KHR presents some mid-August updates from within the Canadian drag racing spectrum…
“Round 2” 4 “Quick 32” — The Quick 32 Sportsman Series will return to competition within the John Scotti Canadian Championship Series during the NHRA National Open double-header at Toronto Motorsports Park, scheduled for the Labour Day Weekend Spectacular, September 4–6.
The John Scotti Canadian Championship Series will feature the Quick 32 Sportsman Series (Top Dragster and Top Sportsman), Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series, Nostalgia Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and Junior Dragster.
Competitors can earn NHRA grade points, which determine eligibility for major NHRA events and provide an opportunity to win a Wally, the most prestigious trophy in drag racing.
“Labour Day Weekend has always been one of the marquee events of the season at Toronto Motorsports Park,” said Bruce Mehlenbacher. “Fans can expect outstanding competition in the Quick 32 Sportsman Series.”
The event will feature qualifying and eliminations on both Saturday and Sunday, with a Test & Tune session on Friday. Fans will also enjoy jet-powered dragsters, Pro Modified racing, live music, and camping throughout the weekend.
The Quick 32 Sportsman Series competes at the John Scotti Canadian Championship Series during the NHRA National Open double-headers at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario. The 2026 schedule previously included the Victoria Day Weekend (May 15–17) event there.
A S/G Lanz(ing)! — British Columbia’s Kirk Lanz earned himself a career first during some recent NHRA Pacific Northwest Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event racing.
On August 1st at Woodburn Oregon, the Mission-based driver captured the Super Gas (9.90 index) event title winning that 6-round tournament from the #7 qualified position. Lanz ran a winning 9.931 secs to edge out opponent Dan Juel who ran 9.931 secs in the final.
British Columbia’s Kirk Lanz was a winner for S/G racing within the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Pacific Northwestern scene.
For Lanz the victory was his first at this level with his S/G Camaro — his other career NHRA divisional win had come racing his team’s T/S class car — coincidentally also at the Woodburn track (in 2016).
New Jet Setter — Fans attending the recent Canadian Nationals held a Grand Bend Motorplex did get a taste for Canada’s newest (and just recently licensed) Jet-dragster pilot. Otis Symon (from Springfield ON) made some laps with his General Electric J-85 powered machine, the former “Eastern Raider” from Hanna Motorsports and looked both steady and impressive while doing so.
Otis Symon
While these types of exhibition cars normally stop the top end timers in the 280-290 mph range for the 1/4 mile — during testing a little earlier this summer Otis did clock a 301 mph terminal speed. A fun fact for from that department — only a handful of jet‑car or jet‑dragster drivers have ever exceeded 300 mph in their careers worldwide. Canada’s Neale Armstrong – who is a mentor to Otis — is another name on that short list. As to the quality of the OSM race car, Armstrong did add: “I think this car is the best JET ever built!”
Stock/SS Series Synopsis — Eastern Canada’s 14-event Can-Am Stock/Super Stock series rolled on last weekend with an USA event date held at nearby Empire Dragway in Western NY state.
21-cars did battle for that “double header” and Sunday’s event featured a first time circuit winner with Jeff Ruttan winning in his Engineered Racing Services-presented GT Camaro. Ruttan’s family racing operation, who are from Hanover ON, are the owners J&S Performance Auto and Marine. Ruttan defeated John Cira (from Rochester NY) in that final round. Cira, had won Saturday’s event with his Chevy Monte Carlo. Ruttan did have a couple runner-up placings in the series races during 2025 – when he finished 8th in final points.
Jeff Ruttan was the latest series winner for within the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock series.
With the season event count now hitting 10 races done — the chase at the top is still being lead by Brian Clayton whose GT Camaro is well set to win yet another Can-Am Series Championship. Clayton, has 27 points but is followed closely by Chuck Nagy with 23. Ryan Boniferro and Dean Moggach do remain within title striking distance with 22 and 21 points respectively.
The ’26 Can-Am Stock/SS Series will conclude its scheduled events with upcoming races at Grand Bend Motorplex and then Toronto Motorsports Park.
Uniquely however they will keep a third season ending celebration event open for possible contention.
“Our September 19/20 races at St. Thomas Dragway are set up as non-points,” stated Robin Watson from the group. “But it is also reserved in case both points races happened to be rained out on the Labour Day weekend. We would use one of the St. Thomas races as a points race to finish our championship with an actual race rather than a rained-out event (as has unfortunately happened in the past).”
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Les Puchala – John Marechal — Steve Lowry – Blake Farnan
