Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com – June 17, 2026

In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers updates us on recent news and races from the Canadian and International racing scenes.

Reports out of Michigan Int’l Speedway indicate that a young spectator was struck by a piece of brake rotor that broke off Ross Chastain’s car two weekends back. The spectator was taken away for treatment but returned to watch the balance of the race. Chastain’s team has reached out to the family.

Rumblings have Genesis stepping up to run in the top class at IMSA – GTP – next year. The more the merrier!!

How cool is it that Spire Motorsports / Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks is going to ‘walk the walk,’ getting behind the wheel for the Truck race at the San Diego Naval Base. I remember team owner Rick Hendrick getting behind the wheel for a Cup race at Riverside Raceway in California about 38 years ago. He finished 15th. Hopefully Justin can have a similar result. BTW – Marks has done this before, many times.

The FIA has ranked the Red Bull Ford ICE engine the strongest on the Formula 1 grid in 2026. As a result, the team is not allowed to make any upgrades. As a former Ford dealer (Motion Lincoln-Mercury Ford Trucks), that makes me quite proud. Pretty cool for the engine’s first year!!

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Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – IMSA Chevrolet Grand Prix

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – featuring exotic prototype and GT machinery – makes its one and only Canadian stop as part of the Chevrolet Grand Prix, July 10-12. Experience Canada’s premier sports car racing weekend. Tickets on sale now!

The Chevrolet Grand Prix brings a stacked lineup of international drivers and legendary performance marques to CTMP’s iconic Grand Prix circuit. Corvette, Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Mustang and Porsche will all go head-to-head on CTMP’s legendary Grand Prix circuit.

Alongside the headlining WeatherTech series (with the LMP2, GTD PRO and GTD classes), fans can take in a full card of action from the Michelin Pilot Challenge, VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, and the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, for an adrenaline-loaded three days from the first green flag to final podium.

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In some really good news, Formula One has signed an extension with Las Vegas, keeping the race there until at least 2037.

Have heard from a few people that Sunset Speedway may not be done, after all. Let’s hope the whispers are correct. It’s always a shame to see a track go silent and in danger of being torn up for good.

Wow – they said it couldn’t be done. The FIA has reversed a penalty!! Pierre Gasly finished third at Monaco but was penalized for speeding on pit road and dropped to seventh. How fast was he going? 60.1 km/h – 0.1 over!!!!! The team appealed and the penalty was reversed. Well done.

It appears that the FIA has listened to complaints about the ‘electric power’ issues. They will be reducing the amount of electrical power and increasing the amount of ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) power in 2027 and 2028. Were they afraid to lose Max Verstappen, or simply reacting to the volume of complaints? We will never know.

Great news out of Europe. Former NASCAR Canada Series racer Raphael Lessard won the NASCAR Europe race at Circuit Paul Ricard in France three weeks ago – and he did it in a Ford!! Lessard previously won a NASCAR Truck race at Talladega in 2020. He raced in NASCAR Canada from 2019 until last year. Well done!

Sounds like it was a great weekend of drag racing at St. Thomas Dragway for the Sportsman Spectacular put on by Drew and Vicki Buchner of the 660 Sportsman Nationals. Shaun Umscheid (the What? Nooo Waaay! guy) and his wife Julie were there throughout meeting fans and participating in different parts of the program.

Nominations for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame ‘Class of 2026’ are being accepted until the end of day on July 31. If you think someone should be inducted, you should do a little bit of research, head to the CMHF.ca website, and submit a nomination on their behalf. If a person isn’t nominated, they’ll never be inducted.

NASCAR Cup Series

Denny Hamlin (Toyota) continued his hot streak at Pocono Raceway, nabbing the pole over Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez (both Chev). There were 38 cars – 19 Chevs, 10 Fords and nine Toyotas. The flyover by the F‑16 Viper Demo Team makes me wonder whether Canada should rethink the decision to drop the Snowbirds!!

Hard to believe, especially with that pucker‑inducing Turn 1, but Stage 1 went caution‑free and Hamlin got the stage win. On lap 41 Zane Smith tried a pass under Hamlin and Blaney on the front straight, but lost it on corner exit – first caution. On lap 47 Shane Van Gisbergen got into it with Josh Berry and they collected about ten cars. Yellow. The tow trucks were busy. Todd Gilliland won Stage 2.

On lap 105 Casey Mears lost his right front wheel in the dogleg at the back of the circuit. Yellow. At the flag Hamlin continued his dominant season with the win over Tyler Reddick and William Byron.

In the points, Reddick now leads Hamlin by only 19, with Blaney 165 back.

Next race – San Diego, Sunday at 3 P.M. on TSN 5.

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NASCAR O’Reilly Series

Brandon Jones won the pole for Saturday’s race at Pocono over Tanner Gray (both Toyota) and William Byron (Chev). Again 38 cars – 30 Chevs, seven Toyotas and one lonely Ford (Joey Gase starting DFL).

