|
In 1999, the successful Canada GT Challenge Cup entered its third season.
Sanctioned by ASN Canada FIA, it was a twelve-round series of races one-hour in length.
Drivers competed at Mosport International Raceway, Shannonville Motorsport Park and Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant.
A wide range of vehicles was eligible for the series – FIA GT, Professional Sportscar GTS & GT, SCCA Improved Touring, GT1, GT2 & Trans Am and ASA Stock Car. The list of ineligible cars was much shorter – Sports Racers, Ground Effects Cars and Showroom Stock. There were two classes (GT1 and GT2) based on qualifying and race lap times: Mosport International Raceway
Shannonville Motorsport Park
If a GT2 driver broke out of the time bracket, they would be moved to GT1. One or more drivers could compete in a car. However, the second driver had to complete either twenty minutes or one-third of the total race laps to earn points. The races also included a mandatory one-minute pit stop during green flag conditions. Round 9 was the Canada GT Challenge Cup’s fifth visit of the year to Mosport International Raceway. The event was conducted during the CASCAR Super Series weekend. Teams would compete in the one-hour event around the ten turn 2.459-mile road course.
|
|
|
A field of twenty-six Canada GT Challenge Cup competitors streams into Mosport International Raceway’s corner one for round nine of the championship. Leading the way is the No. 93 Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro driven by the second-fastest qualifier, James Holtom. The pole-sitter, Klaus Bytzek, is directly behind Holtom in the No. 00 Porsche 911 GT1 Evo. Trailing Bytzek are Jerry Simmons and Brent Gates. |
|
|
The defending GT1 titleholder, Klaus Bytzek, was involved in a starting line accident that prevented him from scoring points in the season's first two races. However, when Bytzek returned to competition, he wasted little time racking up some serious results. He started on the pole in round nine but lost the top spot on lap-1. Before the end of the contest, Bytzek was in first and collected his fifth win of 1999. |
|
|
Newcomer Blaise Csida made his Canada GT Challenge Cup debut at the Victoria Day Trans Am Weekend, where he finished fifth in the GT2 category. His second series start produced the same result. With two events ‘under his belt’ Csida put the No. 7 New York Fries Chevrolet Corvette on the class pole. Despite pressure from Kirk Spencer, Ahmad Khodkar and Ludwig Heimrath, he collected his first victory. |
|
|
|
It appeared that the only serious threat to Klaus Bytzek collecting his third GT1 title was James Holtom. Holtom had two victories and usually qualified ahead of Bytzek. Consistency was his biggest Achilles Heel. Holtom started on the pole in the previous round but finished fourth in class. At the CASCAR event, he qualified second fastest and jumped into an early lead. But Holtom was no match for Bytzek and finished second. |
|
|
|
The reigning GT2 champion, Kirk Spencer, got off to a slow start in 1999, with his best result being three sixth-place finishes. Lately, his fortunes had improved. He finished third in the previous event, driving the No. 24 Spencer Racing Chevrolet Camaro. Spencer qualified ninth fastest at round nine and started third in his category. The retirement of Pete Klutt advanced him one position and he finished in the runner-up spot. |
|
|
|
By round nine of the 1999 season, Trans Am competitor Jerry Simmons had made two series starts. Due to the attrition rate in the year's opening race, he finished third in GT1, albeit four laps behind the leaders and twelfth overall. At the CASCAR weekend, Simmons, driving the No. 70 True North Racing Chevrolet Camaro, qualified fourth. He outduelled Brent Gates to collect the final position on the class podium. |
 |
 |
 |
| FINISH | START | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR / ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | GT1 | Klaus Bytzek | Porsche 911 GT1 Evo / BMS Race Team | 41 | - |
| 2 | 2 | GT1 | James Holtom | Chevrolet Camaro / Scadapack | 41 | - |
| 3 | 4 | GT1 | Jerry Simmons | Chevrolet Camaro / True North Racing | 40 | - |
| 4 | 3 | GT1 | Brent Gates | Dodge Daytona / TMI Racing | 40 | - |
| 5 | 5 | GT1 | Keith Carter | Chevrolet Camaro / Strudwick Motorsports | 40 | - |
| 6 | 7 | GT2 | Blaise Csida | Chevrolet Corvette / New York Fries | 39 | - |
| 7 | 9 | GT2 | Kirk Spencer | Chevrolet Camaro / Spencer Racing | 39 | - |
| 8 | 12 | GT2 | Ahmad Khodkar | Datsun 240Z / Quest-Tech | 39 | - |
| 9 | 11 | GT2 | Ludwig Heimrath | Porsche 968 / Heimrath Porsche | 39 | - |
| 10 | 18 | GT2 | Brezinka / Franczak | Porsche 911 / - | 38 | - |
| 11 | 19 | GT2 | Greg Clifton | Chevrolet Corvette / Strudwick Motorsports | 38 | - |
| 12 | 14 | GT2 | Rudy Bartling | Porsche 993 RSR / - | 37 | - |
| 13 | 21 | GT2 | Jim Harrison | Porsche 911 / Longhill Energy | 37 | - |
| 14 | 23 | GT2 | Bentley Hammer | Chevrolet Corvette / Strudwick Motorsports | 37 | - |
| 15 | 25 | GT2 | Jason Lee | Pontiac Firebird / - | 37 | - |
| 16 | 22 | GT2 | McCalmont / Wortzman | Chevrolet Camaro / Strudwick Motorsports | 37 | - |
| 17 | 20 | GT2 | Jeff Pacey | Mazda RX-7 / - | 37 | - |
| 18 | 16 | GT2 | Schmidt / Carpenko | VW Corrado VR6 SC / Greenbelt Motors | 37 | - |
| 19 | 10 | GT2 | Paul Massingberd | Chevrolet Corvette / - | 36 | Fuel |
| 20 | 24 | GT2 | Alan Jones | Toyota Supra Turbo / - | 36 | - |
| 21 | 17 | GT2 | Steve Hummel | Chevrolet Corvette / - | 27 | Did Not Finish |
| 22 | 8 | GT2 | Peter Klutt | Chevrolet Corvette / Country Style | 19 | Did Not Finish |
| 23 | 13 | GT2 | Duane Hoo | Mazda RX-7 / Can-Jam Auto | 14 | Did Not Finish |
| 24 | 15 | GT2 | Larry Barcza | Pontiac Grand-Prix / - | 14 | Did Not Finish |
| 25 | 6 | GT1 | Coons / Beaton | Oldsmobile Cutlass / Century Mechanical | 9 | Did Not Finish |
| 26 | 26 | GT2 | Meecham / Gray | Chevrolet Corvette / - | 2 | Did Not Finish |
| - | 27 | GT1 | John Brenner | Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Hoosier Tire | 0 | Did Not Start |
| Copyright Notice: |
| All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated. |
