Teach me about a track day in Canada!

[Duane Black]

Hey guys - over in the events thread, I made a post noting I was going to Canada to do a track day on Monday, June 17th.

I've done 53 events + however many I've done by the time I get to Mosport... maybe 56? Anyway, I know the "American way." What do I need to know about Canada? What else can I do in the area? I am looking to take a friend with me whose autistic fixation is photographing trucks (whereas my autistic fixation is racecars). So we are going to photograph some Canadian trucks some time and try to go to Rogers Centre on Sunday for a day game or Tuesday for a night game.


ANYWAY, the event is alleged to come with a catered breakfast and lunch. Has anyone has Mosport food?

• What should I expect pulling a tire trailer on a Mustang through customs?
• How's tech?
• What are the flag rules (i.e., caution where there's an issue, or FIA thing where you after a caution, you have to reach the station flying a green? is a red flag stop, or proceed to the pits at 35 mph?)
• I presume the sessions are still the timed "roll out at 8:30, roll in at 9:00?"
• Are point bys still the same?
• Any courtesies i should be aware of that differ?

 

[JDee]

Mosport doesn't supply the food, it's the group putting on the track day that does the food. They vary from a sandwich and a pop up to a gourmet lunch. I prefer light lunches, aka sammitch. The gourmet groups with their hi-carb food tend to make you want to find somewhere to sleep for an hour or two after lunch. There goes your track day.

What group are you running with?
I've run with pretty much all of them and there is a great discrepancy over what they charge to run for a day. I prefer the track activity to a gourmet lunch, so Speed Therapy is my group of choice. They're also the least expensive group. You get a sandwich, but you pay several hundred bucks less than to any other group. Bonus is you're not sleepy after lunch from inhaling way too much rich food.

Speed Therapy is hard core track day guys and a lot of racers testing. They're also the most inexpensive group to run with. Good bunch of guys. Unless you show up with a tractor trailer full of high end race cars and a full crew, do not expect to get into the Open group until they can assess your on track capabilities. Even with that big rig and full crew, there will be questions about the drivers resume.

Other than that, the track is the track. It is an adrenalin rush, it shares the fastest track in North America distinction with Road Atlanta. The two tracks are similar, almost identical lap lengths and both are balls out power tracks. Bring your big boy pants. Depending on your car (thinking a late model Mustang GT/Camaro 1LE type car) you're going to see around 150 mph on the back straight. Corner speeds are pretty high as well, except down at the turn 5 complex. It is an extremely fast track, I can't overstate that enough.

Canadians say 'eh'? They say it a lot. It's not that they didn't hear you, it's that they're looking for confirmation that you heard them.

Tire trailer should be no big deal at customs, especially if it's open. I mean, they're tires right? What's the big deal? None.

Tech depends on group. Mostly, they don't tech, you are responsible for your car's condition. If you drop oil/damage the track, expect to get a bill for the clean up.
Flag rules can vary slightly by group, they will review them at the drivers' meeting.
DO NOT MISS THE DRIVERS MEETING. They can get very pissy about that and can end your day right then and there. No refunds is the general rule, if you get the boot too bad. Most of the time there are no issues though. There's the odd cowboy who shows up thinking they're god's gift to the wheel. That attitude cuts no shiznit with any of these groups. Leave the attitude at home, these guys running these groups know what they're doing and should be approached as such.

There are usually 3 run groups, so they run 20 minute sessions. There will be Beginner, Advanced and Open. That's kind of standard. If they don't know you then you should expect to be put in Beginner. Bring a resume of your driving experience. DO NOT BULLSHIT THEM! If you say you're at a certain level you better be there or expect a quick downgrade/boot out the door. Other than that, it's all about the track, I can't say that enough. Get ready for an adrenalin rush.

 

[Duane Black]

The group is Infinite Motorsports

 

[JDee]

Infinite is good people, they've been doing this for a long time. I've run with them many times, though not for a couple years now. Definitely no problem with their track days. Just give them the respect they deserve and things will be cool.
Your car is going to be WOT a lot, can't stress that enough, make sure the cooling systems are in good shape, rads are clean, etc. Brakes are not a massive issue at Mosport, it's a power/momentum track with only 1 real hard braking area, that being going into the turn 5a, b, c complex and even it's not super bad as the last part of the entry to 5a is a steep uphill piece which really knocks speed off quickly.
Cornering speeds are the big deal, they are very high at this track. You want some real good rubber on the car.
What day are you going? I haven't looked at their schedule for next year. Might drop in and press the flesh if I can, I live about 15 minutes from the track. Anything you need to know just PM me and I'll provide whatever help I can.

