Award with a brand new observe document and main each single lap in an exhilarating battle with factors chief Paul Menard (No. 31 Menards/Masterforce Instruments Ford Mustang). The victory shook Dyson out of a four-race winless streak, which is sort of exceptional for the three-time TA champion.
Dyson has by no means pushed at CTMP in a TA automobile, because the sequence hasn’t visited the observe since he began competing full time in 2018. Nevertheless, the legendary Ontario circuit is featured in Dyson’s profession and within the historical past of his household crew, Dyson Racing, with a number of IMSA/American Le Mans Sequence wins on the venue to their account. Dyson himself drove to a 2003 American Le Mans Sequence victory within the LMP675 class. He final competed on the observe in 2015 within the Pirelli World Problem.
“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a spot that simply takes your breath away as a driver,” Dyson famous. “It is vitally quick and really demanding, but additionally very rewarding to lap shortly. The crew and I’ve cherished racing there over time and reconnecting with our Canadian followers. It has been some time since we have now competed there, and I’m excited to be coming again.”
Expertise on Drissi’s aspect
Only a few drivers on this weekend’s subject have expertise driving Trans Am automobiles at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, provided that the final occasion the sequence held on the observe was in 2014. Nevertheless, Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Drissi Motorsports/Lucas/Mission Chevrolet Camaro) has essentially the most TA class expertise on the observe of anybody on the entry record. The 2009 TA champion took the inexperienced flag on the observe in 2009 and 2010, incomes a second-place end in 2009.
Grant comes with CTMP expertise
At the moment in his fiftieth yr of racing, there are few locations that SGT competitor Milton Grant (No. 55 Sentry Self Storage/Springhill Suites Porsche 991.1) hasn’t been earlier than. The 2022 SGT champion has earlier expertise at CTMP, albeit not in a Trans Am automobile. Grant raced on the Bowmanville, Ontario observe twice in 1991, and received the NASPORT East championship there in 1995.
Merrill again on prime in TA2
2022 CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence champion Thomas Merrill was again on the highest step of the rostrum final weekend, incomes his first pole of the 2024 season and main each lap of the race in his No. 26 HP Tuners/Cope Race Vehicles Ford Mustang to win at Watkins Glen Worldwide. Together with his second victory of the yr, Merrill continues to take a seat second within the championship standings and narrowed chief Rafa Matos’ benefit to simply 112 factors. With 110 factors obtainable in a single race and three occasions remaining, this yr’s title is nowhere close to settled. Meaning this weekend’s worldwide occasion at CTMP goes to be essential for each Merrill and Matos (No. 60 Harmony American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang).
Sheehan brings expertise
Trans Am’s Iron Man Tom Sheehan (No. 97 Vixen Bikes/LTK Insulation Ford Mustang) has practically 150 begins within the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence, and is without doubt one of the solely opponents within the class with expertise racing a TA2 automobile at CTMP. Sheehan has taken the inexperienced flag within the final three occasions held on the circuit (2012-2014), incomes a finest end of sixth in school in 2012.
Hailie Deegan making debut
After getting behind the wheel of a CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence automobile for the primary time within the SpeedTour All-Star Race at Lime Rock Park in July, Hailie Deegan shall be making her Trans Am Sequence debut this weekend at CTMP within the No. 30 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang. A 3-time champion within the Lucas Oil Off Street Professional Sequence, Deegan is the one feminine driver to perform the feat, and can be the one youth driver to win the Lucas Oil Off Street Professional Sequence Driver of the Yr award, an honor she took on the age of 15.
Since 2018, she has been climbing up the inventory automobile and sports activities automobile ladder. Successful within the ARCA Menards Sequence West, Deegan recorded prime fives and prime 10s as she moved by way of the ranks within the ARCA Menards Sequence and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence. She kicked off the 2023 season by main laps en path to her first sports activities automobile podium within the IMSA Michelin Pilot Problem. By 2024, she moved as much as the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence, the place she recorded a career-best Twelfth-place end at Talladega Superspeedway.
Pettipas household reunion
Aaron Pettipas will make his first and solely begin of the 2024 season this weekend at CTMP within the No. 78 DQ Chevrolet Camaro. The native of Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada has 5 earlier begins and two top-10 finishes within the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence, however is but to hit the observe this yr. He’s driving for Pettipas Racing with Sensory Motorsport, a mixed household effort. This weekend is an particularly important occasion for Aaron Pettipas, as CTMP is the primary observe the place he and his brother Leigh Pettipas, who owns Sensory Motorsport, watched a Trans Am occasion collectively at seven and eight years previous, respectively. The boys’ father, Eugene Pettipas, was sponsoring driver Dave Smith, who was making his Trans Am debut that weekend. 40 years later, the brothers shall be chasing a Trans Am win collectively, and Smith shall be in attendance to observe.
Sensory Motorsport is coming off a dominant weekend in July at CTMP within the GT1 class of the CASC Ontario Pirelli Tremendous Touring Championship. The crew earned the pole and wins in every of the three dash races between Aaron in his TA2 Camaro and Leigh, driving his TA2-based GT1 Camaro. Aaron additionally received the identical race in 2023.
Canadian crew welcomes Canadian driver
BC Race Vehicles, a longtime CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Sequence crew primarily based in Cavan, Ontario, welcomes Canadian driver Leroy Micallef to their secure this weekend to pilot the No. 10 BC Race Vehicles Ford Mustang. The Brampton, Ontario driver has pushed TA2-style and different tube-frame racecars at CTMP previously, some ready by BC Race Vehicles. Micallef joins the crew’s full-time driver, Josh Hurley, who pilots the No. 20 Greenlight Simulation/BCR Ford Mustang.
“I’m so joyful that Leroy is prepared to take this step into professional racing,” stated crew principal Blaise Csida. “It’s one factor to drive towards a wide range of GT1 automobiles on the regional degree, however TA2 is a spec class, and arguably one of the crucial aggressive sequence in North America.”
