Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com – August 20, 2025

In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers discusses the big news from around the world of racing, as well as covering the action taking place at home and abroad.

Hands up anybody who remembers the big announcement about a rich Malaysian forming a new Formula One team way back in 2012. The team was named Caterham and it only lasted two years before going into administration.

Apparently a company named Saad Kassis-Mohamed Capital wants to revive the dormant team and enter the series in two years. There was a huge outcry when Cadillac was seeking entry as the 11th team due to the revenue being shared by eleven teams instead of the existing ten. We’ll just have to wait and see the protestations if a 12th team is added.

BREAKING NEWS – N’OH CANADA – Today, NASCAR unveiled the 2026 schedules for its three ‘national’ touring series (Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (currently Xfinity) and Craftsman Truck Series). While there had been whispers of a possible return to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the Trucks and O’Reilly and/or Cup going to Montreal, none of those things happened.

In a press conference after the schedules were released, NASCAR’s Ben Kennedy said, “Yeah, we’d love to be both north of the border and south of the border in the future and potentially beyond that at some point. We’ve had a handful of conversations with a few groups north of the border interested in a national series race. We haven’t been able to deliver that yet. But I would say that is something at that we’re taking a look at as we think about 2027 and beyond. We have some good relationships up there. I think the good news is we have experience bringing both our O’Reilly Series and our Craftsman Truck Series north of the border with a handful of promoters. Nothing to report today, obviously, but something that is high on our consideration set for ’27.”

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BIG NEWS – from Jayski – “Halmar Friesen Racing announced today that Canadian Super Late Model standout Cole Butcher (right) will pilot the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in the upcoming UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol Motor Speedway, on September 11.”

Butcher, of course, is the 26-year-old Late Model ace from Nova Scotia who has made a big name for himself racing on the ASA National Tour Series in the US. And he is definitely jumping into the deep end making his Truck debut at Bristol. Canada will be cheering for him that’s for sure.

One of the coolest events on the weekend was the appearance of 24 nostalgic IROC cars at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. The list of drivers was VERY impressive including Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Ken Schrader and others. The event was put together by Ray Evernham who is the title holder of the IROC name along with his partner Rob Kauffman. The cars included Camaros, Firebirds, Porsches, Dodge Daytonas and even a Dodge Avenger. Tomy Drissi won the race Saturday followed by Dario Franchitti and Kurt Busch, all three driving Pontiac Firebirds.

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NASCAR Cup Series – In qualifying for the race Saturday night at Richmond Raceway Ryan Preece (Ford) won the pole over Tyler Reddick (Toyota) and A.J. Allmendinger (Chev). Ford/Toyota/Chev. 38 cars, 16 Chevs, 12 Fords and 10 Toyotas.

Everything went smoothly in Stage 1 with second place starter Tyler Reddick getting the stage win. Interestingly at the 100 lap mark it was three Toyotas followed by three Fords followed by three Chevs.

The first race caution came out on lap 181 when Reddick got hit by Ty Gibbs and spun into the wall. Gibbs had been tagged by Daniel Suarez. It’s always been said that cautions breed cautions and that was the case at Richmond. On lap 191 Cody Ware spun on corner 2 exit after contact from John Hunter Nemechek for the second race yellow. One lap after the restart Chase Briscoe got sideways in the pack going into 3 and at least ten cars got collected. After that happened Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott got together in 4 while slowing down. Caution 3!! The in-car cameras were amazing showing the wrecks in real time!! Bubba Wallace won Stage 2. The final stage ran caution free and Austin Dillon won the race over Suarez and Ryan Blaney.

In the points William Byron continues to lead with a 68-point edge on Chase Elliott and 73 on Denny Hamlin. Byron wins the regular season championship.

Next race – Daytona, Saturday at 7.30 P.M. on TSN 5 and NBC.

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BARRIE AUTOMOTIVE FLEA MARKET: This weekend, Bonfield Event Park plays host to the Vinnie Cup bracket racing drag races, a car show, and the Bonfield Automotive Flea Market. The flea market runs August 22-24. The BAFM offers everything from collectibles and classic cars to those hard-to-find car parts. Bonfield Event Park is located just off Hwy. 17 between North Bay and Mattawa. Campers are welcome. Visit www.thebafm.com or call (705) 487-3663 for info.

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NASCAR  Xfinity Series – Next race – Daytona, Friday at 7.30 P.M. on CW and USA.

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CASC-OR: The Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs – Ontario Region – Next up for Ontario’s road racing sanctioning body is the Ottawa Sports Car Club (OSCC) Calabogie Summer Classic at Calabogie Motorsports Park. That event happens this weekend (August 22 – 24). For info about all things CASC-OR click HERE.

