Canada Heads Up – Shootout Series – opens for season business…
The 2026 Canada Heads Up – Shootout Series presented by Speedwire Systems, Nash Competition Engines, Head Rush Apparel and Tattoo and Miska Trailers came to its home track, Toronto Motorsports Park with a vengeance! This time (June 6-7) pushing back Mother Nature’s intended Saturday rain forecast to get sunny skies all weekend long!
Within the 177 entries for the weekend the race weekend was highlighted by the highly anticipated start of the now Cynergy Composites Canadian Pro Mod series – Presented by Ian Hill Racing Productions with Partnership from Toronto Motorsports Park!
On top of all the *Pro Mod craziness was the CHU series race 1 addition of the Quality Plus Compressors Pro 10.5 class!
Saturday’s Pro Category qualifies were topped of with Pro Mod’s Jay Santos’s Camaro taking the top spot with a 3.69 @ 202 mph — and then earning a dominating victory the next day — (*View IHRP Pro Mod class results previously posted : HERE)
While for 10.5 cars — that #1 qualified distinction went to John Carinci’s Corvette — with a 4.003 secs pass. 
The weekend’s excitement wasn’t limited to just the top qualifiers ETs either! So much hard work over the winter for many teams was evident and then rewarded at the Race 1 weekend with numerous highlights — including:
Index hitter Chevy Lightheart added some boost to his multi-championship 7.0 winning S10 and was able to make it to the finals of Sundays eliminator!
Bryden Reid took over the driving duties in the “Blue Bomber” (photo below) as dad (Doug Reid) moved into his new Street 275 entry. Bryden was able to “double up” on his first weekend racing, winning both Saturdays and Sundays eliminator!
CHU Bike racing expert — Mike Pereira took home 3 big Cheques this past weekend (2 for Bikes and Sleds and one for High 8s!) racing his all new machine.
CHU Motorcycle racer Mike Pereira grabbed himself a weekend “hat track” wheeling his new Hayabusa to victory for 3/4 races entered!
Jeff Gilbert (photo below) showed his hand early in the season’s with a string of 6.0 passes, including one pass that was a 6 with all zeros after that!
Rookie racer Kate Hill left the weekend resetting the 6.50 Index record with a 6.5000.
Kate Hill ran a perfect 6.5000 secs in 6.50 index racing.
Vasylyy Lukivsky nailed the number 1 spot both days of the 7.77 Bike index and backed up his efforts with a win both days!
Jr Dragster racers and families came out in groves for Race 1 to produce the class with the largest turn out of the weekend — 21 entries!
Congratulations go to all of our Pro Category class winners: Tony Piselli Pro 10.5, Paul Bhawan Super Street, Matt Glassford EZ Street & Jason White for Street 275.
Piselli (Woodbridge ON) drove the ex Nick Agostino ’69 Camaro to his first CHU series victory during debut for that category. Piselli recorded a final round winning 4.003 secs at 204.13 mph single when John Carinci’s Corvette could not run.
Tony Piselli had an impressive winning debut within the CHU’s first ever Pro 10.5 class event inclusion.
Super Street racing included a terrific performance from GTA-based Spitfire Performance race team with Paul Bhawan setting a class record (4.139 secs) driving his unreal 1979 280 ZX – an ultra light weight car which is powered by an in-line six cylinder. Bhawan left no doubt in the final round with a 4.192 secs single when his opponent M. Biccardi broke.
Racing his truly creative Datsun — Paul Bhawan had a CHU record setting and winning weekend at that series’s season opener.
Other feature eliminator winners included Dave Bogusat 4.50 Index, Bill Gadal 5.0 Warriors, Dan Morrison 5.50 Index, Brant Rossi Pro Bike and Mickey Dinnoo SWB Bike.
Sportsman class winners include: Vasylyy Lukivskyy, Mike Pereira, Sam Gentile, Jeff Gilbert, Jim Mangov, Brad Parent, Darcy McCoubry, Brenden Misener, Jim Tofano, Bryden Reid, Carter Daniels and Payton Kiss.
Mopar brand racers Darcy MacCoubrey and Brad Parent both collected Sportsman class wins at the CHU season opener.
The next stop for CHU is right back at Toronto Motorsports Park June 27-28 weekend which will feature the Pro 10.5 class again!
Michigan’s Blain Brothers (Pro 10.5) was just one of a number of visiting USA teams entered.
The IHRP Pro Mods will be gearing up for their Race 2 of the series on the following weekend during the Canadian Nitro Nationals as part of that July 4-5th weekend annual extravaganza.
Check out the Canada Heads Up – Shootout FB page for more details and some great pics and videos from the event – HERE
Posted with files by Ian Hill & Bruce Biegler
Photos by Blake Farnan and John Marechal
