Mosport's Racefest takes over Yonge-Dundas Square

TORONTO, ON – August 24, 2010 - In anticipation of the biggest sports car race of the year, the Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport, the famous track, now celebrating its 50th anniversary season kicked off its race week festivities with RaceFest at Yonge Dundas Square on Tuesday, August 24.

RaceFest highlights included exciting pit stop demonstrations with American Le Mans Series team, Green Earth Team Gunnar, piloted by Frankie Montecalvo in his ORECA FLM09 #99 LMP Challenge car.

Along with some of the best looking show cars which included BMW M3’s and a Panoz Prototype, there were nine drivers from this weekend’s races on hand.

American Le Mans Series drivers included Montecalvo, the Patron Highcroft Racing duo of Simon Pagenaud of France and Scotland’s Marino Franchitti, Toronto’s own Tony Burgess from the LMP Autocon Motorsports and Barrie, ON racer Kyle Marcelli, who this year has made the successful jump to the LMPC prototype class from another series.

Cooper Prototype Lites, a series that runs three unique classes at the same time were also in attendance.  Toronto native Robert Sabato and American Jonathan Bennett will race at Mosport this weekend in a Saturday/Sunday doubleheader. Torontonians Karl Thomson and Anthony Rapone were also on hand representing the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship.

There was plenty to see and do for downtown race fans, with a meet and greet with the drivers along with an autograph session with the series’ stars.

The on-track action begins on Thursday, August 26 with a series testing day for the Cooper Prototype Lites, Star Mazda Championship and the Playboy MX-5 Cup.  Don’t miss the big race on Sunday as the Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport drops the green flag at 3:05 pm.

For more information and to purchase tickets call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET), visit online at www.mosport.com, or email info@mosport.com

For further information: Ryan Chalmers, Mosport - ryan@mosport.com

Photo Credit – Radu Repanovici: Photo #1 (RaceFest – Pit Stop Demo)  An exciting pit stop demonstration with American Le Mans Series team, Green Earth Team Gunnar, piloted by Frankie Montecalvo in his ORECA FLM09 #99 LMP Challenge car.