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DeGrand Wins in Series Debut, Mitchell Jr. and Willis 2013 Champions

DeGrand Wins in Series Debut. Jack Mitchell, Jr. and Craig Willis clinch class championship titles.

Race 2 of the CASC Celebration of Motorsports at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park provided the usual excitement with intense battles all over the racetrack.

When the checkered flag fell it was Eureka, MO Tristan DeGrand who would take the win in his series debut.

Steve Bamford lead the field to the green for the 2nd time of the weekend. Much like Race 1 the lead pack was an 8-car affair with lots of passing lap after lap. DeGrand managed to slip past Bamford just as the full course caution flag was displayed on lap 4 for an accident involving Michael Adams. Adams was leading B Class at the time but could not continue with significant damage to the suspension on his car.

When the field went back to green DeGrand and teammate Thomas McGregor went back and forth with Bamford and Robichon staging a great battle right behind them for 3rd.

At the finish line it was DeGrand holding on over McGregor and Robichon in 3rd. Steve Bamford and Max Hanratty round out the top 5.

In the points battle Jack Mitchell, Jr. had a comfortable lead over Zacharie Robichon but did not have it secured after yesterday’s race. The only danger to his bid for the title would be a DNF so he decided to qualify and race near the back of the grid and stay out of trouble. He would cross the line in 9th, ensuring the championship was his.

The B Class race also had some great battles. Adams had the lead in the early going but was out on lap 4. That handed the race to a hard charging Craig Willis who was in the thick of the lead pack action. Graham Lobban debuted a new care this weekend and put it to good use coming home in a solid 2nd place after a race long battle with Andrew Mason who finished 3rd. Steve Bodrug and Amy Castell were 4th and 5th respectively.

The two victories over the weekend capped off an incredible season for the 2nd generation racer as he had already clinched the B Class Championship honours at the last event.

The CASC Celebration of Motorsports was the final event of the season for the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.

Jack Mitchell Jr. in Control Leading into Toyo Tires F1600 Series "A" Class Finale

Craig Willis Clinches Toyo Tires F1600 Series "B" Class Championship in the Last Event

“A” Class Champ will be crowned this weekend at the CASC-OR Celebration of Motorsports. Craig Willis clinched the "B" Class Title at the last event.

The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series will crown the “A” Class Champion this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the annual CASC-OR Celebration of Motorsports, the final two rounds in the series.

2013 “B” Class honours were awarded this past week to Craig Willis – his dominating performance in the last few rounds securing his spot in the record books as the Champion, collecting no less than 7 victories and every qualifying and race lap record at every track the series competes at. He may add to his record this weekend.

The fight for “A” Class honours has two combatants in contention – Jack Mitchell, Jr.,and Zacharie Robichon. Mitchell, Jr., has scraped a bit of a lead in the points following two conservative drives at the last event after Robichon was taken out of contention in Race 1 due to a collision with Mitchell, Jr’s teammate Thomas McGregor.

BGR Team Grote will be bringing 5 cars this weekend. The 3 house Piper Hondas will be Zach Robichon and Jesse Lazare, joined by Jeff Kingsley, making his open wheel debut. Kingsley comes to the team having just clinched the ECKC Rotax Max Junior Title and a place on Canada’s team at the Rotax Max Grand finale in New Orleans. Customer cars for BGR Team Grote will be Kieran Murphy and Marc Bishara.

Exclusive Autosport will run 4 cars for the first time in the Toyo Tires series this season. Included in the lineup will be points leader Jack Mitchell, Jr., Thomas McGregor who is fresh off his championship-winning weekend in Formula Tour, Max Hanratty and newcomer Tristan DeGrand who comes with 2 wins from last weekends Formula Tour race.

2012 Champion Michael Adams makes a welcome return behind the wheel in the #59 Van Diemen driven to much success by Michael Gayowski at the beginning of the year and to a win and a 2nd by his father Stephen at the last event. That should be some good competition for “B” Class Champion Craig Willis.

Other notables from “B” Class include Mike Lee, Andrew Mason, Amy Castell, Bruce Kitchen and Ted Michalos. Connor Wagland suffered a season-ending crash at the last event and will not make it out.

“This has been one of the best season’s of competition ever,” said series promoter Jason Sharpe. “The excitement level lap after lap is immense and I don’t believe we have had more than one or two races all year where the winner was decided before the last corner,” he added. “We continue to add some of the most talented drivers in North America to this series and welcome 2 more this weekend. I am anxious to drop the green flag, enjoy the action and celebrate with our new Champions when it’s all over.”

Cars will hit the track on Friday for a full day of testing and the racing will begin with Round 1 on Saturday and Round 2 on Sunday afternoon.

  RACE: CASC-OR Celebration of Motorsports

TRACK: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

DATE: Saturday September 28 & Sunday September 29, 2013

TWITTER: @ToyoTiresF1600

SERIES CONTACT: Jason Sharpe, (416) 557-5451 or [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Twitter: @jasonsharpe

  If photographs are required please contact Jason Sharpe (416) 557-5451 or [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  NOTABLE FACTS

The Race: This is round 13 and 14, the final rounds in the Championship.

The Format: Both A and B Class cars race together, with an equalization package for the Honda and Ford motors. There is one practice and one qualifying session for each of the weekend’s races.

Gaining Momentum: With a renewed enthusiasm and new marketing partners the Series is enjoying a large increase in grid size and exposure. There are several competitors returning to the series and several new competitors will make their series’ debut.

  The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series is the premiere open wheel series in Ontario, sanctioned by CASC Ontario Region and proudly supported by Toyo Tires, MG Homes, Cove Dentistry, Braidan Tires, MK Technologies and Rod Ends Mechanical. The series is comprised of a seven event, double-header format and competes at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Shannonville Motorsport Park and Calabogie Motorsports Park.

