2000 Mosport International Raceway - Canada GT Challenge Cup

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

GT1 – Faster than 1:29.999
GT2 – Slower than 1:30.000

Shannonville Motorsport Park

GT1 – Faster than 1:10.999
GT2 – Slower than 1:11.000

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.

The 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup’s penultimate round was held in conjunction with the British Empire Motor Club’s Indian Summer Trophy Races. Teams would compete on Mosport International Raceway’s ten-turn 2.459-mile road course for one hour.

James Holtom was the fastest qualifier for round ten and set a new lap record of 1:18.501. Holtom was leading the race when he anticipated a full course yellow and made his mandatory stop. His main rival, Klaus Bytzek, pitted one lap later and grabbed the top spot. Bytzek crossed the finish line first but was penalized ninety-seconds for pitting during the caution period. Holtom inherited his second victory of the season.

With two races remaining on the 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup calendar, Blaise Csida had captured the GT2 title. Csida relinquished the seat in the No. 7 Chevrolet Corvette for his teammate, Ben Swain. Swain was the fastest GT2 competitor during the qualifying session. He led early but lost his advantage during the mandatory stop. Late in the contest, Swain caught and passed the class leader for the victory.

Klaus Bytzek qualified behind the No. 93 Chevrolet Corvette of James Holtom. The GT1 points leader chased Holtom until the first caution period. Bytzek pitted the No. 00 BMS Race Team Porsche 911 GT1 EVO when the pits were closed for a full-course caution. The stop allowed him to move into first-place. Unfortunately, the mistake resulted in a ninety-second penalty and he was classified with a runner-up finish.

The No. 05 Noble Ultima MkIV made its first series appearance at Shannonville. Unfortunately, the car was the race’s first retirement. The TMI team continued to make improvements and at race eight, they earned a second-place result. At the BEMC weekend, Brent Gates qualified fourth fastest. A miscue by the Coons / Beaton Corvette during the race allowed Gates to capture the team’s second podium of the season.

Peter Vanderwyst competed in the 2000 Canada GT Challenge Cup when he didn’t have a conflict with his primary focus, the CASCAR series. Vanderwyst used the events to test the No. 17 Loctite sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo and gained valuable road course experience. He proved to be a quick study. In round ten, Vanderwyst qualified sixth fastest in the GT2 category and finished fifth in a field of eighteen starters.

Early in the season, John Brenner was the second quickest GT1 competitor. He capitalized on a mechanical issue with the BMS Race Team Porsche to score a victory in round three. However, the competition was finding more speed and Brenner grabbed his last podium in race six. But, he was still collecting valuable points and was second in the standings. At Mosport, Brenner started fifth and finished fourth.

FINISH	START	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR / ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	GT1	James Holtom	Chevrolet Corvette / Georgian Bay Mtrsprt	37	-
2	2	GT1	Klaus Bytzek	Porsche 911 GT1 Evo / BMS Race Team	37	-
3	4	GT1	Brent Gates	Noble Ultima MkIV / TMI Racing	36	-
4	5	GT1	John Brenner	Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Hoosier Tire	36	-
5	7	GT2	Blaise Csida	Chevrolet Corvette / New York Fries	35	-
6	9	GT2	Greg Clifton	Chevrolet Corvette / Strudwick Motorsports	35	-
7	10	GT2	Fernand Leblanc	Porsche 911 RSR / MCL	35	-
8	11	GT2	Robert Julien	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup / Porschehaus	35	-
9	12	GT2	Peter Vanderwyst	Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Loctite	35	-
10	17	GT2	Ahmad Khodkar	Datsun 240Z / Quest-Tech	35	-
11	16	GT2	Jim Harrison	Porsche 911 / Longhill Energy	35	-
12	3	GT1	Coons / Beaton	Chevrolet Corvette / Century Mechanical	35	-
13	19	GT2	Vito Scavone	Porsche 968RS	35	-
14	8	GT2	Duane Hoo	Mazda RX-7 / Cam-Jan Auto	34	-
15	21	GT2	Sandy McNie	BMW 325i Turbo	34	-
16	33	GT2	D & S Colivaris	Porsche 924 Turbo	34	-
17	23	GT2	Mike Palladino	Chevrolet Corvette / Four Way Auto	33	-
18	22	GT2	Tourikian & Glarner	BMW M1	33	-
19	15	GT2	Denis Tancrede	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup / Porschehaus	31	-
20	13	GT2	Steve Hummel	Chevrolet Corvette / Tomsoft Racing	31	-
21	25	GT2	Leroy Micallef	Chevrolet Camaro	20	Did Not Finish
22	27	GT1	Jordan McGoey	Chevrolet Camaro / Speed Monitor	13	Did Not Finish
23	6	GT1	Peter Klutt	Jaguar XKR / Country Style	12	Did Not Finish
24	31	GT2	Bartling & Franczak	Porsche 911	8	Did Not Finish
25	18	GT2	Gord Vipond	Chevrolet Camaro	5	Did Not Finish