In 2015, the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) was in its ninth season. With sponsorship from Continental Tires, the series consisted of seven race weekends at five different tracks in Ontario and Quebec. The series opened in May on the Victoria Day Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Following CTMP, teams would compete at Shannonville Motorsport Park, Toronto, Circuit ICAR, and Trois-Rivieres. The final two race weekends would see the championship return to CTMP and Circuit ICAR.

One of the series biggest changes in 2015 was the elimination of the B-Spec category and the return of Grand Touring. There was a Grand Touring class in the series first season. The championship has three different groups which compete in the same race.

  • Touring: This is intended to be an entry-level category. Vehicles competing in this class are allowed minimal performance enhancements. Engine, suspension and chassis modifications are not allowed. Changes can be made to the ignition and exhaust systems. Brake rotors can also be replaced provided they meet the OE specs. Manufacturers represented in this group include the – Mini Cooper S, Honda Civic Si, Acura RSX and Hyundai Tiburon.
  • Super Touring: Super Touring includes many of the same makes and models found in Touring. However, this category allows engine modifications, changes to the suspension, upgrades to the brakes and aerodynamic body enhancements. Additional manufacturers competing in this group include BMW and Porsche.
  • Grand Touring: The BMW M3, Porsche 996 and Ford Mustang are three of the most popular vehicles racing in this category. Like Super Touring, some changes and modifications are permitted. Cars in this class are typically powered by six or eight-cylinder engines. Of the three groups, these cars produce the most horsepower.

    Rounds seven and eight of the 2015 Canadian Touring Car Champion were contested at Circuit ICAR. The track is built on the runways of the formerly active Mirabel International Airport. Two forty-minute races would be contested on the fourteen-turn 2.113-mile road course.

    • The round eight Super Touring category podium. In the center, is the winner Mathieu Audette who swept the weekend and also won the first two events at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Standing to Audette’s right is the runner-up and defending class champion, Roger Ledoux. The final position on the podium belongs to Nick Wittmer who earned the spot after an exciting race with Gary Kwok.
    As the engine in the No. 6 Lombardi Racing Honda Civic Si was not homologated for the Super Touring category, the team chose to enter the car in Grand Touring. The Honda was driven by Benjamin Distaulo who qualified fourth overall and first in class for round seven. In the weekend’s first race, he won the category by a large margin. On Sunday, DiStaulo’s competition was closer but the outcome was still the same.
    Audette Racing entered three cars Circuit ICAR. Fastest of the three drivers in qualifying was Remy Audette but electrical problems in the both races ended his chances for a good result. Team leader, Francios Audette scored eighth and ninth place finishes. The third member of the team, Mathieu Audette won both Super Touring class races. Mathieu was 'four-for-four' as he was victorious in the two opening rounds at CTMP.
    Qualifying on the Touring car pole by just 0.279-seconds was Alain Lauziere driving the Octane Motorsport Mini Cooper S. In round seven, Lauziere had a terrific battle mid-race with his teammate, Michel Sallenbach, but got the ‘upper hand’ and took the class victory. On Sunday, Lauziere went unchallenged and won the Touring category by a margin of 1.164-seconds.
    Defending Super Touring champion, Roger Ledoux had second place locked up in Saturday’s contest but he ran out of gas on the last lap - Ledoux was able to salvage a third place finish. The following day he started second overall and in class. Ledoux maintained his position all the way to the checkered flag and earned the runner-up spot.
    Sunday’s Touring class podium. In the center is Alain Lauziere of Octane Motorsport who took the victory in both the ICAR rounds. To Lauziere’s right is his teammate, Michel Sallenbach who finished in the runner-up position on Sunday and was third the previous day. Completing the podium is Jocelyn Hebert – driver of the Équipe 89 Racing Team Honda Civic Si.
    Michel Sallenbach drove the No. 46 Octane Motorsport prepared Mini Cooper Coupe. Sallenbach started round seven fifteenth overall and third in the Touring category. He took turns leading the class mid-race with his teammate Alain Lauziere but had to settle for a third place finish. On Sunday, his results were better as Sallenbach was in the runner-up spot at the checkered flag.
    Round three winner Nick Wittmer drove the No. 91 Ste-Rose Honda Racing Honda Accord Coupe. In Saturday’s race, Wittmer started and finished fifth. Sunday’s contest proved to be much more exciting as he dueled with Gary Kwok in the M&S Racing Mitsubishi for third. Kwok developed an engine issue and Wittmer was able to pass him on the last lap for a third place finish.
    Making his first appearance in the series was Pierre-Andre Gosselin driving the Target Racing Nissan 370Z. Gosselin competed in the Grand Sport category. In the weekend’s first race, he finished fourteenth overall and second in class after starting at the back of the grid. On Sunday, he repeated his performance and was the Grand Touring runner-up at the checkered flag.
    Karl Wittmer finds himself in the middle of an Octane Motorsport sandwich. Wittmer was gridded second in Touring for the weekend’s first event. Driving of the No. 82 Ste-Rose Racing Honda Civic Si, he captured the Touring class runner-up position in round seven. The following day, Wittmer started fourth but an ignition problem early in the contest dropped him out of contention – he finished eighth in Touring.
    Super Touring points leader Eric Hochgeschurz started the weekend by qualifying sixth in the 8Legs BMW 330i. In round seven, issues for the faster Super Touring qualifiers - Remy Audette, Scott Nicol, Nick Wittmer and Roger Ledoux - allowed Hochgeschurz to inherit second place finish. He was not so lucky on Sunday – Hochgeschurz suffered a brake failure and retired on lap-10.
    The third driver to earn back to back victories at Circuit ICAR was Benjamin Distaulo. Competing in his first two races of the season, Distaulo took the Grand Touring honours. On the left side of the podium is Pierre-Andre Gosselin who finished in the runner-spot in rounds seven and eight. Ian Crerar was third in both races. On Saturday his Porsche 996 developed problems during the contest and Crerar had to race his Mitsubishi the following day.

