In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers comments on DJ Kennington’s number swap, F1 shortening its races as part of boosting engine power output and much more.
This is an Editorial Observation and My Opinion Only. Rick Ware Racing has purchased DJK Racing and that is great news. However, Rick’s request to change DJ’s number from 17 to 51 does NOT sit well with me. I’m the one who told DJ’s father Doug about former CASCAR Champion Barry Harmer’s desire, expressed to me at Daytona Speed Weeks, to sell his entire team back in 1993. Doug bought the team and the rest is legendary.
DJ has run the number 17 for 34 seasons, a modern record virtually unmatched in all of motorsports or any sport for that matter. Did Jimmie Johnson request that Legacy Motor Club change their legendary number 43 to 48 when he bought in as majority owner? I fully understand that the number 51 is Ware’s favourite number – it is on his son Cody’s Cup car and on Clay Millican’s Top Fuel car. BUT his son Carson’s Xfinity number is 53!! Just saying!!
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LEAF RACEWEAR: Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment Inc. is celebrating 42 years in motorsports with its annual Octoberfast Anniversary Sale, running October 1–31, 2026. Throughout October, racers and teams can take advantage of special anniversary pricing on a wide selection of products, including race suits, FR undergarments, gloves, racing shoes, helmets, team shirts, custom tents and more. Founded in 1984, Leaf Racewear has spent more than four decades supplying racers and teams throughout Canada and the United States with racing apparel and safety equipment. Customers can shop the sale online or contact Leaf Racewear directly by phone. CONTACT: Web: leafracewear.com • Email: leaf@leafracewear.com • Canada: (519) 659-1115 • U.S.: (800) 731-7735
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AWESOME NEWS from Formula One. They have announced that their race distances will be reduced next year. And the reason is rather mind-blowing. All parties have agreed to an increase in power output next year which will result in increased fuel usage. As a result, they had two choices – increase the size of the fuel tanks or shorten the races. Wisely, they decided to shorten the races.
Another comment was that research showed that the younger audience they are trying to attract is turned off by the current length of the races (and their races are only an hour and a half!!). And one wag posited that this new target audience has ‘an attention span of half a millisecond’!!
Interesting that the top motorsport series in the world is shortening their races while there is not even a hint of that from North America’s major sanctioning bodies. I am old enough to recall when the ‘oil embargo’ of 1973 forced NASCAR to shorten some of their races.
I also remember driving past a Tampa Bay Holiday Inn during Speed Weeks in 1974 and seeing their sign which read ‘Thank the Lord for traveling salesmen’!! I say it’s time to shorten races in all NASCAR series, IndyCar and IMSA.
NASCAR did the proper thing last weekend by not penalizing Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney for their little one-sided dispute last week at Bristol. Kenny Wallace said it best when he stated that ALL the racers back in his day knew that if the number 3 car was behind you, it was a safe bet that he would move you. And that applies to Hocevar.
The good news from the altercation, you ask? NASCAR needs MORE of these encounters. It’s the only way to get news coverage from the majority of the TV networks.
Ty Gibbs got caught up in the heat of the moment during the Hocevar/Blaney altercation last week at Bristol and decided to lob a water bottle into the melee. The problem, you ask? It didn’t hit the combatants but rather it hit a journalist. It seems Gibbs will be dropping into the principal’s office in the NASCAR trailer at Kansas for a ‘chat’!!
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TOYO TIRES FALL REBATE: Get ready for the season ahead and save with the Toyo Tires Canada Fall Rebate! Purchase a qualifying set of four Toyo tires from a participating Canadian dealer between September 12 and December 19, 2026, and receive a prepaid Visa card worth up to $100. Eligible tires include popular Observe, Celsius, Open Country, Proxes and Extensa models. Visit ToyoTires.ca to explore qualifying tires, find a participating dealer and get complete rebate details today.
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The Chinese are coming, the Chinese are coming!! Chinese automaker Geely is strongly rumoured to be buying the Alpine Endurance Team Hypercar program. Can there be a Chinese F1 team in the near future? Don’t bet against it.
I have talked about the lack of black flags in NASCAR in the past, so I thought I would do a Google search to see when the last time one was issued in Cup. I recall when long-retired Richard Petty was black flagged at Darlington in 2017. The reason, you ask? He was the honourary driver of the pace car and he wouldn’t come in as he was having WAY too much fun. As a result, they put out the black flag.
The last time appeared to be in 2001, 25 years ago, when Tony Stewart was black flagged for passing below the yellow line (or as F1 calls it ‘exceeding track limits’!!). Stewart did not obey the flag and finished 6th but was dropped to 26th in the official results. Tony then wanted to fight Gary Nelson after the race. (I would have placed a bet on Tony!!). Nelson, rumoured to be the best ‘cheater’ in the garage area, had been hired by NASCAR to, unofficially, catch all the other ‘cheaters’!! LOL
Very sad to read that Darrell Waltrip has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This, apparently, is a result of some of the accidents he was involved in over his lengthy career. As a result, he will be stepping away from the public limelight. We will all miss ‘Boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s go racing boys’!!
