One of my favourite songwriters said it best:
“My, oh my, how the time does fly,
“Makes you want to lay right down and cry. . .”
Which is how I feel today after receiving not one but three press releases this week reminding me (I try to forget this, really) that 2010 will be the 50th anniversary of the opening of Mosport International Raceway.
Fifty years.
I was there in 1961 when the late Francis Bradley drove his car through the banner that officially opened the place and I don’t think I’ve ever missed an important race there since, whether it was sports cars (Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren), stock cars (Eddie Sachs, Sal Tovela, Billy Foster), Indy cars (A.J. Foyt, Bobby and Al Unser, Johnny Rutherford), Formula One cars (Clark, Stewart, Andretti and all the greats), American Le Mans Series cars (Ron Fellows, David Brabham) and on and on and on.
(Just so you don’t think I’m a road-racing snoot, I’d be at Mosport on Saturday for F1 practice/qualifying, then drive like hell to get to Flamboro Speedway near Hamilton for the supermodifieds that night and then head back to Mosport for the race Sunday. I didn’t hang around any place for long if there was castor oil in the air somewhere else. . .)
What got me thinking about this momentous event are the releases that arrived in my email in-box from Mosport and from the Canadian Motorsports Expo (Jan. 22-24) announcing that Paul Tracy – who won his first car race at the legendary track north of Bowmanville – will be the special guest at the Expo in the International Centre on Sunday the 24th where he’ll sign autographs, chat with fans and participate in ceremonies celebrating the official kickoff of Mosport’s 50th Anniversary season.
I’ll write lots more about the Expo - and other car and industry shows as they approach - but for now, here is the lowdown, according to a release from the Expo itself:
The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs Jan. 22 to 24 at the International Centre (6900 Airport Rd. in Mississauga). The show is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News and supported by companies like Lucas Oil Canada, NASCAR Canada and Mosport International Raceway.
In addition to booths and racing vehicles representing the entire spectrum of Canadian motorsports, the show is loaded with seminars and forums to entertain and inform racers and fans alike.
For more information, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com, call Glenn Butt at (905) 721-1762 or email him at glenn@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com. You can reach co-promoters Inside Track at (416) 962-7223 or email expo@insidetracknews.com.
Francis Bradley and Ludwig Heimrath used to drive for my father's VW/Porsche dealership Eglinton Caledonia Motors. They had two Porsche RS-60's. I have some great pictures and trophies from Mosport from 61-62.
Posted by: Brian Wark | 11/13/2009 at 08:47 AM