Canada’s All-Time Fastest Man! — Despite losing out in round one at last weekend’s NHRA Route 66 Nationals — Quebec’s Daniel Mercier still made Canadian motorsports headlines by becoming the fastest driver yet in our country.  Daniel ran his fastest terminal speeds ever – including a barrier breaking 334.24 mph at the event.   Mercier, who had qualified 10th at 3.755 secs ran a superb 3.748 secs in round one — but was edged out by opponent Shawn Reed’s quicker leaving 3.750 secs.  “This season is starting very well for us,” Daniel said proudly.  “So happy now I’m part of the 330 mph club . We’ve worked very hard the last 6 months to be competitive. We’re now very ready to go several rounds at every race.  Our next goal is to achieve a time of 3.69, we are just 0.05 secs away from achieving it — then we will aim for the Wallys!” Daniel also revealed that his team will enter the next five NHRA races before a time off for a very major event >> “July 1st — I am getting married”   (to Andree-Anne Picard).

Spencer Hyde also broke the 330 mph barrier at NHRA Chicago when he stoked an terrific 331.61 mph at the event.  Amazingly that super speed also came in a first round loss by a very narrow margin to Chad Green – 3.866 secs to Spencer’s 3.889 secs. Hyde had qualified the Jim Head Racing 9th entering Sunday.

Mission BC’s Justin Bond was again in the mix for the Pro Mod title at Joliet.  Justin, who roared to a great 5.721 secs to qualify #5,  did beat Alex Laughlin in round one but lost out to Ken Quartuccio in the second frame.

A major surprise (to say the least) at Route 66 was the DNQ for defending NHRA World Champion Jordan Lazic (Rutland BC) in Pro Mod.  The talented team just could not find a way to harness a tire spin problem which plagued them this particular weekend and which kept them out of the program.

One of the beyond cool cars on the entry list for the Chicagoland event added attraction — PEAK Street Car Shootout (presented by Sick the Magazine) – was courtesy of Mississauga’s Ontario’s David Schroeder.  But David’s 2019 model C7 also had issues over the weekend and did not advance past round one.

Top Rated Rookie — Canada’s Ryan Harris, a 17-year-old Burford, Ontario high school student, has drawn up plans to compete in all four of the Quick 32 Sportsman Series events scheduled at Empire Dragway (in Western NY state) this season. As a member of the KHR race team owned by his father Kyle Harris, Ryan began racing at age eight in the RCSS Series, with multiple wins at Toronto Motorsports Park. In 2018, he transitioned to the PDRA Pro Junior Dragster category and quickly became the number one qualifier in 2019. As the only Canadian driver competing in all eight PDRA Pro Junior Dragster events — some key accomplishments in the 2024 season included winning 3X within the PDRA circuit — the 2024 North vs. South Shootout, the 2024 Coolshirt Systems ProStars and then at the PDRA Northern Nationals race. With that Ryan finished with a third overall placing in the final 2024 Pro Junior Dragster Standings for PDRA. Ryan also took the step to earn his Top Dragster license in 2024 driving in his family’s PDRA championship-winning dragster that was driven by father Kyle. Within the Quick 32 Sportsman Series at Empire Dragway Ryan will drive that very same KHR race team’s now highly proven 2019 Horton Race Cars 280-inch Top Dragster. That car is powered by a 526 cubic inch Atchison Machine-prepared AJPE 481x motor program. Ryan’s sponsors and supporters include DFS Projects, Double O Permit & Project Services Inc., Harquip Ltd., Atchison Machine Service, Hartman Machine Works, Fast Eddie Racewear, Boogieman and Company, Tri-County Sandblasting Inc., Redline Motorsports Media and DragRaceCanada.com.

A Touring Chevy! — Alberta’s Chevy Reeves is poised for his debut for 2025 within the thrilling and vastly popular Outlaws Circuit.
Driving his Chevy Malibu monikered “Yeti”, this series will mark a major milestone for both Reeves Performance and Helluvachevy Racer Team, as newcomers to the Outlaws lineup. It will bring both a fresh wave of energy and determination to the track as well as being the first—and possibly only—Canadian participant chasing the Outlaws circuit across the North American continent is season.  Chevy will pilot the family’s 4400 HP and supercharged 1970 Chevelle, “YETI” constructed by the renowned Cameron Johnson Race Cars in Florida for former Outlaws participant Jerry Monza. It’s first-ever track test was however under Chevy’s command when both car and driver made a testing debut late last season at Edmonton’s RAD Torque Raceway. “These upcoming weeks will the first official Outlaws race for the YETI,” confirmed Chevy Reeves. “We’re here—not just to compete, but to redefine what a motorsport team can be.” For over three decades, the Reeves family (including father Rob and Mom Kim) have traveled to countless races, observing and envisioning the best practices for a race team. Now, after selling off their previous interests in RAD Torque Raceway, they’re steering that vision into the future. Amid recent political controversy surrounding tariffs and border regulations, they’re proud to fly the Canadian flag on the international stage and prove that passion and dedication transcend borders.