Few things grab and hold my attention like sportscar racing and Formula 1. Being Canadian, you can also throw hockey into the mix too, but that’s an unavoidable reality that has been part of my life since I could barely walk.
Racing however, was not introduced to me until I was around 12 years old. It’s not something my parents ever cared for or knew anything about; rather, it was two uncles with vastly different backgrounds who got me into it.
My mom's brother Don has always been into muscle cars and motorcycles, building and racing both before he was probably legal to even drive. I remember my mom and her sisters telling me how he would scream down their small residential street like a bat out of hell, or hang out with his buddies in the garage tearing apart their machines, getting ready for the next weekend out on the track…or the street. Back then it really didn’t matter. I’ll never forget him riding his rebuilt Honda CBX1000 to our house when it was still snowing outside. From a young age, his free-spirited attitude struck a cord.
My Uncle Geoff was the first to “officially” introduce me to the sport. It started off with his old magazine subscriptions to Road & Track. Then there was Formula One and the Jacques Villeneuve vs. Michael Schumacher era. I was taught to love the Canadian and loathe the German. Being of German background didn't matter, I was in awe of a Canadian driving at such a global level – and winning the Drivers’ Championship was at least equivalent to hoisting the Stanley Cup. He was also the first person to take me to a race.
I remember the day vividly; he brought my brother, our Dad and I to the inaugural American Le Mans Series race at Mosport in 1999. I had no idea what it was about or what I was going to see, but when the line of cars came around the outside of turn 3B, something happened.
To me, they were exactly how racecars should look; the Saleen Mustang weaving side to side on the warm-up lap with yellow five-spoke wheels that are still engrained in my head. There was the iconic Porsche 911 GT1 driven by Alan McNish and Ralf Kellener. Next were the no. 91 and 92 Oreca Viper GTS-Rs – red with white racing stripes and the French flag on the side. When the Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S went by, the American V8 sent a rumble through my body that I can still feel to this day. These were the be-all, end-all.
I was equipped with my Dad’s Pentax SLR and zoom lens and no idea what I was doing. He gave me a quick two-minute lesson, told me what each setting would do, and away I went. I snapped a few memorable shots, many which are still away in a shoebox, but everything I need to remember is still in my head.
I returned with my uncle in 2000 and was introduced to the beginning of the dominant force that is Audi. McNish moved from Porsche to become a factory driver and pilot the race-winning R8 alongside future (and current) unofficial Mosport lap record-holder Rinaldo ‘Dindo’ Capello. Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela piloted the second R8, which was knocked out late in the race after being cut off by a TRG Porsche 911 GT3. Their dominance and determination was something to be revered.
Jump ahead and there have been a number of iconic sportscars – ALMS and Le Mans – that have kept my interest peaked through my teenage years and early twenties. From the black Ueno McLaren F1 LM, Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR (I saw Mark Webber flip live on TV during the 24 Hours), Saleen S7R, Porsche 911 GT1, BMW V12 LMR, Momo Ferrari 333SP, Toyota GT ONE, Bentley Speed 8 and countless yellow Corvettes; to more obscure models including the Lister Storm, Morgan Aero 8 and Marcos Mantara. These are just a few of the cars since my foray into sportscar racing that have kept me fascinated in more ways than I can explain.
I can also thank Test Drive: Le Mans on Dreamcast for keeping me busy during the off-season when I wasn’t doing homework or watching Hockey night in Canada.
What attracts me to sportscars versus other forms of motorsport is the dedication of the many members on every team. They aren’t racing against the clock, but with it. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is not a test of pure speed, but consistency in endurance. That has changed slightly over the years, but the fundamental principles of focus and hard work – from drivers to crew chiefs and mechanics – hasn’t changed. No driver in any other sport has to stay connected to their machine as long as someone in a sportscar. Although the races are shorter in American Le Mans competition, the order of operations remains - it’s preparation for the Sebring, Road Atlanta and Le Mans benchmarks.
It doesn’t hurt that the cars are unlike anything most people have ever seen either.
This weekend, I have the pleasure of taking part in my first American Le Mans Series race at Mosport with the factory-supported BMW Team RLL.
In previous years I would miss much of the race and events in the paddock from walking the entirety of the course, snapping photos and taking advantage of the beautiful landscape Mosport has to offer. This year I will be joining BMW Team RLL in the pits for the action behind the scenes. The team's previous M3 was not dissimilar to the ones that first caught my eye and those that continued to do so through the years.
As the M3 enters the tail end of its production, the team moved to the equally sleek and beautiful Z4 GTE, the no. 56 driven by Dirk Müller and DTM driver Joey Hand (John Edwards is sitting out this weekend), and the black no. 55 by Maxime Martin and Bill Auberlen, who drove the V12 LMR during my first race. The new 4.4-litre V8 has been dominant in GT3-spec overseas in the Blancpain Series. In it’s first year of ALMS competition as a GTE car, Team RLL has been pleasantly surprised, taking two of four races and a second place finish at Laguna Seca - in what was supposed to be a development year. Müller also leads the GT driver standings with 62 points, 14 ahead of his closest competition.
No longer equipped with a film SLR, I’ll be keeping track of all the action and live posting to our Twitter (@prnmag) and Facebook accounts. You may also find additional content at @jordanlenssen.
Joining me online is our Executive Editor Lee Bailie, who will be tweeting live play-by-play during Sunday’s final American Le Mans Series race at Mosport.
The ALMS has been a treat to watch for motorsport fans since it began in 1999. While it marks the end of an era in its final race at the newly-named Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, when the series merges with Grand-Am to become United SportsCar next year, it will mark the beginning of new memories and great racing for generations to come.
Stay tuned. In the meantime, here is the broadcast of the inaugural running of the ALMS at Mosport in full.