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PETERBOROUGH SPEEDWAY: With the regular season complete at Peterborough Speedway, all eyes turn to the 33rd Annual B&G Towing & Recovery Autumn Colours Classic. Billed as the ‘Superbowl of stock car racing,’ the event has turned into the biggest fall special in the region, featuring many different divisions, huge crowds and a packed camping area. The event runs October 9, 10 & 11 over the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend. Watch PeterboroughSpeedway.com for more information about this fall stock car racing spectacular.
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Shawn Reed, an NHRA Top Fuel driver, has been disqualified from the 2026 Countdown. The reason? He only made TWO qualifying attempts at Charlotte. Yup, that’s the reason.
Reed said words to the effect that, ‘the team invested its own money, personnel, equipment and resources to put another competitive Top Fuel dragster on the racetrack while giving Zetterström an opportunity to continue gaining experience and building her future in the sport.’
And the head-scratching part of this disqualification? Charlotte was five months ago in April, long before the Countdown started. These teams spent a TON of money to put on a show for NHRA!!! Was it fair? You be the judge.
NASCAR Cup Series: With qualifying rained out AGAIN this year, the starting lineup was set using NASCAR’s ‘metrics’ at Kansas Speedway. As a result, Joey Logano (Ford) got the pole over Kyle Larson (Chev) and Christopher Bell (Toyota). Ford/Chev/Toyota. 36 cars, 17 Chevs, 10 Fords and 9 Toyotas.
A competition caution came out at lap 35 to check tire wear. Larson got the Stage 1 win. On lap 114 Gragson blew a motor, putting out enough smoke to guarantee no mosquitoes in Kansas for years to come!! And, of course, yellows breed yellows and this restart proved that old adage. Bubba Wallace, Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith, Josh Berry, Erik Jones and Brad Keselowski all spun just past the restart line. Yellow. Larson won Stage 2. The final stage went green and Larson made it a clean sweep, getting the win over Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin.
In the points, Larson leads Hamlin by 26 and Bell by 50.
Next Race – Las Vegas, Sunday at 5.30 P.M. on TSN 5.
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FLAMBORO SPEEDWAY: This weekend, Flamboro Speedway hosts its annual Frostoberfest Weekend Presented by London Recreational Racing. On Saturday, October 3: OSCAAR Hot Rods, OSCAAR Modifieds and OSCAAR Super Late Models, as well as Outlaw Midgets, Mini Trucks, Legends and Street Stocks. On Sunday, October 4: Flamboro Grisdale Showdown Series for Pro Late Models (Junior Hanley Classic – Twin 72-lap features!), Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks.
On Saturday, fan gates open at noon with racing at 1:00 p.m.. On Sunday, fan gates open at noon with racing at 2:00 p.m. Who will leave with the coveted final igloos ever to be offered for this event? Don’t miss it!
Visit FlamboroSpeedway.ca for more info.
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NASCAR O’Reilly Series – Next Race – Las Vegas, Saturday at 7.30 P.M. on CTV Speed.
NASCAR Craftsman Trucks: In qualifying for Saturday’s race at Kansas Speedway, Kaden Honeycutt (Toyota) grabbed the pole over Christian Eckes (Chev) and Brent Crews (Toyota). Canadians Cole Butcher (Ford) and Stewart Friesen (Toyota) qualified 12th and 21st.
Honeycutt won the caution-free Stage 1. The yellow came out on lap 44 when Connor Hall pinwheeled down the back straight. Ten laps later Hall decided to reload and repeat in the exact same spot. That yellow ended Stage 2, won by Honeycutt again. On lap 65 a bunch of trucks got involved on the back straight including Friesen, Clayton Green, Daniel Dye and Leland Honeyman (Friesen teammate?). Then red for rain on lap 70. On lap 95 Caleb Costner spun down onto the front infield and tore his front fascia off. Yellow. On lap 115 Landen Lewis slid down and spanked the inside wall. Caution. With ten laps to go Grant Enfinger rolled to a stop in 3.
At the flag it was Honeycutt over Eckes and Crews (hey, isn’t that where they started?), with Butcher 12th and Friesen 21st (hey, isn’t that where they started?).
In the points, Honeycutt now has the lead by 37 over Layne Riggs and by 71 on Chandler Smith. Friesen sits 12th with Butcher 19th.
Next Race – Charlotte, Saturday, October 9.
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Formula One: In FP1 at Baku George Russell (Mercedes) topped the charts. And he repeated in FP2. Too little, too late for George who was touted to win the championship at the start of the year? His teammate Kimi Antonelli has surely outshone him.