The command to start engines could have used a little work!! The track appeared quite foggy at the start. Chaos started almost immediately as Corey Day looped it off Turn 1 and collected Jesse Love. Day’s car was junk.

On lap 8 Ryan Sieg got crossed up after a bump from behind, triggering more wrecks. Yellow. Things settled until lap 18 when Natalie Decker appeared to blow up – “death smoke” pouring out – and stopped on the apron. Gray won Stage 1.

On lap 38 Brennan Poole tapped Leland Honeyman entering Turn 3, sending him up the track. Yellow. On the restart Patrick Emerling looped it in Turn 2, shortening the car significantly – possibly with help from Poole. The Stage 2 win went to Brent Crews.

On lap 83 Emerling spun again after contact from Crews, slamming the inside wall. Five laps later Gray spun after contact from Byron. At about the same time Sammy Smith appeared to have a tire issue and got into Anthony Alfredo. Action everywhere.

Even after all that they went three‑wide on the restart. On lap 94 another wreck fest involving Jeb Burton (possible flat) and Lavar Scott exiting Turn 3, with more contact involving Parker Retzlaff. Red flag for cleanup – lots of debris, and LOTS of dead air on the broadcast. What’s up with that?

Green with two to go – Justin Allgaier took the win over Crews and Byron.

In the points, Allgaier has a monster lead – 250 over Love and 267 over Day.

Next race – San Diego, Saturday on USA.

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CASC-OR: The 2026 CASC-OR Touring Races will take place June 27–28 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), marking a new addition to the Ontario regional road racing calendar.

The weekend will feature multiple competitive grids, including Formula Prototype Sprints, Pirelli Grand Touring, and Pirelli Super Touring. These categories promise a diverse field of cars and racing styles, showcasing everything from lightweight, high-downforce machines to powerful touring cars built for endurance and performance.

In addition to the CASC-OR grids, the event will also welcome participation from the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA). Drivers competing under BMW CCA will register through their own organization, adding another layer of variety and cross-club participation to the weekend’s on-track action.

As this is a new event for 2026, further details – including supplemental regulations, schedules, and entry information – will be released closer to the race date. Watch their website for more.

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NASCAR Craftsman Trucks

Next race – San Diego, Friday (no coverage listed on CTV Speed).

Formula One

In Spain, George Russell (Mercedes) topped FP1, Lando Norris (McLaren) FP2, and Russell again FP3 before taking pole over Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) and points leader Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes). Impressive rebound by Hamilton after being written off.

Things ran ‘swimmingly’ through the first half – Russell over Antonelli over Norris. On lap 41 a Virtual Safety Car came out for Alonso’s stopped Aston Martin. On lap 62 Antonelli slowed to a stop, bringing out another VSC. The yellow never came, and the race ended under caution – see NASCAR, it CAN be done!!

At the flag it was Hamilton over Russell by nearly 20 seconds, with Norris third. Nice catch of the trophy by Lewis in Victory Lane.

In the Drivers’ Championship Antonelli leads Hamilton by 41 and Russell by 50.

In the Constructors’, Mercedes leads Ferrari by 72 and McLaren by 121.

Next race – Austria, Sunday, June 28.

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Brockville Ontario Speedway – On Saturday, June 20, LA Knapp presents the incredible ESS Super Sprints! Also on that night’s card are the 358 Modifieds, the Dirt North Sportsman Series & Mini Stocks. Watch BrockvilleSpeedway.com for tickets and additional event information about this and other events at ‘The Bullring.’

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IndyCar

Next race – Road America, Sunday at 2 P.M. on TSN and Fox.

IMSA

Next race – Watkins Glen, Sunday, June 28.

24 Hours of Le Mans

Very disappointing. CTV Speed aired the full 24 hours last year, but it appears reruns replaced the race this year. A total of 62 cars started the race: 18 Hypercars, 19 LMP2, 25 LMGT3.

After 24 hours, the Toyota trio of Conway/Kobayashi/De Vries took the overall win, followed by BMW and the second Toyota. Inter Europol (Smiechowski/Dillmann/Yelloly) won LMP2, and TF Sport’s Corvette (Keating/Edgar/Catsburg) took LMGT3. Forty‑nine cars were still running at the finish.

NHRA – It’s Bristol, Baby!!

Thunder Valley is amazing. I volunteered with NHRA in 1967 (59 years ago!!) and was told to wait for a pair of Top Fuelers – the sound came roaring back like thunder. AWESOME experience. They completed first rounds before rain.