 

[Duane Black]

I am looking at the Monday, June 17th day. If you have a room rental rate, let me know. I'm a total bum.

 

[Duane Black]

I would also love if there's a good track tutorial, to see the vidoe. Ross Bentley has some for a lot of the premier American tracks and I watch them a couple times to study. Heck, I instructed Watkins Glen having never driven the place before (and other tracks too).


So tell me if my rundown based on some simulations of iRacing are appropriate. Lightweight aero cars can absolutely STEAM ROLL any heavy car here.

T1 - faster than it looks, beware the exit .

T2 - aim at the corner worker. Pick a brake marker wisely on approach because its' a long downhill ride through some grass to tires if you get it wrong. Be shy, stay alive. Work up the corner speed here progressively. It's VERY fast in a light aero car, but in a heavier car, you'll start experiencing a lot of push. If you overdo the entry, you'll go home hurt.

T3 - fast right hander, maybe room to argue about how much you sacrifice the exit for T4.

T4 - similar to T3 but not as fast or scary - still pick a brake marker and turn in point wisely.

T5 - standing a lone after a straightaway, it wouldn't be as tricky. Psycholgoically, you're in "fast mode" here so recognizing it's a slow turn is a b*tch.

The approach makes it even more difficult. Downhill left, uphill, turn right. You'll convince yourself you can go 50 ft deeper on the brakes, and you can't. It looks like an approch similar to oak tree at VIR is necessary - pick a good brake marker, stick to it, and focus on modulation of your brakes. You may be able to brake to the last turn in point to get on the Andretti straight, but I may not get there in a single day. Some times I have to goose the gas a little in the middle of T5. The exit is just different than anything else on the track, and it's kind of a decisive turn in with the wheel compared to everywhere else. It's kind of like a a "gradually turn, keep turning, keep turning (through entry this is) and then when you reach the right point, make a decisive turn, open it up, and get down the Andretti straight.

The straight if fast with a hill. As you crest the hill ,be ready for a light brake application. The right-left-right esses get tighter as they go, and probably a lot of BS in paddock about where you should be setting up each turn and where you are sacrificing. You ahve to be ready to scrub speed between esses on littel short brake zones if you're doing it right.

The last turn onto the short front straight is the second slowest turn.

How'd I do? I can add turn in markers and the such later if you'd like.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Canadians, especially those around Mosport are extremely polite and helpful.
We've been running there for years, and getting the rigs through customs can occaisionally be stressful.
1. If you have any firearms leave them with friends in the states,Canada's laws are very different.
2. Have your passport up to date and ready.
3. Do an inventory on everything you have going in, including tools, and spares etc.
We usually run onto problems with fuel. When we came back we try to fill every car up. Sometimes there are drums with as much as 20 gallons left at the track because they can't be taken to the USA.
4. Get good documentation of the event, stress that you are not there to win $$, and are not being paid by a Canadian entity.( that catches some of the guys out, all contracts are with businesses in the US).
That's all I can think of, assuming you're a law abiding US citizen it should go well, but def document all your stuff.

 

[302BOB]

Country borders and how they are patrolled and protected is a can of worms that doesn't belong to be opened here by me..........Canada is our friend and I respect their right to protect themselves!....Other countries, I'm not so sure of............oops.......Hon, Hide that can opener, quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[blacksheep-1]

also, Tim Hortons are the Canadian version of our Dunkin donuts, very important.

 

[EF1]

I prefer Tim Hortons to Dunkin.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I prefer Tim Hortons to Dunkin.

Probably, but all we have is Dunkin down here, so it's TH when we get the chance

 

[EF1]

Probably, but all we have is Dunkin down here, so it's TH when we get the chance

That is one drawback to living in the south now, but at least I don't have to shovel snow anymore.

 

[JDee]

Horton's is owned by Restaurant Brands International now which resulted from a merger with Burger King. So I don't view them as a Canadian business anymore, just another multinational from some faceless conglomerate. The good thing about them is they are everywhere and the washrooms are usually clean unless the guy before you was a slob. The coffee is drinkable, not outstanding but not the worst either. Not stellar, but predictable and you kind of get used to it. Baked goods are OK, I'm a muffin guy and theirs are tolerable. The stores are all identical so you kind of feel at home anywhere, which is nice.