2014 Shannonville Motorsport Park - Canadian Touring Car Championship

2014 was the eighth 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 2014 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. The championship returns to Ontario for rounds five and six at Calabogie Motorsport Park. Early in July, teams will be at ICAR Mirabel. For the first time since May 2009, teams with compete at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Next up is the series annual stop on the street circuit at Trois-Rivieres. Series champions will be crowned when teams visit Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the NASCAR Truck weekend.

In 2014, 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 was 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 group include BMW, Subaru, Honda, Pontiac and Hyundai.

In late July, the Canadian Touring Car Championship returned to Shannonville Motorsport Park for the first time since 2009. Drivers would compete in two thirty-minute races around the nine-turn 2.47-kilometer Pro layout.

The start of round ten for the 2014 Canadian Touring Car Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park. The Super Touring pole-sitter, Roger Ledoux, in the No. 4 Lachute Performance Subaru WRX, leads the field into the first corner. On Ledoux’s left is the other front row starter, Remy Audette driving the No. 12 Audette Racing Acura RSX Type S. Making a move on the inside is the fifth-place starter, Nick Wittmer, in a Honda Accord.

The round nine winner was Remy Audette, who started from the pole and captured the victory after a tight battle with the Subaru WRX of Roger Ledoux. The driver of the No. 12 Audette Racing Acura RSX Type S started Sunday’s contest on the outside of the front row. Audette chased the eventual winner, Ledoux, but could not maintain Ledoux’s pace and finished in the runner-up position.

In the weekend’s first race at Shannonville Motorsport Park, Octane Motorsport’s Michel Sallenbach racked up his fifth Touring category victory of the season. Sallenbach started on the class pole but came under pressure from last year’s champion, Damon Sharpe. The next day, he started second in the Touring group, driving the No. 46 Mini Cooper S, but lost contact with the leaders and finished a distant fourth.

The defending Touring class champion, Damon Sharpe, entered the 2014 season looking to secure his third Canadian Touring Car crown. Sharpe captured the category honours in 2012 and 2013. In race one at Shannonville Motorsport Park, he qualified second in Touring’ driving the No. 84 Blanchet Motorsports Honda Civic Si, and followed the winner, Michel Sallenbach, to the finish line. On Sunday, Sharpe was victorious.

Roger Ledoux debuted the No. 4 Lachute Performance Subaru WRX LP400 last year and captured four podium finishes but no victories. With a season of development behind him and the team, Ledoux earned his first Super Touring victory at the prestigious Le Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and scored a second win at Calabogie Motorsport Park. At Shannonville Motorsport Park, he grabbed first and second-place finishes.

The 2014 Super Touring podium for round 10 of the Canadian Touring Car Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park. In the center from Lachute Performance is the winner, Roger Ledoux. This was Ledoux’s third victory of the year. On the right side of the rostrum is Saturday’s winner and today’s runner-up, Remy Audette. The final spot on the podium is occupied by the third-place finisher, Gary Kwok.

The reigned Super Touring champion, Scott Nicol, entered a new Honda Civic Si-R, which was being developed by the Velocity Motorsport Club. To date Nicol’s 2014 season included three podium results, one of which was a runner-up finish. In round nine, at Shannonville Motorsport Park, he qualified second and earned the final spot on the podium. The following day, Nicol started third and finished fourth.

Martin Crisp, driving the No. 10 wutfun Racing Mazda MX-5, made his first series start in round nine at Shannonville Motorsport Park. It was an excellent debut for Crisp, he qualified tenth overall for the weekend’s first contest and grabbed the final spot on the Touring podium. In the finale, Crisp lost a lap to the class leaders and finished seventh in his group.

Another competitor making his first appearance in the Canadian Touring Car Championship was Guyana’s, Kristian Jeffrey. Jeffrey joined the championship-winning team, Blanchet Motorsports, driving the No. 85 Honda Civic Si. In qualifying for round nine, he was fifteenth fastest, but moved up the race order and finished fourth in Touring. In the finale, he started tenth on the grid and captured a third-place finish.

M&S Racing entered two cars for rounds nine and ten at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Tom Kwok had a troubling event in the No. 9 Honda Civic Si and didn’t finish either of the weekend’s races. His brother, Gary, drove the No. 66 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and delivered some creditable results. On Saturday, he finished fourth in the Super Touring category. The next day, he earned his first podium of 2014.

The 2014 Touring podium for round 10 of the Canadian Touring Car Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park. In the center is the defending class champion and race winner, Damon Sharpe. On the right side of the rostrum is the runner-up, Alain Lauziere, from Octane Motorsport. Completing the class podium is the third-place finisher, Kristian Jeffrey.

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR / SPONSOR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	Super Touring	Mathieu Audette	Acura RSX Type-S / Audette Racing	26	-
2	Super Touring	Roger Hénault	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	26	-
3	Super Touring	Scott Nicol	Honda Civic Si-R / Velocity Motorsport	26	-
4	Super Touring	Gary Kwok	Mitsubitshi Lancer Evo X / M&S Racing	26	-
5	Super Touring	Nathalie Hénault	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	26	-
6	Super Touring	Nick Wittmer	Honda Accord / Ste-Rose Honda	26	-
7	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
8	Touring	Damon Sharpe	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	25	-
9	Touring	Martin Crisp	Mazda MX-5 / wutfun Racing	25	-
10	Touring	Kristian Jeffrey	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	25	-
11	Touring	Paul Gravel	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
12	Touring	Karl Wittmer	Honda Civic Si / Ste-Rose Honda Racing	25	-
13	Touring	Alain Lauzière	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
14	Touring	Samantha Tan	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
15	Super Touring	Ian Crerar	Audi A5 Turbo / Clear Water Design Racing	21	-
16	Super Touring	Tom Kwok	Honda Civic Si / M & S Racing	19	Did Not Finish
-	Super Touring	Normand Boyer	Mazdaspeed 3 / Boyer Motorsports	-	Did Not Start

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	CAR / SPONSOR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	Super Touring	Roger Hénault	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	26	-
2	Super Touring	Mathieu Audette	Acura RSX Type-S / Audette Racing	26	-
3	Super Touring	Gary Kwok	Mitsubitshi Lancer Evo X / M&S Racing	26	-
4	Super Touring	Scott Nicol	Honda Civic Si-R / Velocity Motorsport	26	-
5	Super Touring	Nathalie Hénault	Subaru WRX / Lachute Performance	26	-
6	Touring	Damon Sharpe	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	25	-
7	Touring	Alain Lauzière	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
8	Touring	Kristian Jeffrey	Honda Civic Si / Blanchet Motorsports	25	-
9	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
10	Touring	Karl Wittmer	Honda Civic Si / Ste-Rose Honda Racing	25	-
11	Super Touring	Nick Wittmer	Honda Accord / Ste-Rose Honda	25	-
12	Touring	Samantha Tan	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	25	-
13	Touring	Martin Crisp	Mazda MX-5 / wutfun Racing	24	-
14	Super Touring	Ian Crerar	Audi A5 Turbo / Clear Water Design Racing	18	Did Not Finish
15	Super Touring	Tom Kwok	Honda Civic Si / M & S Racing	5	Did Not Finish
16	Touring	Paul Gravel	Mini Cooper S / Octane Motorsport	3	Did Not Finish
-	Super Touring	Normand Boyer	Mazdaspeed 3 / Boyer Motorsports	-	Did Not Start

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