2017 Calabogie Motorsports Park - Canadian Touring Car Championship

In 2017, the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) was in its eleventh year.

In the offseason, the series announced two significant changes:

The first was a new relationship with Pirelli Tires Canada. The three-year partnership would make Pirelli the official tire supplier and presenting partner of the Canadian Touring Car Championship.

Secondly, the Grand Touring class would be called GT Sport. The new name was a better description for cars competing in this category.

The championship is being contested over six race weekends at four different tracks in Ontario and Quebec. The series opens in May on the Victoria Day Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Following CTMP, teams would compete at Calabogie Motorsports Park, Circuit ICAR and Trois-Rivieres. The final two race weekends would see the championship return to CTMP and Circuit ICAR.

The series has three different classes:

Touring: This is intended to be an entry-level category. Vehicles competing in this class are allowed minimal performance enhancements. Manufacturers represented in this group include the – Mini Cooper S, Honda Civic Si, Acura RSX and Hyundai Tiburon.

Super Touring: Super Touring includes many of the same makes and models found in Touring. However, this category allows engine modifications and aerodynamic body enhancements. Additional manufacturers competing in this group include BMW, Subaru and Porsche.

GT Sport: The Ford Mustang is the most popular vehicle racing in this category. However, this class also includes cars such as the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Acura TLX, Toyota GT86, Ferrari 458 Challenge and Porsche Cayman GT4. Like Super Touring, some changes and modifications are permitted. Cars in this class are typically powered by six or eight-cylinder engines. Of the three groups, these cars produce the most horsepower.

Rounds three and four of the Canadian Touring Car Championship were held at Calabogie Motorsports Park. Drivers would be competing in two 40-minute races. The weekend’s first event took place on the 2.81-kilometer Stadium layout. The longer 5.05-kilometer twenty-turn track was used for Sunday’s contest.

Round four of the 2017 Canadian Touring Car Championship and eighteen competitors line-up on the pace lap in anticipation of the Starter’s flag. On the pole, for the second time this season, is GT Sport driver, Mario Guerin in the Automobiles Etcetera Ferrari 458. Next to Guerin is the GT Sport class Hyundai Genesis Coupe of Bob Attrell.

Nathan Blok kicked off the weekend by setting the quickest time, for all classes, in the opening practice session. In qualifying, Blok’s performance slipped while that of his competition improved. He started round three eighth-overall and third in Super Touring. By the checkered flag, Blok was second in class. A poor qualifying effort saw him near the rear of the grid for the weekend’s final contest but a great drive through the field give Blok his first victory.

Capitalizing on a spin by Mario Guerin, Gary Kwok was able to take the lead in the M&S Racing Honda Civic TCR. Kwok pulled away from the field to win Saturday’s contest. He was third on the grid for the weekend’s final event but quickly moved to second. Kwok trailed race leader Guerin but could not match his pace. As the contest came to a conclusion, Kwok was challenged and passed by the Hyundai of Bob Attrell – he finished third.

The round four Grand Touring Sport category podium at Calabogie Motorsports Park. On the left is the driver of the Quaker State Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Bob Attrell who captured the runner-up position. Third place finisher Gary Kwok stands on the right side of the rostrum. Between these two is the winner, Mario Guerin.

It was a perfect weekend for the defending Touring class champion, Michel Sallenbach. Sallenbach driving the Team Octane Mini Coupe JCW qualified on the pole for rounds three and four and was victorious in both events. In 2017, he was four for four having won the first two races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Jean-Francois Hevey made his series debut in round one at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Driving the No. 12 The Racing Company Porsche Cayman S, Hevey started Saturday’s race sixth overall and second in Super Touring. He finished where he started – sixth overall but fourth in class. In round four, Hevey fared much better – capturing a third in the Super Touring category and, in the process, earned his first podium result.

In the weekend’s first event, Mario Guerin driving the Automobiles Etcetera Ferrari 458 started third overall and second in the GT Sport category. However, a spin on the second lap dropped Guerin down the race order – he regrouped and was able to manage a third in class. Seeking redemption in round four, the winner of the season’s first race was never challenged and led flag-to-flag.

The round four Touring class podium at Calabogie Motorsports Park. In the center of the rostrum is defending the Touring category champion, Michel Sallenbach. Sallenbach had dominated the first four rounds. To his right is his Team Octane teammate, Paul Gravel who took the runner-up position. Completing the podium is John Young, the driver of the M&S Racing Honda Civic Si.

Series veteran, Bob Attrell is always quick but he started the 2017 season experiencing reliability issues. In the first three rounds, Attrell had one podium finish but in the other two races, he was at the bottom of the results sheets. At Calabogie, he started the weekend’s final event second but fell to third. On the last lap, Attrell caught second place, Gary Kwok and won the drag race out of the final corner to take the runner-up spot by a margin of 0.170-seconds.

