Subject: Re: [Fot] Manifest for Kastner Cup (Entering/exiting Canada w a trailer etc)

From: Philip Gott <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2026 07:55:00 -0400

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<html class=3D"apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equi=
v=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body dir=3D=
"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D=
"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8">Thanks!<div>Very helpful.</div><div>Sort to hea=
r you can=E2=80=99t make it.</div><div>Regards,</div><div>Phil</div><div><br=
 id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir=3D"ltr">Sent from my iPhone=
</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Apr 7, 2026, at 7:39=
=E2=80=AFAM, Mark Cook &lt;[email-masked]&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockquot=
e></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Phil,</div><div><br></div><div>While I cannot make it=
, republishing Henry's guide to Mosport from last year.</div><div><br></div>=
<div>-----Original Message-----<br>From: yellow04 [mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:=
[email-masked]">[email-masked]</a>] <br>Sent: Sunday, June 22,=
 2025 4:12 PM<br>To: Mark Cook<br>Cc: Friends of Triumph Group Email<br>Subj=
ect: Entering/exiting Canada w a trailer etc<br><br>It just so happens that I=
 was asked this year by the event chair of the <br>VARAC Vintage Grand Prix t=
o provide a writeup from an American=EF=BF=BDs <br>perspective to the border=
 crossing, and what follows is the text I <br>prepared for her that was sent=
 to all US based racers. As everyone <br>should know by now, the 2026 Kastne=
r Cup will be at Mosport, (currently <br>known as Canadian Tire Motorsports P=
ark) and folks from the States will <br>obviously need to cross the US/Canad=
ian border with their fully loaded <br>race rigs. The subject of the border c=
rossing comes up every time I talk <br>to a fellow racer about experiencing M=
osport, everyone is concerned that <br>something bad will happen at the bord=
er. In the almost 20 times I have <br>done it, I have never had a problem.<b=
r><br>~~~<br><br>An American racer's perspective to the border crossing<br><=
br>I have been asked to provide an American's perspective to the biggest <br=
>obstacle we have to race in Canada, the border crossing. We have been <br>e=
njoying the VARAC Vintage Festival at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park <br>(Mo=
sport) for about 20 years. The border crossing question is the one I <br>hea=
r all the time when trying to convince my American friends they need <br>to c=
heck out my favorite race weekend of the season.<br><br>My rig has always be=
en an RV pulling an enclosed trailer. First a small <br>Class C, now a mediu=
m size Class A. Our point of entry is Thousand <br>Islands, and friends who u=
se the Lewiston Bridge (Niagara Falls) <br>crossing report the same experien=
ce.<br><br>The basics:<br><br>Passports are required for everyone in the rig=
. Have all the passports <br>in your hand as you drive up to the border agen=
t and hand them over as <br>you exchange pleasantries.<br>&nbsp;</div><div>D=
o not hand the border crossing guard anything other than your <br>passport(s=
). If they need anything else, they will ask for it. Anything <br>you give t=
o the border agent, they will take the time to read and <br>understand, and y=
ou will complicate matters and lose time. The only <br>additional informatio=
n I have ever been asked to provide entering Canada <br>is the license numbe=
r of the RV because my trailer blocks their camera <br>view.<br>&nbsp;</div>=
<div>Be prepared with documentation should you need it. Current <br>registra=
tion and insurance information on your tow rig and trailer. Log <br>book for=
 the race car. (I have a couple results sheets that show my name <br>next to=
 the car make and model) I always have this information at arms <br>reach bu=
t have never been asked to produce it.<br><br></div><div>Keep in mind your i=
nteraction with any border guard will go much <br>smoother and faster if you=
 remain pleasant and answer all questions <br>succinctly without interjectin=
g any humor. Remember Dragnet? Just the <br>facts, ma'am.&nbsp; That's your m=
antra when talking to any border agent!<br><br></div><div>Do not attempt to b=
ring any firearms of any kind, or any prohibited <br>substances to Canada. E=
ducate yourself on what your limits for alcohol <br>and tobacco are, and wha=
t is prohibited.<br><br>One of the items folks talk about is the requirement=
 of a list of the <br>contents of your trailer. Preparing this list seems li=