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NASCAR Craftsman Trucks – In qualifying for the final regular season race at Richmond Raceway Friday points leader Corey Heim (Toyota) nabbed the pole over Ty Majeski and Layne Riggs (both in Fords). Stewart Friesen’s replacement driver Kaden Honeycutt started 11th. 37 Trucks, 18 Chevs, 10 Fords and 7 Toyotas. Majeski won the caution-free Stage 1. The first yellow came out on lap 90 when Spencer Boyd and Luke Fenhaus got together in 2. On lao 108 Dawson Sutton rolled to a stop at pit in bringing out the second yellow. Majeski also won Stage 2. Majeski luck appeared to end on lap 200 when he got together with Matt Crafton spinning 4. However he came back to finish 2nd behind winner Heim with Riggs 3rd. Honeycutt finished 10th. It was Heim’s seventh win of the season.

In the points Heim leads Riggs by 39 and Chandler Smith by 46.

Next race – Darlington, Friday, August 30.

Formula One – Next race – Zandvoort, Sunday, August 31.

IndyCar – Next race – Milwaukee, Sunday at 2 P.M. on Fox.

IMSA – Next race – VIR, Sunday.

NHRA – The series dropped into Brainerd for the last race before Indy.

Top Fuel – Doug Kalitta once again was quickest of the 14 entries in qualifying with a 3.655 at 339.36. However Shawn Langdon took out Kalitta in the #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Top Fuel Challenge running a 3.742 at 334.32. Kalitta ran a 3.670 at 338.77 to top Clay Millican in the final. 3 ‘upsets’ (lower qualified car wins) and 4 ‘smokers’ (one or both cars lose traction).

Funny Car – ‘Fast Jack’ Beckman topped 16 entries with a 3.879 at 330.63. Canadian Spencer Hyde qualified 11th with a 3.942. Jack also won the #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Funny Car Challenge running a 3.942 at 324.59 to beat Matt Hagan. Austin Prock won the final running a 3.907 at 321.50 to beat J.R. Todd. 6 upsets, 5 smokers.

Pro Stock – Unsurprisingly veteran Greg Anderson clocked the quickest time to top the 18 entrants running 6.555 at 208.23. Canadian Eric Latino qualified 9th with a 6.605. He also won the #2Fast2Tasty Pro Stock Challenge putting down a 6.561 at 208.23 to beat teammate Dallas Glenn. The same result with Anderson taking out Glenn with a 6.551 at 206.86. 5 upsets, 3 smokers.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock – Brad Waddle topped the 5 entries running 6.323 at 221.71. John DeFlorian, Jr. Ran a 6.325 at 221.67 to defeat Mike Coughlin. 1 upset.

Top Fuel Bike – Not surprising anybody Larry ‘Spiderman’ McBride was the quickest of the 5 bikes with a 4.812 at 242.67. McBride ran a 5.881 at 126.32 to win as Mitch Brown hurt his motor in the semis and couldn’t make the final. 1 upset.

Next race – Indy, September 1.

NASCAR CANADA SERIES: This Saturday, Canada’s NASCAR series makes its annual visit to Mirabel, Quebec’s Circuit ICAR for the Evirum 100. Visit the NASCAR Canada website for more information about the event and series.

BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY: This Saturday (August 23) at The BOS, there’s a busy night of dirt oval action with the Ogilvie’s Triple Crown Series featuring a 50-lap main for the Modifieds. The Sportsman feature will be 40 laps, with the Novice Sportsman, Surprenant Truck Shop Crate Sprints and Street Stocks on track. Note: It’s the final points night of the season for the Crate Sprints.

Last Saturday night at The BOS, the Mid Summer Splash delivered plenty of action across six divisions. In the 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature, Tyler Stewart led early before four-time and defending champion Bobby Herrington powered to the front on lap 7 and never looked back, scoring his fifth win of 2025 and 39th of his Brockville career. Matt Barbour, Xavier Andrews, Dominick Merkley and Jessica Power completed the top five.

The Mini Stock Mini Series finale saw Hayden Brown lead early before 2022 champ Jamie Larocque took over with 10 to go, holding off Mike Saunders and Brown for the victory. Clayton Celovsky rebounded to fifth, clinching the series crown.

Jarrett Herbison captured redemption in the 30-lap DIRTcar 358 Modified feature, outdueling Gabriel Cyr and Cedric Gauvreau for his second career win. Other winners included Adam Turner (Crate Sprint Car), Tyler Bushey (Pro Stock), and Kyle Kudrinko (Novice Sportsman). Click HERE to view the full report. And HERE for more BOS news and info.

APC Series – Next race – Sauble, Saturday.

