Fast-Paced Line-Up for Molson Grand Prix of Toronto

Three New Support Races Added to the Fastest Weekend of the Summer

Courtesy Courtesy Andrea Hynes

Toronto, Ontario/Friday, May 5, 2006: The Molson Grand Prix of Toronto REVolution is getting faster and more exciting with the announcement of the three new support series races added to its on-track schedule for July 7, 8 and 9, 2006 at Exhibition Place, Toronto Drift Mania, the Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship and the Atto Canadian Vintage GT Challenge.

This is an important year for the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto as we move forward with our new name, look and schedule of race week events, says Charlie Johnstone, president & CEO, Grand Prix Association of Toronto (GPAT). Each of these racing series offers a new and unique element to our three day festival of speed that will interest both avid fans and first-time visitors.

Sliding sideways at 120km/hour: Drift Mania
Originating in the mountains of Japan, Drift Mania features an explosive new racing style called drifting that takes motorsports to a whole new level and has just started to gain momentum in Canada and the United States. Rather than grip the asphalt, drift cars are built to be on the verge of being out of control for the duration of the race. Unlike a timed race, the one-on-one runs are judged by a panel of experts on the basis of speed, entry angle, length of slide and style points, all while being able to pressure opponents into making an error.

Some describe drifting as a collection of the best of what motorsports has to offer, says Barron Lau, president and CEO, Grand Tuner World Championship. The screeching tires, smoke clouds and incredible car control is something that will have Molson Grand Prix of Toronto fans wanting to rush the fence for a better look.

A sneak-peek at future racing champions: Formula Ford 2000
Drivers from Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and all corners of the United States will be contesting this year s Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship, which makes its first-ever visit to the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto s Exhibition Place circuit.

Representing one of the first rungs on the professional open-wheel auto racing ladder in North America, Formula Ford 2000 features cost-effective, modern, purpose-built, open-wheel race cars powered by either four-cylinder, double-overhead cam, fuel-injected 2.0-litre Ford Zetec engines, which produce around 160 hp, or the older, slightly less powerful, carbureted 2.0-litre Ford "Pinto" engines. All cars employ "slick" (treadless) Cooper Zeon racing tires and are capable of speeds in excess of 130 mph along Lakeshore Boulevard. Alumni include Champ Car World Series title-winners Jimmy Vasser and Scarborough, Ontario native, Paul Tracy.

A blast from the past: Atto Canadian Vintage GT Challenge
As the Canadian Vintage GT Challenge makes its debut at the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto, race goers can relive and celebrate the memorable events that captured the growth of motorsports making it what it has become today. The Atto Canadian Vintage GT Challenge creates a living spectacle enjoyed by those who remember the cars and drivers from the past, while piquing the interest of those seeing it for the first time. The series features dedicated drivers who love vintage cars and have a desire to maintain and race them in as close to the car s original condition as possible.

The Atto Canadian Vintage GT Challenge series showcases a variety of cars from the late 60 s through to the mid 80 s. There are forty cars running in four classes representing IMSA GT, Trans-Am, CASC and SCCA GT and Touring GT. This race features historic heavyweights such as Corvette, Cobra, Jaguar and BMW along with Porsche, Datsun and Triumph amongst others. A mix of high horsepower and excellent handling are combined with historic visual appeal to create thunder and lightning on the streets of Toronto s Exhibition Place track.

While this is an inaugural event for the Atto Canadian Vintage GT Challenge, vintage racing has been around for awhile and is a fast growing area of motorsports as more vintage cars become eligible for competition, says Jonathan Brett of Time Warp Racing. We are excited to have partnered with Molson Grand Prix of Toronto to introduce this series to race fans.

About the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto
New ownership, a new name and a new core team makes this a landmark year for the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto. For the past 20 years, Torontonians have celebrated a long-weekend of racing on their streets and 2006 promises to be another spectacular festival of international racers and exciting off-track entertainment. Tickets are on sale now at www.grandprixtoronto.com or by calling 1-416-872-2222.