Defending Super Touring class champion, Eric Hochgeschurz recorded the fastest lap in qualifying for the weekend’s first race. During the contest, Hochgeschurz was passed by GT Sport competitor, Gary Kwok and finished second overall but first in his category. In the final race, he started in the tenth overall and fifth in class driving the 8Legs Racing BMW 330i. At the checkered flag, Hochgeschurz dropped to eighth in Super Touring.

Driving the No. 16 SCB Racing BMW M235iR was Jeff Kingsley. Rookie Kingsley, opened the season with a second place finish in Super Touring. At the Kyle Nash Memorial Race Weekend, Kingsley added to his list of podium finishes with a second and third in class. After round four, he was just sixteen points behind his teammate and points leader, Nathan Blok.

The round four Super Touring class podium at Calabogie Motorsports Park and a couple of new faces on the rostrum. Making his first appearance on the podium was third place finisher, Jean-Francois Hevey. The runner-up spot was occupied by SCB Racing’s, Jeff Kingsley. On the top step also of SCB is first-time winner, Nathan Blok.

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	GT Sport	Gary Kwok	M&S Racing / Honda Civic TCR	29	-
2	Super Touring	Eric Hochgeschurz	8Legs Racing / BMW 330i	29	-
3	Super Touring	Nathan Blok	SCB Racing / BMW235iR	29	-
4	GT Sport	Damon Sharpe	Blanchet Motorsports / Toyota GT86	29	-
5	Super Touring	Jeff Kingsley	SCB Racing / BMW235iR	29	-
6	Super Touring	Jean-Francois Hevey	The Racing Company / Porsche Cayman S	29	-
7	GT Sport	Mario Guerin	Automobile Etcetera / Ferrari 458 Challenge	29	-
8	Super Touring	Michael Delle Donne	RMP Competizione / BMW235iR	29	-
9	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Team Octane / Mini Cooper S	28	-
10	Super Touring	Rocco Marciello	RMP Competizione / BMW235iR	28	-
11	Touring	Paul Gravel	Team Octane / Mini Cooper S	28	-
12	Touring	Jon Young	M&S Racing / Honda Civic Si	28	-
13	GT Sport	Bob Attrell	Hyundai Racing Canada / Hyundai Genesis Coupe	28	-
14	Super Touring	Nathalie Henault	QuickSeries Racing / Subaru STI	28	-
15	GT Sport	Ashley Sahakian	United Auto Racing / Ford Mustang Boss 302S	27	-
16	Touring	Scott Nicol	Velocity Motorsports Club / Honda Civic Si	18	-
18	GT Sport	Chris Sahakian	United Auto Racing / Ford Mustang Boss 302S	2	-
DNS	Super Touring	Arek Wojciechowski	8Legs Racing / BMW 330i	0	-

FINISH	CLASS	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	GT Sport	Mario Guerin	Automobile Etcetera / Ferrari 458 Challenge	18	-
2	GT Sport	Bob Attrell	Hyundai Racing Canada / Hyundai Genesis Coupe	18	-
3	GT Sport	Gary Kwok	M&S Racing / Honda Civic TCR	18	-
4	Super Touring	Nathan Blok	SCB Racing / BMW235iR	18	-
5	Super Touring	Jeff Kingsley	SCB Racing / BMW235iR	18	-
6	Super Touring	Jean-Francois Hevey	The Racing Company / Porsche Cayman S	18	-
7	Super Touring	Arek Wojciechowski	8Legs Racing / BMW 330i	18	-
8	Super Touring	Rocco Marciello	RMP Competizione / BMW235iR	18	-
9	GT Sport	Chris Sahakian	United Auto Racing / Ford Mustang Boss 302S	18	-
10	Super Touring	Nathalie Henault	QuickSeries Racing / Subaru STI	18	-
11	Super Touring	Michael Delle Donne	RMP Competizione / BMW235iR	18	-
12	Super Touring	Eric Hochgeschurz	8Legs Racing / BMW 330i	18	-
13	Touring	Michel Sallenbach	Team Octane / Mini Cooper S	18	-
14	Touring	Paul Gravel	Team Octane / Mini Cooper S	17	-
15	Touring	Jon Young	M&S Racing / Honda Civic Si	17	-
16	GT Sport	Ashley Sahakian	United Auto Racing / Ford Mustang Boss 302S	17	-
17	Touring	Scott Nicol	Velocity Motorsports Club / Honda Civic Si	13	-
18	GT Sport	Damon Sharpe	Blanchet Motorsports / Toyota GT86	4	-

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