And he repeated in FP3 and qualifying, sitting on the pole ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren). Kimi had spanked the wall hard in Q1 but kept going for a while, but ended up starting 16th (last in Q2 due to his Q1 time). Good for a really entertaining race for sure!!
Canadian Lance Stroll qualified 21st and his teammate Fernando Alonso started 19th.
The race went smoothly and on lap 9 Stroll was pushed off the track again, the 11th time this year. That must be SO frustrating. At the halfway mark it was Russell over Piastri, who had gotten around Leclerc on the initial start, and Max Verstappen. Antonelli had moved up from 16th to 9th. On lap 31 Alex Albon literally buried his Williams into the tire barrier, resulting in the first yellow flag of the race. Amazing considering the race was on a VERY tight street circuit with lots of beautiful old buildings surrounding it.
On lap 36 Franco Colapinto overcooked corner entry and hit his teammate Pierre Gasly, who then hit Lando Norris, shoving Norris HARD into the wall. Safety Car. On lap 40 Piastri couldn’t get stopped and went into the runoff, dropping way back from 3rd to 14th. On the final lap Valtteri Bottas stuffed his Caddy into the tires. Russell got the win while the Ford-powered Red Bulls of Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished 2nd and 3rd. Shockingly, but maybe not, there were 7 cars that did not finish the race. I see they were back to the unlabeled bottles of water in the drivers’ cool down room! LOL
In the Drivers’ Championship Antonelli still leads Russell, but now by 66, and Hamilton (Ferrari) by 103.
In the Constructors’ Championship Mercedes leads Ferrari by 160 and McLaren by 232.
Next Race – Bahrain (at Sepang, Malaysia), Sunday at 9.00 A.M. on TSN 5.
IMSA – Next Race – Road Atlanta, Petit Le Mans, Sunday.
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PETERBOROUGH SPEEDWAY: The big one is coming!! The 33rd Annual Peterborough Speedway Autumn Colours Classic presented by B&G Towing and Recovery takes place October 9, 10 & 11!
Experience three days of motorsports history, tradition, and unforgettable memories at the Autumn Colours Classic.
Click HERE to purchase your tickets now. ** Please note Pit Passes can only be purchased in person at the Pit Gate **
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NHRA: The series dropped into Rockingham Dragway on the weekend, just across the street from Rockingham Speedway.
Top Fuel – Doug Kalitta topped the 16 entries with a 3.682 at 338.09. Shawn Langdon took out points leader Kalitta with a 3.739 at a STOUT 342.73. 6 upsets and 3 smokers.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, once again, topped the 15 cars with a 3.870 at 330.40. Canadian Spencer Hyde qualified 12th. Matt Hagan won the final over a VERY loose and lane-leaving Paul Lee with a 3.922 at 327.75. 7 upsets and 4 smokers.
Pro Mod – Derek Menholt was quickest of the 19 entries, putting down a 5.631 at 248.89. Canadian Justin Bond qualified 5th. In the final Mike Stavrinos took out Bond with a 5.664 @ 254.09. 4 upsets and no, repeat NO smokers!!!! Just fifteen VERY close side-by-side races for the pleasure of the fans!!!
Pro Stock – Matt Hartford topped the 15 qualifiers, running a 6.476 at 212.87. Canadians Matt and Eric Latino qualified 3rd and 8th. Greg Stanfield won the final over Cody Anderson, putting down a 6.537 at 210.48. 7 upsets and 4 smokers.
Pro Stock Bike – Angie Smith was quickest of the 15 bikes with a 6.674 at 201.61. I remember when it was believed that no bike would EVER break seven seconds. Wrong!! Richard Gadson won the final over a red-lighting Gaige Herrera with a 6.789 at 199.65. 5 upsets.
Next Race – Gateway, next weekend at 3 P.M. on Fox Sports Racing.
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EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: The final checkered flag of the season has been displayed and stowed for next season. But there is still one major event left for the Edmonton International Raceway community and that’s the annual EIR Awards Night. It takes place Saturday, November 7 at Moose Hall in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Trophies will be handed out. Champions will be honoured and it’s a great opportunity for the racers, teams, officials and sponsors to get together one last time before the long winter sets in. The Awards Night celebration kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and runs until 11:00 p.m. Visit EdmontonRaceway.com for info.
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APC Series: The season finale for the Late Models and Super Stocks was held Saturday night as part of the Great Canadian Race Weekend.
In the Dayco Super Stocks Connor Pritiko put down fast time in qualifying over Ryan Dyson and Trevor Collver. 22 cars started the 75-lapper and with the invert Nic Ramsay started from the pole over Collver and Jay Cox. Several post-qualifying tech failures mixed up the starting field. The initial start was waved off and Ramsay was ordered to pit road where tech officials checked for a fuel leak from his car. He was sent to the pits and came back out, getting the pole back for the restart.