Top Fuel – Leah Pruett won the rain‑delayed New England final over Shawn Langdon (3.794 at 332.43). Doug Kalitta won the Challenge. Antron Brown later claimed the Bristol win over Langdon (3.788 at 331.61).
Funny Car – Jack Beckman beat Jordan Vandergriff in New England and again in the Challenge. Matt Hagan took the Bristol win over Dan Wilkerson. Canadian Spencer Hyde qualified fourth.
Pro Mod – Jason Collins beat a red‑lighting Stavrinos.
Pro Stock – Matt Hartford beat Greg Anderson in the final.
Pro Stock Bike – Gaige Herrera beat Richard Gadson.
Factory Stock – Jonathan Allegrucci topped Raymond Nash.

Next race – Norwalk, Sunday, June 28.

IHRA

Next race – National Trail, this weekend.

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EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: Canada’s national stock car series – the NASCAR Canada Series – is making its only Alberta stop at Edmonton International Raceway (EIR) in Wetaskiwin, AB on July 24-25, 2026.

Fans can expect two full days of racing action, including qualifying rounds, autograph sessions, and the main events NAPA 300 under the lights on Saturday night. That’s right, this year’s NASCAR Canada Series stop at EIR will feature two points races!

Visit EdmontonRaceway.com for tickets and event info, including news about the track’s weekly racing program and hands-on driving experiences. 

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NASCAR Canada Series

Next race – Riverside, Saturday, June 27.

APC Series

The APC Late Model Series was at Peterborough Speedway for a 175‑lap race on Saturday night. Mike Bentley and Connor Pritiko led the field to green. Bentley took the early lead, followed by Pritiko, Kyle Steckly, Jake Sheridan and Josh Stade. Steckly quickly charged forward, taking the top spot on lap 19, with Sheridan moving into second a lap later.

At halfway, the top five were Steckly, Sheridan, Stade, Brandon Watson and Dale Shaw. Steckly remained in control past lap 100, but Sheridan made his move, grabbing the lead on lap 114. He held on through a pair of late cautions to score his third straight extra‑distance win at Peterborough Speedway. Watson, Pritiko, Stade and Steckly rounded out the top five.

The 50‑lap Dayco Super Stock feature saw Chad Corcoran and Coltin Everingham lead 15 cars to green. Corcoran paced the early laps before Shawn Chenoweth moved into second, then took the lead about one‑fifth into the race. The event ran caution‑free, with Chenoweth never challenged. At halfway, the top five were Chenoweth, Lane Zardo, Everingham, Nic Ramsay and Hudson Nagy. Chenoweth took the win.

Next race – Delaware, Saturday, June 27.

Ontario Sportsman Series

Jade Franklin took the pole at Flamboro. Shawn McGlynn won over Franklin and Connor James.

Next race – Sauble, Saturday, June 27.

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Delaware Speedway

A HUGE crowd showed for ISMA Super Modifieds and Canadian Vintage Modifieds. My son Paul had the line of the night – “I smell Old Spice!!” The average age skewed older… so I fit right in!!

The Canadian Vintage Modifieds took me back to 1969 when I bought Ron Pearn’s Hobby Car, renumbered it 10 and painted it white. The No. 5 Friday looked almost identical. Jason Keen won both features.

ISMA Super Modifieds – Mike Ordway set fast time at 15.460. Adrian Stahle and Ordway won heats. In the feature Tyler Thompson scored his first ISMA win over Ordway and Tyler Shullick. Mark Sammut finished sixth.

NOTE – Sammut went to Lancaster the next night and WON over McVetta and Shullick!!

Next race – Late Model, V8 Stock, Bone Stock and King of the Hill, Friday.

Upcoming Events:

Flamboro Speedway – Saturday, June 20 is Cable 14 Night at Flamboro. The Steel City Super Stocks, Ontario Pro Challenge Series, Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks are the featured classes. The event will also include a Car Cruise Night. Fan gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 6:30 p.m.

Peterborough Speedway – Saturday, June 20 is Autism Awareness Night at Peterborough. The Bone Stock, Renegade Trucks, Late Models, JR Late Models, TQ Midgets will be in action. The evening will also include Kids’ Bike Races

Edmonton International Raceway – Roy Ross memorial featuring NASCAR Thunder Cars, NASCAR Pure Stocks, IMCA Modifieds, Mini Cups and Baby Grands. Meet the Drivers Autograph Night. Saturday, June 13.

Brockville Ontario Speedway – LA Knapp presents ESS Super Sprints, 358 Mods, Dirt North Sportsman Series and Mini Stocks, Saturday, June 13.

Ohsweken Speedway – Art Hill Memorial, Friday
Buxton Speedway – L/M, Mods, T/S, M/S & M/M, Saturday
Full Throttle Motor Speedway – Ontario Late Models, Saturday
Grand Bend Speedway – Father’s Appreciation Night, Saturday
Grand Bend Motorplex – ONDR, June 28 & 29
St. Thomas Dragway – Mopar Day, this weekend
Toronto Motorsports Park – CJR Performance, Saturday
Can‑Am Stock/Super Stock – August 1 & 2, St. Thomas
John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series – Luskville, this weekend
Shannonville Drags – July 18 – 20

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

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