In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report, Dave Mathers comments on the weekend’s F1 action in Montreal, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, NASCAR’s outing in Mexico the APC Late Models’ appearance at Peterborough and much more.

It seems Richard Freeman is unhappy with NHRA. Erica Enders, one of his Pro Stock drivers, had her fourth qualifying run disqualified at Bristol due to “unapproved” rear wheels. That should have been the end of it, right? Nope. A $5,000 fine and a 100-point deduction followed. This didn’t even happen during eliminations, so why the harsh penalties? That’s what Freeman wants to find out. Stay tuned!

I’m going to add my personal opinion on F1’s decision to schedule next year’s Montreal Grand Prix on the same day as the Indy 500: all the goodwill built in the U.S. and Canada by the Netflix series and the strong attendance at the three U.S. races could disappear. F1 will appear to be big bullies, and the reaction could be costly. Just saying!

In a truly head-scratching move, Formula One has rescheduled the 2026 Montreal F1 race to the same day as the Indy 500. This feels like an intentional effort to phase out the Montreal race in favor of another “sand trap” venue. Just saying! Also, I doubt F1 has reviewed the weather history in Montreal for Memorial Day weekend over the past decade. UPDATE: In the days following the Montreal race, it was announced that it has been extended to 2035!

I find it interesting that CTV has chosen to broadcast the Canadian Grand Prix. Insert your own comments here!

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FAMILY FUN WEEKEND AT ST. THOMAS DRAGWAY – THIS WEEKEND!

The group that brings you the exciting 660 Sportsman Nationals is presenting the inaugural Family Fun Weekend June 20-22 at St. Thomas Dragway.

The jam-packed drag racing event will feature: Rick Ream’s Wheelstanding Studebaker Firetruck, Neale Armstrong’s Northern Warrior Jet Dragster, Nostalgia Funny Cars – Matt Stambaugh Generation X vs Paul & Brian Noakes new ’67 Chevy II dubbed Wheeler Dealer (below), CJR Hellcats, Canada’s fastest Durango & 9-second Trackhawk, a Batmobile, the Ecto1 from Ghostbusters, the Blues Brothers Car, Ontario Nostalgia Drag Racing and bracket racing. First Responders and Service Club members receive special discount pricing!

Click on the flyer at right for more info, and visit the 660 Sportsman Nationals Facebook page for the latest news and everything you need to know about this first-time event.

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Reports from Ohio indicate that the major No Prep Kings event scheduled for Toronto Motorsports Park on the weekend of July 12 has been canceled. No official announcement has been made yet, but it’s possible the other Canadian dates have been dropped too. More to come.

Message to NASCAR: if you brought the Cup and Xfinity Series to Canada – where there are lots of fans – instead of Mexico, you wouldn’t need armed security for the teams. And we speak the same language! I also noticed many empty seats during Saturday’s Xfinity race, but not one empty seat during Formula One qualifying in Montreal – where the Xfinity Series has raced in the past.

Ford Performance has announced it’s returning to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027. Ford President Jim Farley, who participated in the Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational, revealed that Ford has selected ORECA – the French manufacturer known for building LMP2 cars – to construct its new Hypercar entries.

Apparently, Formula One stewards are not allowed to publicly share personal opinions on races. Race steward and former driver Derek Warwick commented on the Verstappen-Russell incident at the Spanish Grand Prix during an interview and was subsequently suspended for one race – Montreal. It seems the FIA is intent on imposing 19th-century-style morality on the series. I wonder where that mindset is coming from… hmm.

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WASAGA BEACH CRUISERS – CRUISE FEST WEEKEND

The Wasaga Beach Cruisers are holding their Cruise Fest Weekend this Saturday, June 21 in Klondike Park in Wasaga Beach, ON. Their weekly Monday night cruise events started May 12 at the Stonebridge Gazebo across from the Walmart parking lot. The cruise nights start between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. and run until dusk. Click HERE for more information about Cruise Fest.

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NASCAR Cup: Aussie Supercars star Shane van Gisbergen (Chevy) won the pole for Sunday’s Cup race in Mexico City, ahead of Ryan Preece (Ford) and Ross Chastain (Chevy). Of the 37 cars entered, there were 16 Chevys, 12 Fords, and 9 Toyotas. Very cool facility, with the cars racing through a stadium section.

Officials declared the race wet, giving teams the option to use rain tires. On lap 7, Kyle Busch spun under braking, continuing a frustrating season. The incident collected Zane Smith, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, and Justin Haley. Preece won Stage 1. There appeared to be no track limits enforcement, as drivers used every inch of asphalt. On lap 32, Ryan Truex spun, bringing out the second caution. Van Gisbergen, the polesitter, won Stage 2. On lap 65, Carson Hocevar spun, bringing out the third caution. A close call on lap 73 saw William Byron and Riley Herbst trading bumps, leading to a spin by Herbst, narrowly avoided by Ricky Stenhouse – no yellow.

