(TORONTO, ON // JANUARY 4, 2013) Heading into its seventh year of competition, the Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire (CTCC) has truly earned the distinction of being Canada’s premiere professional road racing series.
Appropriately, the series’ rise to the top has mirrored that of the Canadian Motorsports Expo powered by Inside Track Motorsport News. The two will join forces again on February 8-10 at Toronto’s International Centre, as the CTCC will use its presence at the show to reveal its finalized 2013 racing schedule.
“The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a great place for us to launch our season,” said series founder and President John Bondar. “The buzz surrounding the show really kicks the anticipation for the upcoming year into high gear.”
The Canadian Touring Car Championship features three distinct divisions, in simultaneous competition, in races usually 30 minutes in duration. All classes are based on production compact models, with marques ranging from Hyundai to Honda, and from MINI Coopers to Toyota Scions.
The CTCC’s top level, Super Class cars feature heavily modified engine and suspension components, and advanced aerodynamic packages. Their slightly less powerful Touring Class counterparts are more limited, with only minimal modifications permitted. In 2012, the new B-Spec class became the CTCC’s entry-level division, with the only allowable changes to the showroom stock sub-compacts made in accordance with regulations pertaining to driver safety.
Last season (2012), the Canadian Touring Car Championship competitors performed in front of more than 700,000 spectators, showcasing their talents on weekends in support of such events as: the Formula One and NASCAR Nationwide races in Montreal, the American Le Mans Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Firestone Indy Lights series on the temporary GP3R street circuit in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. And the preliminary 2013 racing calendar looks just as impressive.
“We plan to confirm a seven date schedule at the CME,” continues Bondar. “All of our race weekends will again be double-header events. This arrangement gives our drivers and teams plenty of time to interact with the race fans from across Ontario, Quebec and the rest of Canada as well as the northern United States.”
The Canadian Motorsports Expo will give the CTCC an opportunity to introduce even more potential race fans to the series. Throughout the show, the CTCC display will feature videos of 2012 race action. Taking centre stage in the CTCC booth will be the 2012 Touring Class winning Blanchet Racing Honda of Damon Sharpe, as well as the B-Spec Mazda 2 Media car.
Sharpe and Bondar will be on hand to discuss the past and the future of the Canadian Touring Car Championship series, as will Dominique Longval (Manager-Marketing and Communications) and many of the series’ technical support staff.
“The 2013 season is looking to be our best so far in terms of car count and driver interest, and the Canadian Motorsports Expo is going to be a great starting point for this year,” concluded Bondar.
ABOUT CTCC: The Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) presented by Continental Tire is the only truly Canadian professional road racing series, showcasing race cars based on their street stock versions. Gaining worldwide attention and respect, the CTCC has been the starting point for many Canadian sportscar drivers now competing on the international scene. Its graduates include such notables as Kuno Wittmer, Paul Dalla Lana, and David Bensadoun. Fans can follow the Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire on the series’ website, www.TouringCar.ca.
ABOUT THE CME: The 7th Annual Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News takes place February 8, 9 & 10, 2013 at Toronto’s International Centre, adjacent to Pearson International Airport. The show features motorsports content geared to racers and fans. For information about the show, including exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, call (416) 962-7223, or email info@CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com. The CME’s website is located at www.CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com.
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