As we wrap up the season, I’ve compiled a list of champions from the various races we cover throughout the year, along with the first race of 2025 for each of them. Additionally, you’ll find my Annual New Year’s Wish List below.
Stratford, Ontario’s Spencer Hyde has been tapped to drive the Jim Head Nitro Mustang Funny Car in 2025. Hyde, a standout in Pro Mod, claimed the $100,000 top prize in last year’s Drag Illustrated Winter Series event at Bradenton, Florida. He’s also made several runs in a Top Fuel dragster owned by Canadians Todd and Tony Paton. Congratulations to Spencer!
Christmas Wish List:
- NASCAR: One, repeat, one only green-white-checkered finish.
- Formula One: Ditch the failed Stewards Program and hire permanent, full-time, trained race directors.
- IndyCar: Stretch your season into the fall rather than ending it in August.
- IMSA: Drop the GTD part of the GTD PRO class and just call it PRO. Also, update your website – it’s far too hard to navigate.
- NHRA: Make Pro Mod the third Pro class and stop treating them like the drunken uncle at the family picnic. The latest Drag Illustrated Winter Series event proved that there are LOTS of Pro Mods out there – 65, in fact.
- NASCAR Canada: Fix your website, or do away with it and just use Facebook.
Champions & First Races of 2025
NASCAR Cup Series
Champion: Joey Logano
First race: Clash at Bowman Gray, Sunday, February 2 at 8:00 PM
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Champion: Justin Allgaier
First race: Daytona, Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 PM
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Champion: Ty Majeski
First race: Daytona, Friday, February 14 at 7:30 PM
Formula One
Champion: Max Verstappen
First race: Australia, March 16
IndyCar
Champion: Alex Palou
First race: St. Petersburg, March 2
IMSA
- GTP: Cameron Nasr, Penske Porsche
- PRO: Snow, Sellers, Verhagen, BMW
- GTD: Ellis, Ward, Mercedes
- LMP2: Jensen, Oreca
First race: Daytona, January 18 & 19
NHRA
- Top Fuel: Antron Brown
- Funny Car: Austin Prock
- Pro Mod: Jordan Lazic
- Pro Stock: Greg Anderson
- Pro Stock Bike: Gaige Herrera
- Factory Stock: Mark Pawuk
- Factory X: Greg Standfield
First race: Gainesville, March 9
NASCAR Canada Series
Champion: Marc-Antoine Camirand
First race: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport), May 18
APC Series
- Late Model: Kyle Steckly
- Super Stock: Carson Nagy
- Mod: TJ Edwards
- Hot Rod: Tyler Hawn
First race: Sunset, May 18
Ontario Sportsman Series
Champion: Cory McAllister
First race: Not available at press time
Delaware Speedway
- Late Model: Ray Morneau
- Super Stock: Trevor Collver
- V8 Stocks: Barry Watson
- Bone Stocks: Matt Langford
First race: Friday, May 9
Super Modifieds: June 6
Ohsweken Speedway
- Sprint Car: Dylan Westbrook
- Crate Sprint Car: Brett Stratford
- Thunder Stock: Ryan Beagle
- Mini Stock: Gillian Hils
First race: Friday, May 9
World of Outlaws: Wednesday & Thursday, May 14 & 15
Flamboro Speedway
- Late Model: Billy Schwartzenburg
- Triple Crown LM: Shae Gemmell
- Mini Stocks: Matt Yonge
- Pure Stocks: Wayne Thorne
- Pro 4s: Shawn Asselin
- Canadian Vintage Modifieds: Ricky Willigar
- Pro Challenge: Tim Norris
First race: Saturday, May 3
Southern Ontario Motor Speedway (Buxton)
- Late Model: CJ Fields
- Thunder Stock: Jake Hooker
- Modified: Joe Brosseau
- Mini Mod: Dylan Bonner
- Mini Stock: Steve Conway
First race: Enduro race, Saturday, February 22
Full Throttle Motor Speedway
- Pro Sprint: Brent Kemps
- Jr. Late Model: Grayson Masson
- Mini Trucks: Owen Corriveau
- Fun Stocks: Austin Etsell
- Mini Stock: Mitch Wilkin
- Street Stock: Drew Richardson
- Thunder Stocks: Mason Collver
- Hot Rods: Mat Hopkins
First race: Saturday, May 17
Grand Bend Speedway
- Late Model: Rylan Facchinato
- Bone Stock: Carter Nichol
- 9HP Sprint: Mike Beneteau
- JR Sprint: Edwin Hyde
- Mini Truck: Caleb Goertz
First race: Saturday, May 10
Grand Bend Dragway
- Top: Harry Goosens
- Mod: Brad Talbot
- Sportsman: Jeff Talbot
- Bike/Sled: Roy Portiss
- Open Comp: Tim Ferguson
- Extreme 32: Tony Youseff
- Junior Dragster (Advanced): Noah Gomes
- Junior Dragster (Development): Chloe Parkin
- Top Sportsman: Phil Sampson
- Top Dragster: Kevin Knight
First race: Weekend of May 18
St. Thomas Dragway
- Top: Jordan Crowe
- Mod: Tim Blyde (WDRA World Champion Drew Buchner was runner-up in both Mod & Top)
- Sportsman: Holly Woodford
- Bike/Sled: Clayton Knicely
- Junior Dragster: Owen Buchner
First race: Weekend of May 24/25
Toronto Motorsports Park
- Quick Sportsman: Claude Losier
- Super Pro: John Robertson
- Mod: Dan Pepper
- Bike/Sled: Dan Konopacki
- Footbrake: Darcy MacCoubrey
- Street: Sam Snapp
- Junior Dragster: Cole Ferri
First race: Weekend of May 11
Can-Am Stock/Super Stock
Champion: Brian Clayton
First race: TMP, Weekend of May 18
PMRA
- Quick 32 Sportsman Series: Charlie Emler
- Pro Bike & Sled Series: Lee Burgess
First race: Empire Dragway, June 21
660 Sportsman Nationals
First race: Grand Bend, October 5
John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series
First race: Weekend of May 18, TMP
Shannonville Drags
- Super Pro: Jason Chatwood
- Pro: Tyler Bunnett
- Sportsman: Dustin Baldwin
- Nostalgia: Kevin Pelletier
- Trophy: Super Dave
- Bike/Sled: Wayne Slute
- Junior Dragster: Carlie Parkhurst
First race: June 7 & 8
Comments or feedback can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or via Facebook Messenger.
