When Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) first opened its gates in May of 1961 just outside of Bowmanville, Ontario, it immediately established itself as a cathedral of speed. Over the last six decades, its legendary, rolling asphalt has been graced by racing royalty, icons like Richard Petty, Niki Lauda, and Gilles Villeneuve. Mario Andretti has the final straightaway named after him, and Sir Stirling Moss famously helped design the iconic, hairpin Moss Corner.
But during the annual IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship weekend, the most intense battle isn’t unfolding between the multi-million dollar prototypes flying down the Mario Andretti Straightaway.
The real rivalry is happening on the grass.
Infield vs Outfield: The Ultimate Fan Battle
Perhaps the biggest reason people return to CTMP every summer isn't the racing at all. It's the people.
If you spend more than five minutes at CTMP during an IMSA weekend, you quickly realize the spectator map is divided into two fiercely loyal areas: the Infield and the Outfield.
This isn’t a one-off thing. This is a decades-old, deeply-entrenched part of CTMP fan culture (or “Mosport” as it was known before it got its new name). Campers proudly flash their infield or outfield wristbands like badges of honor, and they fly their flags passionately, insisting their vantage point is superior.
As the sun sets and the race engines quiet down, the noise gets louder. Playful chants boom across the circuit, with one side declaring that the other “sucks,” only for a wave of laughter and a counter-chant to echo back through the rural Ontario trees.
"It's all in good fun,” laughed Aaron, a three-time attendee, who makes it a family trip with his parents and girlfriend. “The back and forth at night is unmatched, some racy things may be said but never with mal intent.”
Despite the mock warfare, the rivalry is rooted in a deep, underlying camaraderie. The same fans who spend the midnight hours heckling each other across the track are the first to offer a jumper cable, share some hot food, or toss a cold beer to the “enemy” the next morning.
Building Their Own Worlds
The unique intensity of the IMSA weekend exists because these fans don’t just visit CTMP—they build their own mini-societies on the 900 acre plot.
Walk through the campgrounds and you’ll see the sheer creativity of a community that has fully moved in for the weekend. Some campsites feature custom-built scaffolding towering over the fence lines for unobstructed views of Turn 3. Others feature full-sized above ground pools positioned right on the track's edge. No matter who you’re cheering for or why you’re celebrating at CTMP, it is undoubtedly a community of inclusion.
You’ll even run into handmade signposts pointing toward legendary global circuits like Monza, Daytona, Suzuka, and Spa-Francorchamps. It’s a subtle reminder that while these people are camping in Bowmanville, they belong to a global, racing-obsessed family.
A Generational Inheritance
What fuels a fan culture this intense? For most, it’s literally in their DNA. You’ll find that more often than not, getting a prime campsite isn’t just a place to pitch a tent for four days, it’s a family heirloom.
“I remember sleeping on a blanket outside of our trailer on the infield as the cars roared past,” said Natalie Johnson, 20, whose family has been camping on the inside of Turn 3 for over 20 years. "I've been doing it since I was a kid, and my kids don’t know it yet but their July schedule is already booked. I’d even go as far as saying there is nowhere in the world I would rather be in the middle of July than turn three at Mosport.”
There’s a generational aspect to the camping experience, families' histories at the track long date that of their own births. It was their parents or grandparents who first claimed their spot on the grounds, and now it is up to the children to continue that legacy.
This multi-generational legacy creates an atmosphere you simply can’t replicate at newer, more modern tracks (at least for many more decades). Walk through any campground and you'll find neighbors chatting over shared campfires, offering someone a cold drink or helping another camper set up before the weekend begins. Beer coolers become communal with an unwritten promise of, "I've got you next time." Every summer brings another generation through the gates, keeping family traditions alive one race weekend at a time.
Unmatched Accessibility: Right Next to the Cars
That deep-seated fan loyalty is rewarded by the sheer accessibility of the Chevrolet Grand Prix weekend. You don’t need a VIP garage pass or a massive corporate sponsorship to feel like an insider at this track. Whether you’re a day-tripper, or a die-hard fan who’s camping out for the long haul, a general admission ticket puts you right in the middle of the action with access to garages and grid walks.
"There is a certain magic in knowing you are walking on the same ground those icons who made the sport for you once roared by on,” remarked veteran attendee, Bill, about the fan track walks. He’d been participating in them for well-over 20 years. "It makes you feel like you’re a part of that history and legacy."
During the morning practice sessions, the atmosphere seems to hit all five senses. The scent of the high-octane race fuel and burning rubber fills the morning air as the field takes the green flag, sending a literal physical shockwave through the crowd.
“When your chest vibrates while watching, it’s like you’re a part of the car,” remarked one fan that I overheard in passing. They managed to perfectly capture the feeling I had being up-close to the cars that anyone with a general admission ticket gets to experience. Whether you're hearing the sharp squealing of brakes or a heart-stopping crash into the barriers, you instinctively turn your head to the people around you. Here, everyone is close enough to have caught that, too.
Why Fans Keep Coming Back
By Sunday afternoon, the checkered flag drops, the high-revving prototypes are loaded into their haulers, and the campfires slowly burn out. As the line of trucks and trailers filters toward the highway, the conversation in the campsites has already shifted to next year. Friends make plans, neighbors say their goodbyes (for now), and families pack away the same trailers they'll bring back the following summer.
That's what makes Canadian Tire Motorsport Park different. Fans come for the racing, but they return for everything built around it. For some, it's history. For others, it's the camping, the traditions or the friendships that have lasted decades. Whatever first brings someone through the gates, it's often the people who keep them coming back, and getting to tell the ‘opposing side’ why they suck.
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