It almost required an extra trailer to bring home all the hardware at the end of the 2017 season for a group of County racers. Husband and wife Ian Crerar, Michelle Laframboise and their son Cameron of ClearWater Design Racing, along with neighbour Emily Atkins of BBLS Racing, had a tremendous season road racing with CASC-OR this summer.

Crerar ran his Porsche 911 Turbo in the GT Challenge endurance series, on his own and with co-driver Guy Tremblay at three events, and with Andrew Comrie Picard at one. They brought home class podiums in five events, along with one second and one third overall. The team overcame issues throughout the season with a malfunctioning clutch, a minor fuel miscalculation and some driver change teething issues to take the overall title in the grand finale three-hour race at the last race weekend of the year on September 30 at the CASC Celebration at Mosport.

Crerar also campaigned his vintage 911 in the VARAC Classic driver’s challenge over the summer, putting in an epic effort at the final race weekend to take the overall title for the Classic grid by one point!

Part way through the season Crerar introduced a new car to his stable of Porsches, a GT3 Cup car, which he ran in CASC-OR GT Sprints, bringing home a first in class in the car’s debut outing.

Both Michelle Laframboise and Cameron Crerar made their road racing debuts this year, with Michelle campaigning her Mitsubishi Evo IX on the GT Sprints grids and Cameron driving a Panoz GTLS in VARAC Classic.

Michelle came to road racing as a very successful performance rally driver in Canada and the US. Her car-handling skills and driving experience were clearly evident to all who raced with her, as she took first in class at CTMP in her second race. In recognition of her successes this season she took home the CASC-OR Rookie of the Year trophy.

Cameron started the season late, but was a steady and successful racer in his bright orange Panoz, gaining enough points over four events to finish the year off in fourth place in his class, and gained sign off for his A-license. He earned three second place class podiums in the Ted Powell Races at Calabogie – along with a 4th and 5th overall. Cameron spent the entire summer with a big grin on his face.

Emily Atkins drives a rare 1994 BMW M3 Eurospec car, primarily in the VARAC Classic driver’s challenge. After starting the season in one class, she ‘broke out’ into the next fastest class of cars, losing precious podium points, but putting herself among a group of similar-speed competitors, and making for an exciting summer of competition. After seven race weekends with several podiums including a couple firsts, she takes home a big trophy for second in class and fourth overall in the VARAC Classic grid for the season.

Atkins also tried her hand at sprints racing, running in GT Sprints and VARAC in the same race weekend, and secured a pair of second place class results at the Peter Jackson Trophy Races at Shannonville.