Ontario Sportsman Series – Flamboro – Saturday, August 23 – Next race – Full Throttle, Saturday, September 6.

DELAWARE SPEEDWAY: Things got a ‘little’ chaotic Friday night when it was discovered there were problems with the wiring for the transponders which meant no scoreboard nor Race Monitor. This meant going back to ‘Old School’ timing.

Recruited for the task was none other than Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame member Alex Nagy. AND some child labour as well with Dayna Morneau, sister of two-time Delaware Track Champion Ray Morneau, being pressed into service. And this lack of Live Timing brought another problem that needs to be addressed. Numbers on race cars!!

Try scoring a race with cars with unreadable numbers or no numbers at all!! I can relate to the wiring problem as every once in a while we had problems with our 1½ miles of wiring for timing and scoreboards when my wife and I owned St. Thomas Dragway. NOT fun.

Bone Stocks – Heat 1 was won by David Rockwood, Heat 2 went to Will Quarrie (the actual winner didn’t make it through the ‘Room of Gloom’), Heat 3 was won by Michael Verberne. The B Main was won by Adam Jeneroux. Donavin Clark took the feature over Quarrie, Charlie Verhoeven, Verberne and Paul Fothergill.

Super Stocks – Heat 1 was won by Pete Vanderwyst, Jr., Heat 2 went to Nic Ramsay while the brutal feature (5 caution periods) went to points leader Trevor Colver ahead of Ramsay, Hudson Nagy, Brody Rickwood and Carson Nagy.

Late Models – unlike the Super Stocks the Late Models played nicely and went green to checker with Matt Robblee getting the win over Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Jake Sheridan, Jesse Kennedy and Marshall Schrenk.

This Friday (August 22) Delaware Speedway’s Weekly Racing Program is presented by J-AAR. Fans in attendance will see late-season action featuring the EPIC Racewear Modifieds, the Experience Camping Late Models in a 75-lap special and the King of the Hill Spectator Races. For tickets and info, visit the Delaware Speedway website.

Next race – Late Models, Delaware Modifieds and King of the Hill, Friday.

Ohsweken Speedway – next race – Great Lakes Super Sprints, Friday.

FLAMBORO SPEEDWAY: This past weekend, Flamboro Speedway hosted its first ever Driver & Staff Reunion Night. Many great former racers were in attendance. Click HERE to view a report and photo gallery from the event. Coming up this week at Flamboro, on Saturday night (August 23), the Ontario Sportsman Series, Can-Am Midgets, Ontario Pro Challenge, Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks are on the schedule. Fan gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 6:30. Click HERE for more info.

Buxton Speedway – next race – SOS plus Great Lakes Super Sprints, Saturday.

Full Throttle Motor Speedway – next race – Chalmers Fuels Night, Saturday.

Sunset Speedway – next race – Second to None: First Responders Night,  Saturday.

Grand Bend Speedway – next race – NASCAR Weekly Series + Tri state Sprints, Saturday.

EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (EIR): Located in Wetaskiwin, Alberta – not far from Edmonton – EIR is Western Canada’s only NASCAR-sanctioned race track. In addition to a busy racing schedule, the facility also offers many other great experiences including having you drive a race car on the track, or taking fast laps as a passenger in a race car driven by an experienced racer.

Or you can bring your own race car! These experiences take place until late September. To find out more about EIR and all the great things happening there, visit www.EdmontonRaceway.com.

In other EIR news, we’d like to spotlight 2024 NASCAR Pure Stocks division champion Jessica Carbone! She hails from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and earned the title in just her second season in racing.

Her #7 2006 Pontiac G5 GT currently sits tied for fifth in the competitive Pure Stocks points standings.

Grand Bend Motorplex – next race – Dragway Rush, this weekend.

St. Thomas Dragway – next race – Northern Sled Shootout, this weekend.

Toronto Motorsports Park – next race – TMP No Prep, this weekend.

Can Am Stock/Super Stock – next race – TMP, August 30/September 1.

Quick 32 Sportsman Series, Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) and 5.50 Super Series, this weekend,  Empire Dragway.

660 Sportsman Nationals – race date – Grand Bend, October 5.

John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series – next race, Cape Breton, August 28 – 30.

Shannonville Drags – next race, Season Wrap-up, September 20 & 21.

Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.

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LELAND INDUSTRIES: Founded in 1984 by Byron Nelson, Leland Industries is one of the largest Canadian manufacturers of fasteners, such as screws, nuts, bolts, washers, rivets, and custom products. The company has always used 100% domestic steel and labor to manufacture all products. Leland Industries is a longtime supporter of Canada’s NASCAR series and several of its racers. Click HERE for more information about this great Canadian company!

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