I’m really excited to get back to Canada for some racing this season. I’ve had a lot of success at some of the other Canadian tracks in recent years, like at Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, but I haven’t been to Mosport in Ontario since 2008. That was Freedom Autosport’s first year in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series, back when it was called KONI Challenge!
Prior to that, my first visit to the track was in 2005 with the MX-5 Cup Series. In fact, every time I’ve been there, it’s been in a Mazda. Mosport is such a fast, daunting track that it demands a lot of respect and gets your attention. I think racing there this weekend in the Mazda SKYACTIV-D prototype is going to be a much-welcomed eye-opener. The fastest car I’ve driven at Mosport had a couple hundred horsepower, and now, the prototype has double that plus far greater top speed and downforce.
I’m doing my homework by reviewing data and videos from previous years: prototype lap times are impressive there – just over one minute to cover the 2.5 miles – so it gives us an idea of the lap times we need to aim for. With the track’s speed, the elevation changes and the history of the circuit, it’s exciting to think about getting back there for this weekend’s event.
Follow me on Twitter at @TomLongRacing to keep up with this weekend’s race! Check out the event page to get details and watch the race live on Fox Sports 1 at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Leave a comment