PWC Open for Possible Race in Saskatchewan

Photo: Tourism Saskatoon/Nick Biblow

Pirelli World Challenge President President and CEO Greg Gill remains open to the possibility of taking the series to Saskatchewan, following discussions to host a race on the streets of Saskatoon.

The Canadian city, the largest in the Saskatchewan Province, has made a push in recent months to organize a race, through an initiative led by former ALMS driver John Graham.

Representatives from Saskatchewan, including its Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, attended the PWC round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in May, with Gill having made a trip to the city the following month for further discussions.

“Rather than hear about it second hand, I [decided] to actually visit,” Gill told Sportscar365.

“On my way to Road America, I came through and visited them, saw the city and met the city fathers. I think that it will be interesting to see if something develops there.

“How they’ve gone on record is that they’re having discussions. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Gill said he received a warm welcome to the city of 300,000 people, which is attempting to increase its tourism with a potential street race.

“From never in my mind having ever planned to visit Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, I was actually pleasantly surprised with the city, the organization, the chamber of commerce,” he said.

“It’s kind of what we wish we could put over Monterey or other areas that’s trying to get a good partnership with their communities.”

Graham, the President of On Ice Management Group, which has brought exhibition NHL games to the city, believes there’s an opportunity for top-level sports car racing in Saskatoon.

“It’s not that far of a stretch,” Graham told local news outlet CKOM.com.

He said there are multiple options and proposals for the location of the circuit, but admitted they are still in the early stages.

“We haven’t got to that point yet,” Graham said. “There are a number of areas you could do things but it has to fit into everybody’s plan.”

Whether PWC could ultimately add a second trip to Canada in the future remains to be seen, according to Gill, who has essentially ruled out the race appearing on its soon-to-be-released 2018 schedule.

“I think we’d have to hear back from them,” Gill said. “We’re pretty close on the [2018] calendar. There’s a couple of other venues that are more well known in the States that we’re looking at [for next year].”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John