There is a colourful and educational background story behind a Quebec-based Top Sportsman class car driver…

In a realtively very short period of time, the husband and wife team of Sylvain and Linda Nadon, from Laval PQ, have evolved into one of that province’s more respected TS category racers.  The duo, who just two years prior acquired their very fast Ford Mustang, from long time Quebec-based Ford racing legend racer Georges Levesque, have made very impressive progress with that 2007 model machine ever since.

Originally built to Pro Mod class racing specs, this Bickel-chassied Ford Mustang now features 1500+ HP motor programs, and is a frequent runner both within Eastern Canada and NHRA’s Northeast.

Sylvain Nadon’s terrific looking TS Mustang features Jon Kaase mountain motor power.

“I’m new to TS class racing – 2017 was just my second year,” Sylvian affirmed. “So far our focus has been on understanding the car – finding out what works and what doesn’t. Overall we have achieved our goal of getting the car to run consistently (in the 6.90’s) and we’ve had some good event placings to go with it.”

Sylvan does have a rather refreshing attitude when he goes to the drag strip. He purposely keeps his drag racing involvement in perspective and his goals realistic.

“In this TS class – each race day we set a target for ourselves and try to race as close to that target,” he continued. “As long as we do that — even if we win or we lose – we feel accomplishment. Sometimes in drag racing if winning is always your only objective – it’s not fun — because you will go home disappointed more often then not. I treat my drag racing almost like golfing. I don’t necessarily worry about my score – I just go to play and have fun.”

Unlike a majority of cars within the Top Sportsman category, Sylvan’s Mustang is a 100% naturally aspirated program. Depending on the event conditions he has two Ford configuration mountain-motor platforms at his disposal – a 820 CID and an 814 CID. Both of those were built by Jon Kaase and acquired though Ontario’s legendary Konigshofer Brothers racing team.

Linda and Sylvain Nadon

But the story for this team certainly does not begin with his current Mustang. His racing origins do run deep and do include what certainly can be referred to as a career turning point moment.

Sylvan revealed that his passion for fast cars began way back in the early 1990’s and at a time when he was a participate within illegal street car racing. He had a very fast 5.0 Mustang and was often present at various secretive late night rendezvous’s within Montreal area industrial park zones. Sylvan reflected on one particular night which changed his career and racing direction.

“Late one night I (the fastest guy in Laval) lined up against the fastest guy from the south shore,” Sylvan revealed. “Just after we did our burnouts — there was flashing lights appearing from everywhere – the cops had been tipped off and were waiting for us. I was then arrested and treated like a criminal and I was expecting the worse when I went to court. I was facing a major $$$ fine and also some 9 demerit points. But I went to court to fight it and I explained the situation to the Judge that we were not racing on a city street and were in fact in a very remote area well away from the public. For some reason he sympathized with me (?) and I only got a $300 fine and no demerit points. I’m convinced to this day that judge was a “gear head” fortunately for me! I consider myself lucky but I also learned a real lesson that day – I vowed to never race on the street again. Soon after I started going to Naperville drag strip (exclusively) and that was really the beginning of my drag racing.”

Nadon’s reputation for drag racing at Naperville then spanned the next 20 years or so. During that time he remained a “heads-up” specialist while campaigning a highly formidable 380 CID nitrous-assisted ’87 Mustang 10.5 tire car, with which he often dominated at that drag strip.

Today Nadon funds his race team as a 100% independent from the proceeds of first a snow removal business but now an farm implement rental company. His team is comprised of just himself and his wife Linda who is very hands on within the race car’s tuning and event operations.

Sylvain placed a strong 5th in final Napa USDS Top Sportsman championship points last season.

Post and photos by Bruce Biegler