Gary Kwok and Zachary Vanier share wins in CTCC opener
Reigning TCR class champion Gary Kwok (M&S Racing, Honda Civic Type R) and 17-year old rookie Zachary Vanier (Pfaff Motorsports, Audi RS 3 LMS) shared honours in the opening event of the Canadian Touring Car Championship at Bowmanville’s Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Bob Attrell finished twice on the podium in his first outing at the wheel of his Hyundai Veloster N.
In Race 1, Tom Kwok started from the pole, while his brother Gary was eighth on the grid after a poor Qualifying. In the early stages Marco Cirone led from Bob Attrell and Vanier, but soon Gary Kwok joined in a four-way battle. The leading quartet ran in close formation for several laps, all cars covered by half-a-second, but halfway through the race Kowk moved into the lead and began to create a gap.
Eventually Gary Kwok took the chequered flag three seconds ahead of Bob Attrell, while Cirone completed the podium.
Bob Attrell was on pole for the second race but made a poor start and dropped to fifth behind Vanier, Gary Kwok, Cirone and Damon Sharpe. They delivered an exciting fight during the first part of the race. Vanier and Gary Kwok swapped the lead a couple of times, while Attrell climber to third.
Nose-to-tail, the leading trio pulled away from the rest of the field, the three cars covered by five/six tenths. In lap 14, Kwok took the lead from Vanier and tried to create a gap; Attrell lost contact, but Vanier did not and on lap 21 he managed to pass Kwok again. For the rest of the race, Kwok tried to retake the lead, but at no avail and in the final sprint he finished only 65 thousandths of a second behind Vanier, while Attrell was classified third.
Kwok is the first leader of the standings, but only by five points over Attrell.
The next event of CTCC will be at Shannonville on 15th/16th August.
Race 1
1. Gary Kwok (M&S Racing, Honda Civic Typer R FK7), 28 laps
2. Bob Attrell (Hyundai Racing Canada, Hyundai Veloster N), 3.082
3. Marco Cirone (Mark Motors Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 8.473
Race 2
1. Zachary Vanier (Pfaff Motorsports, Audi RS 3 LMS), 29 laps
2. Gary Kwok (M&S Racing, Honda Civic Typer R FK7), 0.065
3. Bob Attrell (Hyundai Racing Canada, Hyundai Veloster N), 3.668
Championship points
1. Gary Kwok 253 pts; 2. Bob Attrell 248; 3. Marco Cirone 232
Picture: CTCC
