Canada’s single most famous drag racing facility – iconic Cayuga Dragway – will again offer a diverse selection of events in 2017…..
Nothing can compare to the level of engagement visitors to Toronto Motorsports Park experience when spending time with family or friends taking in an outdoor motorsports event on a beautiful Ontario summer day. The sights and sounds of cars that produce as much as 11,000 horsepower, some of which cover a quarter-mile racing distance at more than 300 miles per hour, which translates to speeds of more than 500 km/h over the length of a 400 metre sprint, are beyond compare and create distinctive memories that stand the test of time. In addition to the on-track action, every spectator at these events has unrestricted access to the pit-area, which allows them to interact with the numerous competing teams, adding an element to the event that no other sport can offer.
In 2017, the facilities 62nd year of operation, Toronto Motorsports Park plans to deliver its best event lineup yet with entertainment enhancements to its marquee events, along with an added commitment to continue the development of grassroots competition for those both new to the sport, and for those who continue to invest in sustaining a strong racing community.
Entering its eighth year, the 2017 Canadian Nitro Nationals is the largest independently produced motorsports entertainment event in the province of Ontario and will feature the return of the world-famous, 36,000 horsepower, Shockwave Jet Semi-Truck, while the continued growth of the tracks’ Friday evening Take it to the Track introductory drag racing program takes on a major role in reducing the number of street racing related incidences in Ontario. 2017 will also mark the return of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors based manufacturer events to the schedule, while the Victoria Day Weekend Drags and Canadian Funny Car Championships, both staples on the calendar each year, provide big entertainment value at a very affordable ticket price point.

Cayuga’s marquee annual Nitro Nationals – featuring a variety of fuel cars and jets — will happen over the July long weekend!
The 8th annual Canadian Nitro Nationals, held over the weekend of Canadas’ 150th anniversary in 2017, will again be a major focal point on the schedule, and with weekend camping offers a great way to spend the holiday celebrating with fireworks both on and off the track. The Saturday evening show will be highlighted by a herd of 10 or more nitro fueled machines, some of which will return to enhance the Sunday show as an added bonus in 2017, and be capped off by a Canada Day fireworks display. The event is also growing to include a weekend long, side-by-side, father and son battle in the 12,000 horsepower Flash Fire jet-engined trucks, thus tripling the high-intensity, high-speed, smoke and fire shows the thousands of spectators in attendance will receive. Discounted pre-sale tickets are already on sale at torontomotorsportspark.com.
Mainstays of the schedule since the early days of the facility, the Victoria Day Weekend Drags and Canadian Funny Car Championships both offer high-energy, weekend long events, which present a very affordable and engaging format for the crowds of people that attend. Pro Modified, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster competitors from the NAPA Ultimate Showdowns will make 200+ mph (320 km/h) runs with regularity throughout the Victoria Day Weekend Drags, while the Canadian Funny Car Championships, hosted for the sixth straight year over the Labour Day weekend, will feature the 250 mph (400 km/h) speeds of the wild and sometimes unpredictable Top Alcohol Funny Cars.
The Take it to the Track introductory drag racing program will run nearly every Friday evening throughout the 2017 season. Built on the premise of working in cooperation with local law enforcement to reduce the incidences of street racing by offering a safe and affordable option for car enthusiasts to take that grudge race against their peers off the street and on to the track, this program is open to all makes and models of car and motorcycles.
Returning to the schedule in 2017 are manufacturer based events which will revolve around the traditional manufacturers of American muscle cars, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. With the resurgence of the muscle car over the past decade, Toronto Motorsports Park felt the time was now to return to the roots of drag racing in North America by hosting single day events for each of the “Big Three” manufacturers, which will include activities on the Road Course and Dragway, as well as a Show and Shine competition to award the best looking and best engineered rides at the events. The events will be promoted through a new car dealer partner incentive program, which will reward dealers who support the promotion of the event with tickets that can be used as employee or customer incentives.
The Ontario Street Car Association (OSCA), entering its 17th year of operation in 2017, will run exclusively at Toronto Motorsports Park next year, while the Race Cayuga Sportsman Series (RCSS), which provides an exceptionally affordable entry-level option for drag racers, will host seven events at the track in 2017.
Also returning in the New Year will be the NHRA Open, June 16-18, which will once again feature a Stock/Super Stock combo race that will reward $25,000.00 USD in winnings, plus competition in a number of additional NHRA sportsman classes.
The season will kick off in April of 2017, with the official opening date to be announced approximately a month in advance on the tracks website and social media platforms.
2017 Schedule Highlights
Opening Day – April 2017
Victoria Day Weekend Drags – May 19-21

Top rated NHRA Super Stock and Stock eliminator cars will assemble during John Scotti’s Shootout event during the National Open (June 16-18th)
NHRA National Open – June 16-18th
Nitro Nationals – June 30 – July 2
Chrysler Manufacturer Event – July 8 or 9
General Motors Manufacturer Event – August 5 or 6
Ford Manufacturers Event – August 26 or 27
Canadian Funny Car Championships – September 1-3
About Toronto Motorsports Park:
From its humble beginnings in 1954 as a Sunday-only drag racing facility, while still operating as an active air field known as Kohler Airstrip, Toronto Motorsports Park has strategically developed into one of North America’s most prosperous motorsports entertainment venues.
Toronto Motorsports Park has a diverse facility, currently housing an NHRA sanctioned quarter-mile drag strip, a challenging and versatile three kilometre road course and a handlebar gripping motocross track. The availability to so many world-class tracks has led to the development of several track operated events, as well as high demand from third-party event organizers to rent the facility.
Track run programs and events at current include, the Exotic Dream Car Experience, F-2000 Driving Experience, motorcycle and car lapping and instructional courses, Take it to the Track drag racing events for street cars and motorcycles, and TMP’s signature drag racing event, the Nitro Nationals, held on Canada Day weekend annually.
For more information about Toronto Motorsports Park visit www.torontomotorsportspark.com
DragRaceCanada file photos by Bruce Biegler, Brennan Shortall & John Marechal
Posted by: Jory Elliott