This just past season did include a next level emergence for some popular SW Ontario-based drag racing regulars….
The father & son racing team of Dan and Travis Gueguen, both familiar names within Eastern Canada’s “Top” class categories, went a step further in 2024 when they debuted for the first time for — Pro Modified.
Travis Gueguen – one of Canada’s newest P/M class racers.
While the team’s event appearances with their nitrous-injected Bickel-built Camaro were limited to and at Cayuga Dragway and Grand Bend Motorplex only, those summer sessions did mark the beginning of a next stage for their Dordan Mechanical Racing operation.
Driver Travis Gueguen was behind the wheel of what was in fact a former Rickie Smith owned race car. They first acquired this car back in March of 2021 and had spent the time since making modifications in order to fit their future objectives.
“Back in 2020 (during COVID) we did with the help of Mark Savage purchase a motor from Khalid Al Balooshi,” Travis revealed. “That is an 864 CID Charlie Buck build with 4 systems of nitrous. We initially tried to fit it into our then G-Force Camaro T/S car but determined there would be too much hacking and slashing involved. We didn’t want to cut up such a beautiful car – so the time came to shop for a new car. We bought the car from David Brown who had ran it with a Pro charger in PDRA T/S. Then we converted the car back to a NOS car — with a lot of help from Wes Goddard. Louis Ouimette wired the car up with all Fuel Tech stuff. We had the car on a hub Dyno and with only 2 systems it made 2100 HP.”
The team’s new Pro Mod entry first hit the track during the Canada Day Weekend at Cayuga Dragway where they did some initial testing and began pursuit of a tune-up. The car was then run again during Grand Bend Motorplex’s Summer Spectacular race where, with tuning help from Calvin Franco, it showed great progress with a 4.26 secs (1/8th mile) elapsed time. Later in the summer, during its first competitive outing (also at Cayuga) the car ran 4.06 secs.
The Dordan Motorsports Pro Mod Camaro shown during it’s initial testing debut at Cayuga Dragway in 2024.
“This is built as a 1/8th mile car,” Travis affirmed. “We want to support and run the Pro Mod class here in Canada but when we can and are capable, we would like to do a few PDRA events in the USA (for Top Sportsman) too. Our target is to run some low 3.80-high 3.70 secs with this car and motor.”
The Pro Mod car is and was the next logical step for Travis’s racing career. Since first entering the sport back in 2011, he raced a couple of fast dragsters both Chrome Worx cars. Then in 2015 Travis & Dan moved into fast door cars when they acquired the G-Force Camaro from New York-based racer Dan Flanigan – with which they enjoyed great success racing within Canada for a number of seasons.”
Travis did lay some tongue & cheek “blame/fault” on his good buddy Spencer Hyde for that particular class switch however.
“I remember going to the Shakedown at E-Town to cheer Spencer Hyde on — and that was it — after that event I was hooked on door cars. That’s what lead up to us buying Dan’s Camaro.”
Dordan Motorsports raced this highly successful T/S Camaro prior to their move to Pro Mod
Dan and Travis do self-fund their independent racing operation primarily from within their own company – Dordan Mechanical, located in New Hamburg ON.
Dordan Mechanical has been creating diverse facilities since 1985, designing and constructing projects, ranging in scope from residential high rise and low rise condominiums (ie: Nursing homes, industrial plants, retail stores, churches, schools, restaurants, ice arenas and various buildings for the manufacturing sectors.)
“A lot of people don’t know that my Dad (Dan) and Grandma (Dorothy) started Dordan in 1985 — hence the name “Dordan”, Travis added. “Dordan Mechanical Inc, is now owned and operated by Dan (my dad) and Darrin (my uncle) Gueguen.”
Team patriarch Dan Gueguen has been guiding his son Travis into the beams throughout his drag racing career.
As Travis reflected back on 2024 which saw him dip his Nomex racing boots into new waters of sort, and in anticipation for 2025, he stated, “I would like to thank my crew, dad (Dan Gueguen), my mom (Sue Gueguen), my wife (Robyn Gueguen) as well as Harry and Jesse Bowman.”
“Special thanks to Wes Godard for all the hard work on the car and also Louis Ouimette and Calvin Franco. Thanks to our long time team sponsors, Dordan Mechanical, Desco Plumbing and Heating supply and Hyde Construction. Without them all — I would not be racing.”
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Blake Farnam John S. Brown & DragRaceCanada File Photos