MK Technologies Award goes to Stephen Adams

Stephen Adams is awarded the MK Technologies "Driver of the Event" Award for the BEMC Indian Summer Races held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on September 14/15, 2013.

The MK Technologies Award goes to the driver who had an exemplary performance over the entire weekend of competition. At the last event one competitor was on the minds of everyone up and down pit road each time he rolled onto the track. It was most certainly not his first rodeo - his name was synonymous with speed and success behind the wheel almost 20 years ago- but to be a competitive as this man was right out of the trailer was astounding to watch.

Based on his 2 Pole Positions, a win and 2nd place finish the MK Technologies Driver of the Event goes to Stephen Adams.

Stephen will receive a $75 voucher for his efforts.

  Founded by Marty Knoll and based out of Kelowna, BC, MK Technologies is the recognized leader in the race support equipment field and a proud sponsor of the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series.  

McGregor Triumphs in a Wild Race at BEMC Indian Summer Races

The final race of the BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races was a wild and crazy affair as the leaders tangled in the last corner.

It all started as Jesse Lazare lead the field to the green but had the first start waved off, not maintaining a consistent speed and causing the field to scramble behind him.

From there the A class put on its usual show with a new leader emerging at the end of the back straightaway almost every lap. Steve Bamford, yesterday's winner, and Thomas McGregor did most of the leading closely followed by Jesse Lazare, Jack Mitchell, Zacharie Robichon and Max Hanratty.

As usual with this series you don't want to look away from the last couple of corners on the last lap as everyone lays it on the line and this race did not disappoint.

Bamford and McGregor were side by side as they emerged at the end of the back straightaway, through corner 8 and into 9. At the apex of nine they touched, McGregor got in the air and spun all the way around. Both cars scrambled to get back under control and away again as Lazare and Mitchell were doing their best to take advantage of the opening. They crossed the line three wide, McGregor the winner followed by Lazare with Mitchell, Jr. just pipping Bamford at the line. Robichon would round out the top 5.

The B Class battle was no less exciting. Craig Willis took off from pole but got into a little trouble on lap 6 as he got into the back of Shane Jantzi, damaging his nose and cutting a tire down. He would make it to pit road but would not finish the race. Jantzi parked his car in corner 5 as a result of the incident as well.

That left B Class honours to be battled out by Stephen Adams, Andrew Mason and Connor Wagland and battle they did. Adams had a bit of lead but saw it erased as the laps would down. Mason was in 2nd for most of the race but a hard charging Wagland got around him and set his sights on his first race win.

On the last lap Wagland was right on the gearbox of Adams and was pushing hard. Wagland lost control of the car in corner 9 and spun, making hard contact with the outside wall. Adams held on to take the victory with Mason and Amy Castell slipped through to grab the 2nd and 3rd spots.

Lazare on Point for BEMC Race 2 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Jesse Lazare will lead the field to the green in this afternoon's event, Race 2 of the BEMC Indian Summer Races after posting a lap of 1:29.040.

He barely beat yesterday's Race 1 winner Steve Bamford who was just .077 off with his best lap being a 1:29.117. Zacharie Robichon looks to rebound after being knocked out of yesterday's race and will start 3rd with a time of 1:29.278. Thomas McGregor and and Jack Mitchell, Jr. round out the top 5

In B Class Craig Willis waited until the very last lap to catch the draft at the perfect moment an post his quick time of 1:31.100 and grab the pole. Stephen Adams will start alongside with his time of 1:31.316 ahead of Andrew Mason and his lap of 1:32.053. Connor Wagland and Amy Castell round out the top five.

Today's 22 minute race will start approximately 3pm.

Bamford Shows the Way for the A Class Race as part of BEMC Indian Summer Races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Etobicoke, Ontario's Steve Bamford came to the Indian Summer races with a laid back attitude and a quiet, all business approach to the weekend.

He just completed a full season stateside in both the Formula 1600 Championship Series and the F2000 Championship Series running up front and grabbing overall podium finishes and Master's wins.

Today, he raced Canada's best and youngest stars and made a youthful last lap pass to grab the victory.

Thomas McGregor lead the field to the green and things quickly got exciting. Bamford went to the outside of corner 1 to make it 3 wide and emerged on the other side in 2nd, behind Mitchell, Jr.

On the run down into corner 5, Robichon slipped into 2nd behind Mitchell, Jr. As the field stacked up McGregor made contact with the back of Robichon's car, damaging his front suspension and spinning Robichon into the grass. Robichon was unable to continue as he was stuck and McGregor limped his car back to the pits and jumped out.

The race then was a torrid 4 car battle between Mitchell, Jr., Steve Bamford, Jesse Lazare and Max Hanratty.

Mitchell, Jr. controlled the pace early on, then Bamford took the top spot for a turn or two. Lazare eventually grabbed control of the top spot in a daring move from 3rd. He would lead the way until the last lap when he and Bamford came down the back straightaway and Bamford made his move. he slid ahead and managed to stave off a last corner dive by Lazare and crossed the line in front ahead of Mitchell, Jr.

The B Class battle had Stephen Adams on point after a long hiatus from the sport. He would grab control early on but Championship points leader Craig Willis was not to be denied the win today. Disappointed with his 4th place starting position he proceeded to rip off some blistering lap times, setting a new track record along the way.

Once he grabbed the top spot he cruised comfortably to the win over an elated Adams and a hard charging Connor Wagland.

Day 2 will include a full qualifying session in the morning and a 22 minute race late afternoon.