Molson Diamond Indy

Molson Diamond Indy

NTT IndyCar Series
Location	Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada 44°03′00″N 78°40′40″W
Corporate sponsor	Molson
First race	1967
First USAC race	1978
Laps	76
Previous names	Telegraph Trophy 200 (1967-1968) Molson Diamond Indy (1977–1978)
Most wins (driver)	Bobby Unser (2) Dan Gurney (2)
Most wins (team)	Eagle (2) Oscar Olson (2)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Chassis: Eagle (4) (13) Engine: Ford (2)
Circuit information
Surface	Asphalt/Concrete
Length	3.957 km (2.459 mi)
Turns	10

The Molson Diamond Indy was an annual USAC Championship Car race. It was held in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. It was held from 1967 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1978.

In 1967, the first ever Indy race held in Canada was the Telegram Trophy 200, held at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario as part of the USAC Championship Car season. The race was won by Bobby Unser for his first career Indy victory. Following Dan Gurney’s victory in 1968, a group led by John Bassett and Imperial Tobacco made the first proposal to run both the 1969 Telegram Trophy Indy race and the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix at a new street circuit along Lake Shore Boulevard and through Exhibition Place with the start/finish line and pits to be located inside Exhibition Stadium.^[1][2][3] Bassett dropped the idea just as the bill was going through third reading before Toronto city council.^[4]

Drivers view towards the start finish line and turn 1 at the Princes' Gates

After a nine-year absence, IndyCars returned to the Toronto area for the Molson Diamond Indy at Mosport Park won by A. J. Foyt in 1977 and Danny Ongais in 1978.

Past winners

Season	Date	Driver	Team	Chassis	Engine	Race distance		Race time	Average speed (mph)	Report
						Laps	Miles (km)
USAC National Championship Trail
1967	July 1	Bobby Unser	Leader Cards Racing	Eagle	Ford	40	98.36 (158.295)	0:59:14	102.770	Report
						6	14.754 (23.744)
1968	June 15	Dan Gurney	Oscar Olson	Eagle	Weslake-Ford	40	98.36 (158.295)	0:56:45	105.727	Report
						40	98.36 (158.295)	0:55:16	108.564
1969 – 1976	Not held
1977	July 3	A. J. Foyt	A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Coyote	Foyt	75	184.425 (296.803 km)	2:03:35	90.733	Report
1978	June 11	Danny Ongais	Interscope Racing	Parnelli	Cosworth	76	186.884 (300.761 km)	2:08:38	87.164	Report
1979	Not held
1980	Sept 14	Race cancelled following unification of USAC and CART schedules.

• 1967: Run in two heats of 98 miles (158 kilometers/40 laps) each. Second race stopped after 6 laps due to rain.
• 1968: Run in two heats of 98 miles (158 kilometers/40 laps) each.

^[5][6]

References

1. Charters, David A. (2007). The Chequered Past: Sports Car Racing & Rallying in Canada, 1951-1991. University of Toronto Press. pp. 235–236. ISBN 978-0-8020-9394-3.
2. McDonald, Norris (June 10, 2017). "The Canadian Grand Prix has its own, unique story". The Toronto Star. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
3. Coates, Len, ed. (October 1968). GP & Tely race may be at C.N.E. (Magazine). Vol. 10. Toronto, Ontario: Cantrack Publishing Company Ltd. p. 52. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
4. Brockington, Robert J. (2001). Aykroyd, Steve; Jones, Neal (eds.). Mosport 1961-2001: Four Decades of Racing. Mosport International Raceway. p. 39.
5. "Mosport Park". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
6. "Mosport Park". Ultimate Racing History. Retrieved 9 December 2010.