Richard Coburn
IndIan Summer Trophy raceS GuIde W
elcome to the latest British Em- pire Motor Club (BEMC) event. BEMC was formed in 1928 and
has led the way in Canadian Motorsport ever since. The difference between these ‘amateur’ events and the ‘pro’ weekends is not in the level of racing or the commit- ment of the drivers, it is in the philosophy of the event. A ‘pro’ race weekend is primarily de-
signed for the entertainment of the specta- tors while a Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC) regional is for the competi- tors. That doesn’t mean the races are any less entertaining, but it does mean that as a spectator you have to work a little harder. The first thing you will notice is the
schedule has no fixed start times. In order to maximize the track time for the competi- tors the schedule is flexible. Each race follows the preceding one as
quickly as possible. That means there is no track cleanup and there are less than five minutes between races. The second thing is there are no score-
boards or play-by-play. There may be a track announcer (on 90.7FM on your radio), but definitely not the infrastructure
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WWW.CASC.ON.CA /
WWW.BEMC1928.CA
or staff of a ‘pro’ race. To really know what is going on, you may want your own stop- watch and lap chart. The best way to understand the different
race groups on the track is to spend some time in the paddock, checking out the cars and talking to the drivers. They are all friendly people and unlike a
‘pro’ event, all spectators have total access to the paddock. Just remember that these drivers are most often also their own crew, so they are busy people. Watch, listen and ask questions and you might even get put to work. Another great source of information is
the 100 plus volunteers who work to make the event happen. Those people in white on the corners
know what is happening on track and in the paddock. You will find a whole bunch of people
wearing white shirts with the BEMC logo. Any of those people will be happy to point you in the right direction.
CheCk online for updaTes If you really want to get a handle on things, check out
www.casc.on.ca where
What to expect at the British Empire Motor Club’s 58th Annual Indian Summer Trophy Races CASC-OR President Perry Iannuzzi races a GT4 Pontiac Trans-Am WS6 and is a BEMC member.
you can download all the rules for all the classes. If you have never been to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park before, don’t stay in the paddock or on the front straight all day. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a road
course and the best thing about a road course is exploring and finding your favourite place to watch races. Many peo- ple think the best place to watch is Moss Corner (Turn 5). You have to walk, but it is worth it. You haven’t really been to Canadian Tire
Motorsport Park until you have watched a race from Turn 5. Turn 2 is the most fa- mous of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s corners and is the easiest to get to as you can drive right up to it. Every great driver says he can take Turn 2 flat, but see how many actually lift. Turn 3 is another you can drive to and
even watch from your car if you’re lucky enough to get a parking spot trackside. Turn 9 is right next to the paddock and a short walk to see last corner pass attempts. For pure speed, spend a little time at Sta-
tion 7 on the back straight. Don’t take our word for it, explore and find your favourite spot. •
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