▁during ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁Can ▁Am ▁race . ▁Two ▁drivers ▁in ▁practice ▁found ▁that ▁their ▁cars , ▁both ▁near ▁identical ▁L ola ▁T 7 0 ▁Can Am ▁cars , ▁launched ▁themselves ▁into ▁the ▁air . ▁Both ▁drivers ▁emer ged ▁unh urt ▁but ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁race . ▁The ▁Canadian ▁winter s ▁quickly ▁rendered ▁the ▁track ▁surface ▁very ▁b um py ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁attr ition ▁rate ▁was ▁quite ▁high ▁in ▁the ▁two ▁Canadian ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁Formula ▁One ▁events ▁st aged ▁at ▁the ▁circuit . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 4 0 ▁cars ▁entered ▁in ▁those ▁two ▁races ▁( 2 0 ▁each , ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 ), ▁ 2 1 ▁reached ▁the ▁check ered ▁flag ▁( with ▁only ▁ 1 6 ▁class ified ▁– ▁the ▁rest ▁finishing ▁too ▁far ▁behind ▁the ▁race ▁w inners ). ▁ ▁The ▁track ▁complex ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Montreal - based ▁fashion ▁mog ul ▁Lawrence ▁St roll ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁who ▁t apped ▁track ▁architect ▁Alan ▁Wilson ▁to ▁red es ign ▁the ▁circuit , ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁modern izing ▁its ▁safety ▁features ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁current ▁FI A ▁reg ulations . ▁The ▁resulting ▁re development ▁forced ▁the ▁park ▁to ▁close ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁racing ▁seasons . ▁ ▁A ▁major ▁over ha ul ▁of ▁the ▁circuit ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁allowed ▁more ▁domestic