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By 2000, the Canada GT Challenge Cup was in its fourth season.
Sanctioned by ASN Canada FIA, it was an eleven-round series of one-hour races.
Drivers competed at Mosport International Raceway (8-events) and Shannonville Motorsports Park (3-events).
A twelfth race scheduled for Mont-Tremblant was canceled.
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. There was a total event prize fund of over $50,000 and a year-end point’s bonus fund of $45,000 – split between the two classes to attract competitors. Round two of the 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup was held mid-May at Mosport International Raceway in conjunction with an Ontario Regional event hosted by the British Empire Motorsport Club. Teams would compete in a sixty-minute contest around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.
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The start of round 2 for the 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup at Mosport International Raceway. Leading the field of twenty-three entrants into corner one is the second-fastest qualifier, John Brenner, in the No. 81 Hoosier Tire / Precision Metal Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Immediately behind Brenner is the pole-winning Porsche 911 GT1 EVO of Klaus Bytzek. About to challenge Brenner on the inside is the Beaton / Coons Corvette. |
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Klaus Bytzek went two for two in round two at Mosport International Raceway. For the second consecutive event, Bytzek put the No. 00 BMS Race Team Porsche 911 GT1 EVO on the pole. Unlike the first race, he did not lead flag-to-flag. John Brenner led until lap-4 when he spun his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. From that point on, it was ‘clear sailing’ for Bytzek, who won by a one-lap margin. |
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Like Klaus Bytzek, Blaise Csida won the GT2 category for the second consecutive event of the 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup. Csida put the No. 7 New York Fries / Martini Chevrolet Corvette thirteenth on the grid, which was seventh in class for the one-hour contest. Despite the lowly starting position, he moved through the field. Csida battled with Bentley Hammer throughout the event but captured the victory. |
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Charlie Webster entered round two of the series in preparation for the BF Goodrich Tires Tran Am opener at Mosport International Raceway. Webster drove the No. 95 C.J. Webster / Pro Fuels sponsored Chevrolet Camaro. He started at the rear of the grid but maneuvered his way through the field. With the retirement of John Brenner, Webster inherited a runner-up finish in the GT1 category. |
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The No. 98 Phil Strudwick Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo was piloted by Bentley Hammer. In round one, Hammer started second in GT2 but finished ninth. With an opportunity to redeem himself, he qualified on the class pole. During the race, Hammer lost the top spot to Blaise Csida and finished second. However, on the final circuit, he exceeded the specified lap time and was reclassified with a third-place in GT1. |
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In round one of the 2000 Canadian GT Challenge Cup, Barry Coons and James Beaton captured the final position on the overall and GT1 class podium. The competitive duo was third fastest in the qualifying session for race two at Mosport International Raceway. Unfortunately, the No. 26 Century Mechanical sponsored Chevrolet Corvette retired on the first lap with a mechanical issue – they were classified with last place. |
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| FINISH | START | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR / ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
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| 1 | 1 | GT1 | Klaus Bytzek | Porsche 911 GT1 Evo / BMS Race Team | 42 | - |
| 2 | 21 | GT1 | Charlie Webster | Chevrolet Camaro / C.J. Webster/Pro Fuels | 41 | - |
| 3 | 13 | GT2 | Blaise Csida | Chevrolet Corvette / New York Fries | 40 | - |
| 4 | 5 | GT1 | Bentley Hammer | Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Strudwick Motorsports | 40 | - |
| 5 | 15 | GT2 | Larry Barcza | Pontiac Grand-Prix / Barcza Racing | 39 | - |
| 6 | 4 | GT1 | Lew Mackenzie | Chevrolet Camaro / Roger AT&T | 39 | - |
| 7 | 12 | GT2 | Rudy Bartling | Porsche 911 / TBA | 39 | - |
| 8 | 10 | GT2 | Greg Clifton | Chevrolet Corvette / Strudwick Motorsports | 33 | - |
| 9 | 9 | GT2 | Torsten Krueger | Pontiac Firebird / Kruerger Racing | 39 | - |
| 10 | 2 | GT1 | John Brenner | Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Hoosier Tire | 38 | Engine |
| 11 | 20 | GT2 | Robert Pacione | Ford Mustang Cobra/Pacione Motorsport | 37 | - |
| 12 | 22 | GT2 | Alan Jones | Toyota Supra Turbo / Jones Racing | 37 | - |
| 13 | 23 | GT2 | Reiner Brezinka | Porsche 911 | 36 | - |
| 14 | 25 | GT2 | Jacques Guenette | Porsche 911 | 34 | - |
| 15 | 16 | GT2 | Steve Hummel | Chevrolet Corvette / Tomsoft Racing | 33 | - |
| 16 | 18 | GT2 | Fernand Leblanc | Porsche 911 RSR / MCL | 38 | - |
| 17 | 11 | GT2 | Duane Hoo | Mazda RX-7 / Can-Jam Auto | 22 | Did Not Finish |
| 18 | 7 | GT2 | Ludwig Heimrath | Porsche 968 / Heimrath Porsche | 19 | Did Not Finish |
| 19 | 18 | GT2 | Jim Harrison | Porsche 911 / Longhill Energy | 18 | Did Not Finish |
| 20 | 14 | GT1 | Keith Carter | Chevrolet Camaro / Strudwick Motorsports | 16 | Did Not Finish |
| 21 | 8 | GT1 | James Holtom | Chevrolet Corvette / Georgian Bay Motorsports | 9 | Did Not Finish |
| 22 | 19 | GT2 | Mark Swain | Mazda RX-7 / Clarion | 5 | Did Not Finish |
| 23 | 3 | GT1 | B. Coons / J. Beaton | Chevrolet Corvette / Century Mechanical | 0 | Did Not Finish |
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