It’s been 5 years since we last raced at this amazing circuit steeped in racing history. It’s one of only a handful of circuits worldwide that still operates to its original configuration. So, on this circuit, you will really get to drive in the tyre marks of local hero Gilles Villeneuve. The 3.957km long circuit features 10 high-speed, difficult corners, making it one of the most challenging race tracks in North America!
We enjoyed great racing, awesome weather and a fantastic fan crowd at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. It was a blast to support IMSA with their races at this stunning circuit!
Jamie Constable came from the back of the grid to conquer all in the first of two Masters Racing Legends support races to IMSA’s Chevrolet Grand Prix at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In his Tyrrell 011B, the Englishman hit the front on lap 7 and drove away to win by 19.2 seconds over Bud Moeller’s Williams FW08.
In the race for Formula One cars from 1966 to 1985, American Moeller was on a charge himself, coming through from fifth on the grid to pass early leader Lee Mowle on lap 9 and snatch second place. In his Lotus 78, Mowle had started from pole and led the first six laps until the Briton proved defenseless against his countryman Constable’s unstoppable drive up the order.
Meanwhile, Ron Maydon took fourth in his Lec CRP1 as the Brit also claimed pre-78 class honours, as his rival James Hagan began to lose pace towards the end of the race. In the opening stages, Hagan was up into second place but the Irishman would drop down to seventh place, being overtaken by Dean Baker’s March 761 on the final tour. In fifth, Danny Baker slayed a fair number of giants by putting his Ralt RT1 Formula Atlantic car ahead of several F1 cars that also included Gray Gregory’s March 761 in eighth.
On a hot and sunny day in Canada, the field was sent on its way with Mowle leading Danny Baker and James Hagan, but soon the Hesketh was past into second place, while on the opening lap Jamie Constable in the Tyrrell 011 had already made his way up to sixth place, from his starting spot at the back of the grid.
On lap 2, Mowle’s Lotus 78 led Hagan’s Hesketh 308, as Ron Maydon in the Lec CRP1 had also passed Baker to snatch third, with Bud Moeller’s Williams FW08 in fifth ahead of Constable, who was now chased by Dean Baker’s Shadow DN8 and Gray Gregory in the March 761.
Hagan wasn’t allowing Mowle to disappear into the distance, however, the Irishman hounding the Briton as the pair left Maydon behind by three seconds on lap 3. The fast-climbing Constable, meanwhile, had made his way past Baker, and on lap 4 also dispatched of Maydon to move up into third. Behind Maydon, Moeller, the two Bakers and Gregory maintained position.
Apart from Mowle still leading it was all change on lap 5, though, Constable now up into second place and and truly flying, diminishing the gap to Mowle to 1.6 seconds. Hagan was third ahead of Maydon and Moeller, the latter still only three seconds adrift from the leader, as the top-five bunched together.
Mowle held his ground after six laps, but Constable was snapping at his heels, with Hagan holding a watching brief at two seconds’ distance. On lap 7, though, Constable had done it and charged through into the lead. Behind them, Moeller had made places too, sweeping past Hagan and Maydon in the time of one lap. Now eight seconds behind the leader, Danny Baker in the sole Atlantic car still kept the F1 machines of Dean Baker and Gregory at bay.
As Constable immediately began to put distance between himself and the chasing pack, Moeller continued his late charge by snapping up second place from Mowle, the two now seven seconds adrift of the leader. In fourth, Maydon had got ahead of Hagan, while Danny Baker still managed to hang on to the leading five F1 cars.
Ten laps gone, Constable’s lead over Moeller was 8.6 seconds, with Mowle two further ticks down. Maydon chased the Lotus by three seconds, but Hagan was losing pace and soon lost fifth place to Danny Baker.
With less than ten minutes remaining, Constable looked secure in first, with Moeller having put five seconds between his Williams and Mowle’s Lotus. Maydon trailed Constable by 17 seconds, with the first of the Bakers a further seven seconds down. In sixth, Hagan continued to drop away, and now Dean Baker was closing in on the Irishman.
As the clock ticked down to zero, Constable set fastest lap of the race on lap 16 to further assert his authority, the Tyrrell now leading Moeller by 12 seconds and Mowle by 20. Four more laps remained, in which Constable further improved on his fastest lap of the lap to increase his lead over Moeller to 19.2 seconds at the finish. 32 seconds from Constable, Mowle took third, with Maydon 46 seconds down on the leader in fourth. Danny Baker took fifth, just three seconds away from Maydon, while Dean Baker pipped Hagan for sixth on the final lap. Gregory took eighth, 22 seconds from the Irishman.
