Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120
Round 6 of the 2022 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge
July 1-2, 2022
Racetrack: Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
2.459-mile road course, features 10 turns
Race: Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 4:10pm EST
Listen: Live radio commentary for every session at
www.IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com
FAST FACTS:
Team Canada: Coming off their first victory as teammates, Canadians Mark Wilkins and Robert Wickens return home to race at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (CTMP) this weekend. Wilkins hails from Hamilton and Wickens from Guelph, and both grew up racing and watching their heroes at this very track. Their win last weekend at Watkins Glen represented Wickens’ first victory since he began racing with hand controls just five races ago. It was Wilkins sixth IMSA victory. The #33 Elantra N TCR has a special look to commemorate Team Canada, the rear-view mirrors are wrapped in the Canadian flag featuring the maple leaf.
Mid-Season Milestones: Harry Gottsacker set a record for the IMSA TCR category, scoring more pole positions than any other driver, with six poles won. Gottsacker and his teammate, Parker Chase rotate duties for qualifying and finishing the race. The duo, who are longtime friends and both hail from towns near San Antonio, Texas scored their first win as teammates at Mid-Ohio. It was also the first win of the 2022 season for BHA and Hyundai. AJ Muss enjoyed a career milestone last weekend at Watkins Glen, he and his new for 2022 teammate, Ryan Norman finished third and scored Muss’s first IMSA podium finish. The duo have been quick since race one at Daytona when Muss qualified on the front row. Mason Filippi and his 17-year-old teammate, Tyler Maxson have consistently been the quickest qualifiers in 2022. Maxson kicked off his relationship with BHA on a high note by winning the pole position at Daytona. Filippi followed it up with poles at Sebring and Watkins Glen. They are three for five heading into the second half of the season. Michael Johnson has also had a strong season of qualifying, having started inside the top seven in four of five events. By comparison, at this point last season, Johnson’s average starting position was 10th. Johnson and his co-driver Stephen Simpson are the only BHA drivers to have finished every race inside the top-ten.
In the Points: Defending back-to-back titles in the Manufacturers championship, Hyundai currently has a 60-point lead over Alfa Romeo. 2021 TCR Champions Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis have three second place finishes this season, they are in second place in the standings, just 30 points out of the series lead with 1370 points. Harry Gottsacker, Parker Chase and the #98 Elantra N TCR team are ranked third with 1300 points.
There have been a few bumps in the road for the BHA team in the first half of the season, the TCR category is ultra-competitive, and the racing has been intense. Contact and misfortunes have struck several of the BHA entries, leaving just two of six Elantra N TCR cars inside the top-five in the series standings at the halfway point. With podiums, wins, and poles under their belts this year, the #2, #33, #54 and #77 are set for a stronger second half. Their current team rankings are 6th (#33 Wickens and Wilkins), 8th (#54 Johnson and Simpson) 9th (#2 Muss and Norman) and 13th (Filippi and Maxson).
