Shannonville, Ontario, October 11, 2019 – It is with great pleasure that we are announcing today that John Bondar and Steve Gidman have acquired the long-time privately-held Shannonville Motorsport Park (Shannonville). The new Bondar/Gidman team plans to revitalize what is widely known as the Birthplace of Champions! 

Shannonville is one of the few multi-purpose motorsport facilities in Canada. Sitting on 146 acres, it features a 4.03km multi-configurable racetrack, a go-kart track, a drag strip and a skid pad with three grandstands overlooking the main track. 

The new management team will provide a new vision and energy to build the facility into a multi-use event hub with an emphasis on corporate events while keeping a dedication to driving/racing/training programs. The facility is uniquely located approximately equidistant between Montreal and Toronto which allows it to attract customers from the two key markets in Eastern Canada.  Also, conveniently close to the international border, it provides access to the northeast United States, adding to its potential market another two million people within a three-hour drive of the facility. 

“There is a lot to be done and we will chip away at it. Our strategic plan will address the needs of our customers.  Shannonville will change the way people think about a motorsport park.  We believe in providing a stimulating and comprehensive experience that will inspire our future generations of Champions.  With a focus on excellence, our vision is to grow Canadian motorsport by creating a facility that will benefit the racing community. We have turned a historic page.  I am proud to be part of this transformation and I am grateful that Steve has joined me in this thrilling endeavour,” shared John Bondar, Managing Partner of Shannonville Motorsport Park.

“John and I share a great enthusiasm for motorsports and I look forward to working together to create a revitalized Shannonville Motorsport Park.  There’s plenty of work ahead and it will take time, but the result will be worth the wait,” explained Steve Gidman, Partner of Shannonville Motorsport Park.

Shannonville has a long and rich history in the Canadian racing industry. Here are a few historic milestones:

1974 – John Nelson builds the racetrack to organize motorcycle race events.

1979 – Jack Boxstrom buys the facility. Mr. Boxstrom operated car racing schools and motorcycle racing schools until he eventually sold the racing property.

1986 – Val David Motorsport Group (Raymond David) acquires Shannonville.  Mr. David made substantial improvements and invested significantly. From that moment, Shannonville Motorsport Park became very successful and an important player in the motorsport industry. It was the go-to place for many years, where future racing champions were trained to be the best.

1992 – While at its peak, Jean Gauthier saw a very profitable opportunity and purchased the racing facility.  

2019 – The Motorsport Group Inc. (John Bondar and Steve Gidman) acquires Shannonville Motorsport Park.

The new management team will take on their new role immediately. More details on renovation plans and overall improvements will be available soon.

About John Bondar

Driven from genuine passion, John has been involved in motorsport for over thirty years.  From early beginnings as a track marshal, he then raced at the amateur level with his father as the team mechanic. A few years later, he explored the administration of motorsport in Canada.  From 2003 to 2007, John was the President of CASC Ontario Region. While serving on the national advisory board, he became a trusted mentor to the other Regions across Canada and he has also been called upon by the Minister of Transportation Ontario to provide expertise in strategies to curb street racing activities.

 In 2007, John launched the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) and has grown it into the premiere Canadian sports car racing series that we know today.

About Steve Gidman

Steve was brought up in a family that modified everything with wheels to go faster and occasionally they still worked!  Steve began racing Formula Libre in the early ‘80s including numerous trips to Shannonville.  After taking a 30 year hiatus to raise a family and grow a technology business, Steve returned to racing in vintage sports cars.