Eastern Canada’s John Scotti Canadian Championship Series most recent highlights…..
The 2026 chase for JSCCS glory continued its summer season march forward — at fabled Napierville Dragway last weekend. 
After having its planned weekend for racing at Luskville Dragway washed out by the elements recently (and rescheduled for September) Naperville hosted and completed events 3-4 for the 14-race series.
This well attended NHRA Division One National Open level event, included competitors representing six provinces and six US Northeastern states.
A special added attraction eliminator for this year – included Top Stock class racing. That feature, incorporating all “big block” classic Detroit iron machines, was run off to completion during Thursday’s testing day with 10 qualified cars.
The final round was a USA vs Canada affair with Mike Ficacci (from New Jersey) topping Maritimes “living legend” racer John Armstrong (from Nova Scotia) in a final round battle of Camaros.
Ficacci’s 427 CID AA/S Camaro ran a 9.815 secs at 136.01 mph compared to Armstrong’s 9.907 secs at 132.68 mph in his A/SA classed car.
Despite not picking up that final round win light — CDRHF member John Armstrong most certainly approved of the eliminator inclusion, stating: “This was the most fun I’ve had racing in a long time!”
The weekend’s signature Stock/Super Stock Combo eliminator once again shined with just short of 50 car fields present for both days, and that ferocious and regional star-studded showdown did produce two Canadian winners with Chuck Nagy and Louis Gill both taking titles.
Nagy, driving his 2005 model Chevy Cavalier defeated Brian Clayton’s ’90 Camaro in the final round battle between two Niagara-area standout racers. Nagy clocked a 9.743 secs (9.72 dial in) to edge out Clayton’s 9.444 secs (9.42 dial in).
Stock/Super Stock Combo racing at Napierville was “white hot” with both Chuck Nagy (above) and Louis Gill taking event titles.
Sunday’s second Stock/SS race went to Quebec’s very own Louis Gill who scored driving his FS/G Ford Mustang — winning over Nic Barsamain’s USA-based D/SA Chevy for that class conclusion. Gill (from Quebec City) ran a winning 10.165 secs (10.16 dial in) at 130.35 mph for the title while Barsamain had a red-light.
The event also included two 1/8th mile Combo races for TD/TS cars with those titles being won by Debby Digenova (from Derry NH) and Michel Bastien (from St. Anne Des Plaines PQ). Both race events attracted close to 20 cars.
After about a 30-year absence from racing at Napierville — it was Debby Digenova coming back and winning!
Bastien won event #1 when he ran his fan favourite mountain-motored Dodge Daytona T/S to a 4.501 secs (4.51 dial in) to beat Jerome Beaulieu’s 4.371 secs (4.39 dial in) — a “double breakout” final round.
Michel Bastien was a winner with his fan favourite Mopar TS.
Digenova took her T/D past repeat finalist Bastin in the event #2 title round running 4.222 secs (4.21 dial) while Bastin had a red-light foul.
Racing within the event’s three contested NHRA Super “index” classes was highlighted by Ottawa’s Mike Reynolds — the defending 2025 JSCCS points champ, who kept his undefeated 2026 season in tact!
Reynolds, for Super Street (10.90), had won 2X at the series’ season opening weekend back at Cayuga Dragway in May, collected two more events, taking final round match wins over Jean Yves Gagnon and then Charlies Coughlin, driving his super consistent ’77 Vega.
Mike Reynolds continued his highly impressive undefeated season so far for JSCCS Super Street racing.
Super Comp (8.90) class titles went to Rob Hyatt (from Salem NH) and Brandon Barker (from Jasper ON).
Brandon Barker advanced to both Super Comp final rounds – winning one.
Hyatt won race #1 (over Barker) using an index perfect 8.900 secs run while Brandon broke out at 8.893 secs. But Barker, the defending ’25 JSCCS points champ, improved his fortunes later in the weekend – taking race #2 beating Ben Martin in a double breakout final round match – 8.891 secs to 8.835 secs.
Renfrew Ontario’s Charlie Kenopic also flexed his talents again at the event – taking both of the Super Gas (9.90) events in his topless ’63 Corvette.
Super Gas racing saw Canadian top-rated racer Charlie Kenopic with an undefeated weekend.
Kenopic, one of Canada’s most highly rated NHRA Super Gas class drivers, combined a .009 RT with a 9.935 secs which outlasted Ben Martin’s perfect 9.900 secs run in one final round and then he used a 9.907 secs to defeat Danny Danjou’s 9.919 secs in the other class trophy dash.
The JSCCS included another “double up” winner within it’s Motorcycle/Sled eliminator with Christian Beauchemin (from St. Amable Quebec) taking two wins with his Arctic Cat.
Next up for the JSCCS is at Miramachi NB – July 23-24.
Posted with files by Bruce Biegler – Glenn Grow
Photos by Mike Lacelle
