2013 Calabogie Motorsport Park - Canadian Touring Car Championship

2013 was the seventh season for the Canadian Touring Car Championship. The series continued to offer racers an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents at some of eastern Canada’s most widely recognized and well-established race circuits. The series provided amateur competitors with professionally organized events that would attract fans and sponsors. The success of the championship was reflected in the number of drivers who participated during race weekends.

This 2013 schedule consists of seven race weekends at six different tracks. The format at each venue includes two races – generally, thirty-minutes in length. As has become tradition, the season kicks off on the Victoria Day long weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Next on the calendar is the series’ visit to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve during the Grand Prix of Canada weekend. Early in July, teams will be at ICAR for rounds five and six. This is followed by a trip to Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. Next up is the series only stop on the street circuit at Trois-Rivieres. The second and final stop at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is conducted during the NASCAR Truck weekend. Series champions will be crowned when teams visit Calabogie Motorsports Park in early September.

In 2013, there were three classes. To help fans distinguish between the groups, the cars are fitted with different coloured windshield banners.

B-Spec – (White Window Banner) – B-Spec is the Canadian Touring Car Championship’s entry-level category. As a result, all adjustments made to a vehicle must be within the manufacturer’s specifications. Brake pads and rotors may be changed, but they have to retain the original dimensions. The maximum wheel size is 15X7 fitted with Continental 205/50R15 tires. There is an extensive list of cars that qualify for this class – Mazda 2, Mini Cooper, Honda Fit, Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris.
Touring - (Blue Window Banner) – Vehicles competing in this class are allowed a minimal amount of performance enhancements. This group is limited to a maximum engine displacement of 2.0-liters. The suspension components are unrestricted, but vehicles have a minimum ride height of three inches. Brake pads and rotors may be changed, but they have to retain the original dimensions. The maximum wheel size is 17X8 fitted with Continental 225/45R17 tires. Manufacturers represented in this group include the Mini Cooper S, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Volkswagen Golf and Scion.
Super Touring – (Orange Window Banner) - Super Touring is the series fastest class. This category allows engine modifications and aerodynamic enhancements. The maximum engine displacement for this group is 3.0-liters. The suspension components are unrestricted, but vehicles must have a minimum ride height of four inches. Unlike the other two classes, the brake components are not subject to any restrictions. The maximum wheel size is 17X9 fitted with Continental 225/45R17 tires. Manufacturers competing in the category include BMW, Subaru, Honda, Pontiac and Hyundai.

Rounds thirteen and fourteen, the final weekend of the 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship, were held at Calabogie Motorsport Park. Prior to the last event, the Super Touring category was decided in favour of Scott Nicol and Karl Wittmer had secured to the B-Spec title. However, the Touring crown was still up for grabs. By the end of the weekend, Damon Sharpe or Michel Sallenbach would be the 2013 class champion.

The first lap for the final race of the 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship. Leading the field of thirteen entrants into Calabogie Motorsport Park’s turn two is the pole-sitter, Scott Nicol, in the No. 41 Velocity Motorsport Honda Civic Si-R. Trailing Nicol is the No. 86 G1 Racing Hyundai Genesis of the second-fastest qualifier, Jonathan Rashleigh. Immediately behind Rashleigh are Alex Healy and Nick Wittmer.

The 2013 Canadian Touring Car Super Touring champion, Scott Nicol, concluded his season ‘on a high note.’ He scored a pair of victories at Calabogie Motorsport Park. Nicol qualified second fastest for round thirteen, but after fourteen laps of racing, he was in first-place. On Sunday, Nicol started on the pole but was kept honest by Jonathan Rashleigh – his margin of victory was 0.351-seconds.

After a season-long battle, Damon Sharpe captured the 2013 Touring class championship. Sharpe entered the final weekend at Calabogie Motorsport Park trailing, the class points leader, Michel Sallenbach. Sharpe had to qualify on the pole and win both races to secure the title. He achieved those goals and won the crown by a single marker – (Damon Sharpe -1564 points and Michel Sallenbach – 1563 points).

Sunday’s Touring podium for round fourteen of the 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship at Calabogie Motorsport Park. In the center is the new champion and race winner, Damon Sharpe, from Blanchet Motorsports. On the rostrum’s left side is the runner-up for the second time this weekend, Michel Sallenbach. Completing the podium is the third-place finisher, Eric Lacouture.

