Skip to main content

Canada’s Nissan Micra Cup Readies for More Exposure in 2016

Nissan Micra Cup Car
Photo Credit: Chris Nagy


Introduced in 2015 as one of the most affordable auto racing touring series in Canada, the showroom stock based Nissan Micra Cup excelled in providing a fun motorsports experience for drivers and race fans. Heading into the second year of Canadian racing, the 2016 Nissan Micra Cup will be fought in areas outside of the province of Quebec.

Planning 8 race weekends in 2016, the Nissan Micra Cup will involve two races in each event. Races held within the province of Quebec will continue to feature three staged at Circuit Mont-Tremblant as happened in 2015. Also serving as a return date for the Nissan-supported series sophomore season, the tour will also be part of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres again in 2016.

Three races will be held in Ontario that includes the season-opening race weekend at Calabogie Motorsports Park (a 5.05-kilometer track located west of Ottawa). The other two events in the province will take place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park operating as support races to the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix with IMSA and the Chevrolet Silverado 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series weekend.

As of Tuesday’s announcement of the schedule, a June date is listed at ‘TBA” or to be announced. Judging from the 2015 schedule, the opening appears to relate to the Formula 1 race weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The series reports that more than 90 percent of the drivers who competed last season will be back in the Nissan Micra Cup series for 2016. Minor rule adjustments in regards to fuel, wheel camber and qualifying will occur in the new year. With an average of 25 drivers taking part in each race of last season’s series, Olivier Bedard was crowned the 2015 Nissan Micra Cup champion.

In honour of the first year of the Nissan Micra Cup, a special edition version of the affordable subcompact has been commissioned for dealerships. The 2016 Micra Cup Limited Edition channels the outer appearance of the race car and coasts on 15-inch, 8-spoke street edition wheels. Only 250 examples of the Nissan Micra Cup Limited Edition will be sold starting in the springtime. .


2016 Nissan Micra Cup Race Schedule


May 14-15 Calabogie Motorsports Park
May 27-29 Circuit Mont-Tremblant
June ?         TBA
July 7-10                  Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
July 22-24 Circuit Mont-Tremblant
August 12-14 Circuit Trois-Rivières
September 2-4   Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
September 23-25 Circuit Mont-Tremblant


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Canadian Star Car: Red Green's Possum Van

Clip of Possum Van during a Red Green Show season 1 scene transition.  It could be argued that the car someone regularly drives can be reflective of their personality. The level of character traits found in our automobiles can range from subtle to flamboyant as practicality, style, power, brand loyalty and other details are factors influencing our vehicle affection. On the big screen and silver screen, an automobile (frequently popularized as a Star Car) can be used to affirmatively to expand on a human character. Batman’s Batmobile, the Dodge Charger called the ‘General Lee’ in Dukes of Hazzard, the Volvo P1800 featured in the 1960s television version of The Saint, the Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond in some of the most famous spy movies are some popular examples where vehicles play a major role in reinforcing the appearance of fictional individuals. Due to the budgetary constraints of Canadian media productions, the presence of native Star Cars is rare. However, one success...

Honda’s Secret 30th Anniversary In Indy Car Racing

Photo Credit: Engine Developments Ltd. Too many times, forgetting an anniversary would end with someone spending time in the proverbial doghouse. This has apparently happened this year as the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season concluded with no major celebrations or recognition for what is 30 years since a major current partner of American open wheel racing began participation in the sport. The following article is a collection of the details I’ve learned as well as some insight from engine builder John Judd on what was a quiet 30th anniversary in the Verizon IndyCar Series. During the week where the 30th running of the Canadian street race now known as the Honda Indy Toronto, I was compelled to capture the flavour of the inaugural event. The viewing experience provided me some insight into a period of time where I was too young to absorb auto racing in the manner I do today. A race that featured television coverage with no regular onscreen statistics, the league used a local ...

The 1967 Indy 500: When An STP-Sponsored Turbine Almost Changed Racing

Photo Credit: Uncredited Photographer/IMS LLC Racing has always been the ultimate proving ground for automobiles. Not only has competition promoted innovations big and small, race cars have also influenced overall vehicle appearance. At the 1967 Indianapolis 500, the STP-Paxton TurboCar fielded by the late Andy Granatelli provided a shocking example of how much racing at the speedway evolved over 56 years. Ever since the first 500-mile event was held at the 2.5-mile rectangular oval Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1911, the winning Marmon Wasp with a rearview mirror paved the way for what would be a grand showcase of automotive development. Accompanying “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” advancements in automobile technology showed greater sophistication with every passing decade in the quest for more speed. During the 1920s and 1930s, American race car designer Henry Miller offered groundbreaking engines to the Indianapolis 500. Miller also gave front-wheel drive technology it...