At the flag, Van Gisbergen dominated with over a 15-second lead over Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott. He celebrated with a major burnout and laughed about being told by his crew chief to “slow it down!” Thirty-one cars finished on the lead lap. And, of course, Ricky Stenhouse flamed out post-race – again. In the points, William Byron leads Larson by 67 and Bell by 80.

Next race: Pocono, Sunday at 2 p.m. on TSN 5.

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FLAMBORO SPEEDWAY

This Saturday night (June 21) at Flamboro Speedway, the track hosts one of its Meet The Drivers nights. The Steel City Super Stocks, Pro Late Models, Mini Stocks, Pure Stocks and Pro-4s will be in action on the track. Click HERE for more Flamboro info.

In other Flamboro news, the track will hold a Hall of Fame Reunion event on Saturday, July 26. There’s a sign-up form here. It’s billed as a celebration of the rich legacy of Flamboro Speedway. If you raced at Flamboro between 1962 and 2009, you’re invited to join us as an honoured guest. Register online by July 12, 2025 to secure free admission for yourself and one guest. Unregistered attendees will be required to pay standard admission at the gate.

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NASCAR Xfinity Series: Teenage phenom Connor Zilisch (Chevy) continued his road course dominance, grabbing the pole in Mexico City over Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell (both in Toyotas). Canadian road racer Alex Labbe (Chevy) qualified 21st. The 39-car field included 27 Chevys, 5 Fords, and 7 Toyotas – still no Rams (yet)!

On lap 3 of the 65-lap race, Sam Mayer appeared to wheel-hop under braking and slid driver’s side into the tire wall, causing a quick caution. He continued. Carson Kvapil won Stage 1, while Sammy Smith won Stage 2. On lap 46 came the big one! Daniel Suarez shoved Gibbs past Zilisch for the lead, then attempted a risky three-wide move. Zilisch was turned, then hit by Mayer. Gibbs, having sustained a flat tire, spun in Turn 3, collecting at least eight others. Caution #2.

With 7 laps remaining, Smith and Jesse Love clashed – Smith tagged Love, who went off track and then returned the favor by spinning Smith. Love then spun himself in the final corner before the start/finish line, bringing out a yellow.

At the flag, the crowd erupted as local hero Daniel Suarez, starting dead last in a backup car, took the win over Taylor Gray and Austin Hill. Labbe finished a strong 15th. I even heard a few “Arriba, arriba, ándale, ándale!” Good stuff.

BTW: special thanks to USA Network for broadcasting the race. Coverage on CW this year has been marginal at best. Not sure if it’s our local affiliate or the network itself. Justin Allgaier leads the points by 54 over Hill and 99 over Mayer. Labbe, despite just three starts, is 40th in points.

Next race: Pocono, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CW and USA.

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CASC-OR

The VARAC Vintage Grand Prix took place this past weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. There’s a report from the weekend here. And there are some videos on the Inside Track Facebook ‘Reels’ page here. Up next for CASC-OR is the BARC Canadian Touring Trophy Races, July 26-27 at CTMP. Click HERE to visit the CASC-OR homepage.

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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Next race: Pocono, Friday at 5 p.m. on CTV Speed.

Formula One: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was fastest in FP1, George Russell (Mercedes) in FP2, and Lando Norris in FP3. Russell claimed pole for the Canadian Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen and championship leader Oscar Piastri (McLaren). Canadian Lance Stroll started 18th. During qualifying, Alex Albon’s engine cover detached, causing a full-course red flag and a 20-minute cleanup.

The race ran smoothly for the most part, with decent midfield action. At halfway, Russell led Verstappen and Antonelli, while Stroll ran 19th. On lap 66, Lando Norris made an ill-conceived move on teammate Piastri, hit the wall, and lost his front wing – safety car! That Monday team meeting must have been fun.

Shockingly, there was no green-white-checker finish – the race ended under yellow, with Russell winning over Verstappen and Antonelli. See, NASCAR? It can be done!

In the Drivers’ Championship, Piastri extends his lead to 22 over Norris and 43 over Verstappen. In the Constructors’, McLaren leads Mercedes by 175 and Ferrari by 191.

Next race: Austria, Sunday, June 29.

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EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

This Saturday (June 21) is Oil & Gas and Construction Workers Appreciation Night at EIR, which means workers in those industries are admitted FREE if they register in advance at the EIR website. Taking to the track will be the Thunder Cars, Pure Stocks, Future Stocks and IMCA cars, as well as the Cooper Equipment Hit to Pass. The EIR homepage is loaded with information about all the race events and other happenings at the track.

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IndyCar: At Gateway, Will Power took pole over Scott McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward. Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco started 17th. Strange choice by IndyCar: instead of placing Live Timing on the homepage, they buried it a few pages deep. NASCAR keeps theirs front and center!

The first caution came on lap 4 after DeFrancesco hit the wall in Turn 2. On lap 47, Power hit the wall exiting Turn 4. Christian Rasmussen’s car caught fire exiting the pits – not serious, but dramatic. At halfway, Josef Newgarden led over David Malukas and McLaughlin. On lap 132, Louis Foster spun and collected Newgarden, who flipped and slid down the front stretch. Very late yellow!