Another driver ending 2013 with some excellent results was Alex Healy. Healy, driving the No. 5 Alex Healy Racing Acura RSX Type S, captured a runner-up finish in the previous round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. He kept the momentum going for the final weekend of racing. Healy qualified sixth for Saturday’s contest but finished second. The next day, he started fourth and earned the final position of the podium.

The only championship to be decided at Calabogie Motorsport Park was the Touring category. The class leader, Michel Sallenbach, had a slight point lead but had to finish ahead of his main rival, Damon Sharpe, to capture his first crown. Unfortunately, it was not to be for the driver of the No. 46 Octane Motorsports Mini Cooper S. For the third time, Sallenbach would be the ‘bridesmaid.’

Jonathan Rashleigh not only earned his first series podium in round eleven at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park but also his first Canadian Touring Car Championship victory. For the weekend’s first event at Calabogie Motorsport Park, Rashleigh qualified and finished third in the No. 86 G1 Racing Hyundai Genesis. In the finale, he started second and ended the year with a runner-up result.

Octane Motorsport’s, Eric Lacouture participated in all fourteen rounds of the 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship. Entering the final weekend at Calabogie Motorsport Park, he had three podium results and finished every race. Lacouture’s steady performance was rewarded with a third in the Touring standings. In the final two contests of the season, he earned two more rostrum finishes.

Sunday’s Super Touring podium for round thirteen of the 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship at Calabogie Motorsport Park. In the center is the race winner, Scott Nicol. On the left side of the rostrum is Benjamin DiStaulo, who was later disqualified. The final position on the podium is occupied by Alex Healy, who would inherit the runner-up finish. Third place would be awarded to Jonathan Rashleigh.

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR / SPONSOR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	Super Touring	Scott Nicol	Honda Civic Si-R / Velocity Motorsport	14	-
2	Super Touring	Alex Healy	Acura RSX Type-S / Alex Healy Racing	14	-
3	Super Touring	Jonathan Rashleigh	Hyundai Genesis / G1 Racing	14	-
4	Super Touring	Roger Ledoux	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	14	-
5	Super Touring	Arek Wojciechowski	BMW 330i / 8Legs Racing	14	-
6	Super Touring	Nick Wittmer	Honda Accord / Ste-Rose Honda	14	-
7	Super Touring	Bob Attrell	Hyundai Genesis / G1 Racing	14	-
8	Touring	Damon Sharpe	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	14	-
9	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	14	-
10	Touring	Eric Lacouture	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	13	-
11	Super Touring	Luc Lesage	Scion FRS / Media Racing Team	13	-
12	Touring	Carlos Tesler-Mabe	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	12	-
-	B-Spec	Normand Boyer	Mazda 2 / Boyer Motorsports	-	Did Not Start
-	Super Touring	Benjamin DiStaulo	Honda Civic Si-R / Lombardi Racing	14	Disqualified

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR / SPONSOR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	Super Touring	Scott Nicol	Honda Civic Si-R / Velocity Motorsport	18	-
2	Super Touring	Jonathan Rashleigh	Hyundai Genesis / G1 Racing	18	-
3	Super Touring	Alex Healy	Acura RSX Type-S / Alex Healy Racing	18	-
4	Super Touring	Arek Wojciechowski	BMW 330i / 8Legs Racing	18	-
5	Super Touring	Roger Ledoux	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	18	-
6	Super Touring	Nick Wittmer	Honda Accord / Ste-Rose Honda	18	-
7	Touring	Damon Sharpe	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	18	-
8	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	18	-
9	Super Touring	Benjamin DiStaulo	Honda Civic Si-R / Lombardi Racing	17	-
10	Touring	Carlos Tesler-Mabe	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	17	-
11	Touring	Eric Lacouture	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	17	-
7	Super Touring	Bob Attrell	Hyundai Genesis / G1 Racing	7	Did Not Finish
11	Super Touring	Luc Lesage	Scion FRS / Media Racing Team	4	Did Not Finish
-	B-Spec	Normand Boyer	Mazda 2 / Boyer Motorsports	-	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.