NHRA’s John Scotti Canadian Championship Series moved into the Medicine Hat’s MHDRA Motorplex last weekend….
The second location stop for the 2026 6-event JSCCS (Western) season was highlighted by some seasoned name winners including Medicine Hat’s very own Mark Simmons and provincial “Top” class standout driver Aaron Steinkey – both coming away victorious.
Simmons, the owner of that area’s reputed Spider Electric, had some impressive results — winning two titles both driving his “topless” Davis-chassis built Chevy Camaro. For Saturday, Mark collected both a Super Pro ET win (over 28 other entries) and then added in a JSCCS Super Gas (10.10) index title racing that car.
Western Canadian drag racing proponent Mark Simmons won 2X at Medicine Hat’s JSCCS event last weekend!
Aaron Steinkey (from Dunmore AB) — kept his impressive ’26 racing season at a high level with another win – taking the Top Comp title which features 1/8th mile competition pairing off both Top Dragster and Top Sportsman class racers.
Steinkey, driving his T/D this weekend, stopped Monty Beagle’s T/D in the “heads up” final round which saw both drivers run very close to their identical (4.51 secs) dial ins. Steinkey’s 4.519 secs got the win-light when Beagle left too soon.
Western Canada “Top” class racing powerhouse Aaron Steinkey collected again!
The event’s JSCCS Stock/Super Stock feature saw defending 2025 Western Series points champion Clarence Bidniak prevail with his B/SA ’70 Roadrunner. Clarence took an all Mopar-brand finale — winning over John Buczynski’s ’70 Cuda — to collect another “Wally”.
JSCCS NHRA index class car titles were also won by Isaac Stettner, from Regina, SK for Super Comp (10.10) and Krista Dryden (Stettler AB) for Super Street (11.10).
NHRA JSCCS index Super class winners – Isaac Stettner S/C and Krista Dryden S/ST.
Zack Toth, from within the area’s very infamous Toth Racing family motorcycle camp, collected the JSCCS Bike/Sled title with his Kawasaki (photo below).
MHDRA home track classes were also featured in full force over the weekend with titles on Saturday going to Travis Van Maarion (Pro), Daxson Padilla (Sportsman) and Bella Winslow (Junior Street). Junior Thunder was won by Reese Cramer and Gray Schaan collected for Junior Lighting.
Friday’s pre-weekend event schedule did include the track’s always popular “Gamblers” races with those titles going to Dwaine Ringguth for Electronics and Bill Shade for Non-Electronics. That evening’s action also saw wins by Austin Stettner (Super Pro), Dave Toth (Bike/Sled), Finnagan Merkl (Junior Gamblers) and Darcy Frey for “King of the Track”.
Dwaine Ringguth collected for the MHDRA’s popular Electronics Gambler event.
Racing this super clean ’56 Chevy Darcy Frey captured his first ever “King of the Track” title for Medicine Hat Drag Racing Association racing.
The event at Medicine Hat did have some challenges – the most serious of which was a crash for Edmonton’s Doreen Dyck who had a nasty tumble driving one of the Plaizier Racing team cars – on Saturday.
Doreen, who is wife to Eddy Plaizier, and in her second year as a driver in the division, was racing the team’s Super Street Firebird.
“The car got loose after the finish line and barrel-rolled 5 times,” Eddy Plaizier relayed. “She suffered a concussion and is sore with bruises — but is now back at home and in good spirits.”
“Doreen was right in the mix for the John Scotti points series – sitting in second going into Medicine Hat — but she will not be racing the rest of the year,” Eddy added.
While the 3rd round for the JSCSS was completed – the fourth round race (scheduled for last Sunday) was not. That will be completed instead this coming weekend during the Western series’s final races to be held at Edmonton’s RAD Torque Raceway and the Rocky Mountain Nationals event.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Bernie Frey 