    FINISHCLASSDRIVERSPONSOR / CARLAPSRETIREMENTS
    1Super TouringMathieu AudetteAudette Racing Team / Acura RSX Type S23-
    2Grand TouringBenjamin DistauloLombardi Honda Racing / Honda Civic23-
    3Super TouringEric Hochgeschurz8Legs Racing / BMW 330i23-
    4Super TouringRoger Ledoux Lachute Performance / Subaru WRX Sti23-
    5Super TouringNick WittmerSte. Rose Honda Racing / Honda Accord Coupe23-
    6Super TouringGary KwokM&S Racing / Mitsubishi EVO X23-
    7TouringAlain LauziereOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S23-
    8TouringKarl WittmerLombardi Honda Racing / Honda Civic Si23-
    9TouringMichel SallenbachOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S23-
    10TouringJocelyn Hebert89 Racing Team / Honda Civic Si23-
    11TouringPaul GravelOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S22-
    12TouringEric LeblancFUELD / Honda Civic Si22-
    13Super TouringNathalie HenaultLachute Performance / Subaru WRX STI22-
    14Grand TouringPierre-Andre GosselinTARGET Racing Team / Nissan 370Z22-
    15Grand TouringIan CrerarClearWater Design Racing / Porsche 99622-
    16TouringSamantha TanOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S22-
    17Super TouringMarc-André BergeronMasif Performance / Mazda RX-821-
    18Super TouringFrancois AudetteAudette Racing Team / Porsche Cayman S21-
    19Super TouringScott NicolVelocity Motorsports Club / Honda Civic Si13Did Not Finish
    20Grand TouringPascal CarrePCS Motorsports / BMW M312Did Not Finish
    21Super TouringBob AttrellBlanchet Motorsports / Hyundai Genesis Coupe7Did Not Finish
    22Super TouringRemy AudetteAudette Racing Team / Honda Civic Si5Did Not Finish
    23Super TouringTom KwokM&S Racing / Acura CSX Type S3Did Not Finish
    24Super TouringDamon SharpeBlanchet Motorsports / Hyundai Genesis Coupe3Did Not Finish

    FINISHCLASSDRIVERSPONSOR / CARLAPSRETIREMENTS
    1Super TouringMathieu AudetteAudette Racing Team / Acura RSX Type S18-
    2Super TouringRoger Ledoux Lachute Performance / Subaru WRX STI18-
    3Super TouringNick WittmerSte. Rose Honda Racing / Honda Accord Coupe18-
    4Super TouringScott NicolVelocity Motorsports Club / Honda Civic Si18-
    5Super TouringGary KwokM&S Racing / Mitsubishi EVO18-
    6Super TouringTom KwokM&S Racing / Acura CSX Type S18-
    7TouringAlain LauziereOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S18-
    8TouringMichel SallenbachOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S18-
    9TouringJocelyn Hebert89 Racing Team / Honda Civic Si18-
    10TouringPaul GravelOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S18-
    11TouringEric LeblancFUELD / Honda Civic Si18-
    12Grand TouringBenjamin DistauloLombardi Honda Racing / Honda Civic17-
    13Super TouringNathalie HenaultLachute Performance / Subaru WRX STI17-
    14TouringSamantha TanOctane Motorsport / Mini Cooper S17-
    15Grand TouringPierre-Andre GosselinTARGET Racing / Nissan 370Z17-
    16Super TouringMarc-André BergeronMasif Performance / Mazda RX-817-
    17Super TouringFrancois AudetteAudette Racing Team / Porsche Cayman S17-
    18Grand TouringIan CrerarClearWater Design Racing / Mitsubitshi Lancer EVO16-
    19TouringKarl WittmerLombardi Honda Racing / Honda Civic Si16-
    20Super TouringRemy AudetteAudette Racing Team / Honda Civic Si16-
    21Super TouringEric Hochgeschurz8Legs Racing / BMW 330i10Mechanical
    22Super TouringDamon SharpeBlanchet Motorsports / Hyundai Genesis Coupe9Did Not Finish
    23Super TouringBob AttrellBlanchet Motorsports / Hyundai Genesis Coupe0Fire
    24Grand TouringPascal CarrePCS Motorsports / BMW M312Mechanical

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