Hot Cars Hot Topics – Ides of March Issue

by editor on Mar.04, 2026, under CJI/KHR Hot Cars/Hot Topics

Early 2026 season points of interest for Canadian drag racing – presented by KHR….

Dashing DI Doorcars! — Some impressive participation from Canada within last weekend’s dynamically impressive DI World Series of Pro Mod event in Florida. At that 3rd and final round for the Winter Series, two Canadian drivers qualified for the event’s marquee Pro Modified class category part of a jaw dropping field collection of high end talented drivers. For the 32 car qualified field, Spencer Hyde, from Stratford ON., the 2023 WSOPM event champion, qualified at #3 3.560 secs driving a car owned by Ken Quartuccio, and Kenny Lang, from Grand Pointe MB made the cut #24 with 3.600 secs.

Kenny Lang & Al Billes were the top finishing Canadian team at Drag Illustrated’s World Series of Pro Mod event last weekend.

As fate would have it, those two drivers squared off in round one, with Lang emerging as an upset winner by a 3.662 secs to 3.787 secs count.

Lang, who is a former 2X IHRA World Champion (2008 & 2009), racing the highly formidable Camaro owned by Canadian tuner extraordinare Al Billes, then pulled off another impressive upset in round #2 taking out Billy Banaka’s Pro-charged machine with a run of 3.688 secs.

But the Lang/Billes team goal of collecting the potentially life changing $150,000 to win offering, did end in the third round by a narrow margin when Randy Weatherford edged Kenny out 3.626 secs to 3.633 secs.

Spencer Hyde was the top Canadian qualifier for Pro Mod – #3 on the 32-car grid!

Important Western Canadian Cogs! — Some big news recently has the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Series, (the world’s largest motorsports program when it comes to racer participation) expanding again for the 2026 season – adding a second Canadian to it’s 12-race ET Finals event calendar.

Edmonton’s RAD Torque Raceway has been named the site for the NHRA Division Six Western Canada event – joining Toronto Motorsports Park (at Cayuga ON) which will host the NHRA Division One Eastern Canada race. Both races go down on the same weekend next August (28-30).

The popular program held across the United States and Canada, will now feature 16 racers in each category of it’s four categories (Super Pro (electronics allowed), Pro (no electronics), Sportsman and ET Motorcycle – for its qualifying racers to compete at the Summit Racing ET World Championship in Las Vegas – next November.

The RAD Torque Raceway hosting announcement is but the latest for that industry leading, Canadian-based company within their amazing dedication for supporting Canadian drag racing.

RAD Torque Systems had previously been revealed (at SEMA late last season) as the presenting sponsor for much anticipated inaugural RAD Canadian Sports Nationals coming to Mission Raceway in BC, next June.

“We’re ecstatic to announce that Mission Raceway Park will be home to the first-ever Canadian SPORTSnationals event, taking place June 11-12 before a divisional event on June 13-14!,” said MRP General Manager Kevin Ness at that time. “We are very excited to be the only Canadian track to offer a national event for sportsman racers. That will certainly be an action packed weekend featuring a SPORTSnationals and also a NHRA Northwest Division 6 Divisional event the same weekend.”

Canadian Driver Imports — A cool phenomena during the Lights Out #17 race held at South Georgia Motorsports Park. That “cult following” annual event once again included numerous Canadian drag racers.

Of note on that list was a multi-car effort fielded by Texas-based Mark Gobert Racing which saw not one, but two Canadian drivers behind the wheel of Gobert’s team cars – Jordan Lazic (Rutland BC) and Jason Gagnon (Kelowna BC).

For Lazic, who needs zero introduction, (the 2024 NHRA World Champion for Pro Mod), he was driving a Larry Jeffers-built 1978 Corvette with a Screw-blower and PJS Hemi, within the event’s ridiculously popular Radial Versus The World category.

Jordan Lazic @ Lights Out 17!

Jason Gagnon @ Lights Out 17!

Jason Gagnon, is a former BC-interior Mud racer who moved deeper into the world of drag racing beginning in the later 2000s, was in control of the team’s 2018 model C7 Corvette (also supercharged PJS Hemi) which ran in the event’s NT (No time) 275 class.

“Jason has moved from Friday night street legal to now driving semi professional,” Jordan stated. “Jason was introduced into the team as I did driver training with him for years prior. A 2nd driver for the team was needed — he was simply the first choice.”

At SGMP on race day, Jordan went out in the second round for RVW and Jason advanced to the semi finals for NT 275 only to have his bid end because of a broken driveshaft.

Lesenko in Line-Up! — This weekend’s season opening NHRA Gatornatonals (at Gainesville) will include the return to fuel Funny Car racing for Edmonton Alberta’s Todd Lesenko. Lesenko will once again assume the control of the Jim Dunn Racing entry – ending a 14-year sabbatical from the class and sport.

The Gatornationals entry will mark Lesenko’s 24th career Funny Car appearance, and his second Funny Car appearance at Gainesville and comes after some successful pre-season testing (also in Gainesville), where he re-licensed in the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car.

“(Since I last drove) The change to the cars was a concern because of the headers being laid back, making the car a little skittish at the top end of the track,” Todd admitted. “I booked to take Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in Gainesville and took my Super Comp license. I had a day with Frank for a one-on-one session. He is an excellent coach and very smart man. Jim (Dunn) and Jon (Dunn) wanted me to get used to the Funny Car and refresh all of my starting line staging manoeuvres to assist in acclimating to the new car. We made 10 total runs at pre-season testing and it was great for me to have a chance to make that many runs before we get to qualifying in Gainesville. I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity to spend 2026 competing in the NHRA and celebrating victories with my family.”