ke a daunting <br>task, but here are two pieces of good news. First, an acce=
ptable list <br>does not need to identify every item in a tote or toolbox, j=
ust the <br>number of totes or toolboxes. If I were to do a list for my rig,=
 it <br>would include the race car, bicycle, 1 large tote of tools, three me=
dium <br>sized totes with tools and spare race car parts for my personal use=
, one <br>tall toolbox, one short toolbox, two trailer spares, 4 race car wh=
eels <br>and tires, two fuel jugs, 1 pair Race Ramps and a canopy. Done.<br>=
<br>The other piece of good news, it seems very few veterans of the border <=
br>crossing even bother with a list anymore. In all the years I have been <b=
r>racing in Canada, I have been asked for my list once, and it was not <br>f=
rom the border agent. It was from a person walking the line of vehicles <br>=
waiting to enter the US. When I told her I didn't have one, she was <br>slig=
htly annoyed and instructed me to prepare the list for next time and <br>kep=
t walking.<br><br>I didn't find any guidance on the US Customs and Border Pr=
otection <br>website about this list of personal property you intend to take=
 with you <br>to and from Canada. If it is there, it is buried deep! I haven=
't <br>prepared a list in years.<br><br>Some thoughts on each crossing:<br><=
br>Entering Canada:<br><br>Keep in mind the Canadians are concerned about wh=
ere we are going and <br>what we are doing in their country. Naturally, thei=
r job is stopping any <br>prohibited items from entering Canada, and to make=
 sure people bringing <br>goods for resale in Canada pay whatever duty or ta=
riff they might owe. <br>Since we are going to bring all our stuff home with=
 us, this does not <br>apply to us, racers do not have pay any duty. So be p=
repared for <br>questions about what you are bringing into Canada. I always s=
ay we are <br>participating in a race weekend at Mosport in Bowmanville, Ont=
ario and <br>my race car is in the trailer. Our experience with the Canadian=
 Border <br>guards has always been very easy, and it is for most people. In t=
hese <br>days of Big Brother, when your passport gets scanned by the border <=
br>agent, they see all kinds of data pop up, and their questions will <br>re=
flect what they see.&nbsp; I believe if you have a permit to carry <br>conce=
aled firearms, that pops up and expect more questions about guns. <br>That k=
ind of thing. One question I get occasionally is When was the <br>last time y=
ou were in Canada? Now I think about that one in advance so <br>I have the c=
orrect answer ready. Assuming you have lived a clean life <br>without runnin=
g afoul of the authorities, the border guard should <br>process you in a cou=
ple minutes and send you on your way.<br><br>Returning to the US:<br><br>Kee=
p in mind the US agents are most concerned about stopping illegal <br>immigr=
ation and the importation of illegal substances. It seems a racer <br>return=
ing to the States on a Sunday or Monday does not seem to be a big <br>risk. W=
e typically get a couple of softball questions and are sent on <br>our way. W=
hen world affairs warranted it, I had my RV boarded by guards <br>looking fo=
r undeclared people. I have been asked by the agent for the <br>keys to my e=
nclosed trailer for an inspection that consisted of opening <br>the back doo=
r and peering in with a flashlight. Neither of these have <br>happened in se=
veral years. If anything like these things happen, just <br>let the border f=
olks do their job, and you will be on your way in short <br>order.<br><br>Af=
ter you get a couple of border crossings under your belt, you realize <br>it=
 is no big deal. Then your biggest concern shifts to how long the line <br>i=
s to get processed!<br><br>~~~<br><br>The Triumphs returning to Mosport will=
 be a pretty big deal. The <br>Canadians are excited to have us. The event i=
s by far the best race <br>weekend I attend every year. The track is legenda=
ry, the racing is <br>extraordinary. More details once we get past Lime Rock=
 over Labor Day <br>weekend!<br><br>Henry Frye<br>KCup chair, 2025 and 2026<=
br>860.508.3118 (m)<br><br></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_q=
uote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at=
 6:57=E2=80=AFAM Philip Gott &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">vfracin=
[email-masked]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D=
"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-lef=
t:1ex">How detailed a manifest do we need to cross the border (both directio=
ns)? For example: can we say =E2=80=9Ctwo toolboxes of tools=E2=80=9D or do w=
e need to detail each tool?<br>
Phil<br>
<br>
Sent from my iPhone<br>
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