Kyle Kirkwood won over O’Ward and Rasmussen. Fourteen cars finished on the lead lap.

Next race: Road America, Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on FOX.

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BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY

This Saturday night (June 21) is LA Knapp Construction Night at The BOS. The ESS Super Sprints are the headline guests on the card, and will be joined by the Modifieds, Sportsman, Novice Sports and Mini Stocks. Here is the report from June 14 when Gabriel Cyr scored his first ever 358 Modified feature win. Click HERE to view the BOS homepage.

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IMSA

Next race: Six Hours of The Glen, Sunday at noon on REV TV.

24 Hours of Le Mans: Cadillac secured the top two spots in Hypercar qualifying, with the #5 Penske Porsche third. The second Penske Porsche failed tech (too light) and started at the back. TDS Racing topped LMP2, and Heart of Racing (Aston Martin) led LMGT3 over Vista AF Corse Ferrari and Team WRT BMW. Canadian AWA Racing’s Corvette was among the 62 qualifiers.

As expected, the second Penske Porsche led within two hours. In the end, the AF Corse Ferrari (Kubica/Ye/Hanson) took the win over the Penske Porsche and another AF Corse Ferrari. LMP2 was won by Inter Europol (Kurtz/Dillman/Yelloly). In LMGT3, the Manthey Porsche took class honors. The A

WA Corvette finished 10th in class, 43rd overall. An impressive 50 of 62 cars were still running at the end – a testament to modern endurance racing.

NHRA

Next race: Virginia, Sunday at 4 p.m. on FOX.

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NASCAR Canada Series

The NASCAR Canada Series returns to Sunset Speedway, south of Barrie, Ontario, for its second race of the season this Saturday night (June 21). The race will air live on REV TV. Go to NASCAR.ca for series info.

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NASCAR Canada Series

Next race: Sunset, Saturday at 7 p.m., live on REV TV.

APC Series: At Peterborough Speedway, Carson Nagy took Super Stock pole ahead of Lane Zardo and Nic Ramsay (11 cars). In Late Model qualifying, Jake Sheridan led points leader Josh Stade and Jo Lawrence. In the Super Stock feature, it finished Nagy, Ramsay, Zardo. The Late Model feature saw Sheridan win over Dale Shaw and Ray Morneau. There’s a full report from the night here.

Next race: Delaware, Saturday, June 28.

Ontario Sportsman Series: At Sunset Speedway, points leader Connor James grabbed pole with a 15.680 over Brad Robinson and Kevin Trevellin (12 cars). James took the win over Brendan Patrick and Robinson.

Next race: Sauble, Saturday, June 28.

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NAPA Store

Looking for some NAPA swag and merchandise, including items featuring NASCAR Canada Series racer Kevin Lacroix? Then be sure to visit the NAPA Store. New items are featured regularly, including hats, racing clothing, drinkware, accessories and more.

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Delaware Speedway: Friday was Autograph Night with Bone Stock and V8 Stocks. In Bone Stock qualifying, Donovin Clark set a new record with a 23.000. Charlie Verhoeven won the main over Clark and Paul Fothergill. In V8 Stock, Barry Watson won the feature over Jeff Ferguson and Jordan Morris. Steve McCaw won “King of the Hill” in a Corvette but got “treed” every run – time to visit a dragstrip!

Next race: Earl Ross Memorial Late Model 75, Friday.

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KEMP MOTORSPORTS

Introducing the All-New “K-SPEC” Race Trailer Lineup! Kemp Motorsports is proud to unveil K-SPEC — their purpose-built, all-aluminum race trailers engineered to deliver premium performance and sleek styling without the premium price tag. Built with the same top-tier quality and aggressive design as our flagship models, K-SPEC fills the gap for racers who want it all — looks, durability, and value. Budget-friendly. Track-ready. 100% Kemp quality. Explore the full lineup and pricing now at www.kempmotorsports.ca.

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Other Ontario Tracks:

• Ohsweken Speedway: Drive Safe, Ride Safe and Race Safe  –  Friday
• Flamboro Speedway: Steel City Super Stocks  –  Saturday
• Buxton Speedway: Regular Racing  –  Saturday
• Full Throttle: Pro Challenge, B/S, S/S, H/R  –  Saturday
• Sunset Speedway: NASCAR Canada + Big Z Memorial  –  Saturday
• Grand Bend Speedway: Cobra Tire Cup Series  –  Sunday
• Grand Bend Dragway: Points Day  –  June 28–29
• St. Thomas Dragway: FUN WEEKEND  –  this weekend
• Toronto Motorsports Park: No Prep + CSCS  –  this weekend
• Can Am Stock/Super Stock: Grand Bend  –  July 12–13
• Quick 32, PBSS, 5.50 Series: Empire Dragway  –  this weekend
• 660 Sportsman Nationals: Grand Bend  –  Oct. 5
• NHRA Canadian Championship: Luskville  –  this weekend
• Shannonville Drags: July 18–20

Comments? Reach out to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or on Facebook Messenger.