A ‘NASCAR Caution’ for debris was thrown at lap 34. On lap 40 Darrell Lake got a little help from Andrew Ferreira in 4 and collected Mason Collver. Yellow. With six laps to go Brendon Edgar brought out the yellow when a flat tire sent him into the wall in 4. At the flag it was Pritiko over Ramsay and Cox. Lane Zardo was the Season Champion.
Time of the Race – 55:35. Fast lap – Pritiko – 20.061.
The APC Late Models welcomed 28 entries for the season ender. The big question, could Pritiko double up and win the BIG bonus? In group qualifying Rick Spencer-Walt topped Q1 with an 18.680, Jordan Sims was best in Q2 with an 18.496, D.J. Kennington was best in Q3 putting down an 18.483, Brady Smith ran an 18.428 in Q4, Josh Stade laid down an 18.335, then Jake Sheridan topped Q6 and won fast time with an 18.250. With the invert it was Stade over Pritiko, Kyle Steckly, Brandon Watson and fast time setter Sheridan.
It took two tries to get a clean start as Stade jumped the start. The first yellow came out on lap 50 with Stade spun in 2. On lap 117 Jesse Kennedy got into a couple of lapped cars in 4, an incident that took out some good cars. On the restart Steckly had a SERIOUS ‘tank slapper’ off 2 but saved it, losing only 2 spots. At the halfway mark it was Steckly over Sheridan and J.R. Fitzpatrick.
At lap 188 Steckly ran out of fuel, as did Fitzpatrick. As the yellow was for Kyle, he went to the rear. On lap 225 Brady Smith spun after side-to-side contact with Junior Farrelly and had a major hit into the inside wall in 3. Red flag. He was removed from the car and transported with, reportedly, broken bones.
On lap 272 J.R. appeared to bump Donald Theetge off 4 and Theetge got turned into the front stretch inside wall. The crowd erupted in laughter and clapped at the interview with the Quebec resident as his English was absolutely perfect in describing the encounter, NO translation required!! The yellow flew again at lap 276 when Steckly and Shae Gemmel got together off 2. The yellow and red came out with 11 to go for oil on the front stretch. At the flag it was Sheridan over Pritiko (SO close but no cigar) and Steckly. Sheridan is the Season Champion.
Click HERE to few Bryce Turner’s report from the Great Canadian Weekend and HERE for a photo gallery by Steve Traczyk.
Time of the Race – 3:38 (yup, almost 4 hours). Fast time – Sheridan – 18.463.
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BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY: The King Edward Auto & Performance Fall Nationals take to the track at ‘The Bullring’ October 16 & 17! On Friday, Oct. 16: Super Dirtcar Big Block Modifieds 75L, Dirtcar 50L Sportsman Series, and Vintage (6 p.m. start). On Saturday, Oct. 17: Dirtcar 358 Modifieds Series 100L, Vintage, Mini Stock and Street Stock + After Party & Bonfire (3:00 p.m. start. All time trials are prior to start times. Click HERE to visit the BrockvilleSpeedway.com website for information as this big weekend of racing approaches. And click HERE to see a full report from the recent Monster Enduro at Brockville.
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Ontario Sportsman Series – In the final points, Todd Sheppard won by 32 over Shawn McGlynn and by 57 over Donavin Clark.
Delaware Speedway – The Bone Stocks started off the Great Canadian Race Weekend last Friday with a 40-lapper. In qualifying Chad Proulx topped Q1 with a 24.296, Joe Kicks was best in Q2 turning a 23.786, Matt Langford won Q3 at 23.154 and points leader Charlie Verhoeven put down quick time of 22.921. 35 cars started and at the flag it was Jo Lawrence over Verhoeven, Michael Verberne, Paul Fothergill and Justin Collver.
In the OSCAAR Hot Rods Tom Walters won Heat 1 and Steve Book won Heat 2. On lap 7 of the main Don Hawn spun in 4 for a yellow, then Walters spun the next lap into the front stretch wall. Hawn spun off 2 again on lap 24. On lap 28 Ayden McNichol and Dalen Martin tangled in 2. At the flag it was the 62 Thunderbird with the Chev front clip powered by a 340 Dodge motor of Lane Zardo over Jacob Booth and Hawn, who came back through the field twice. Zardo was the Season Champion.
Meanwhile, over in the Open Wheel Modified OSCAAR camp, Dale Reinhart won Heat 1 and Jamie Cox won Heat 2. In the Main, Rick Burbridge spun in 2 on lap 17 and at the same time Wally Wilson got a flat tire. At the flag it was Cox over Reinhart and Marshall Schrenk. Reinhart was the Season Champion.
Saturday’s races are covered above in the APC section.
Next Race – Pumpkin Smasher, Bone Stock Championship, Saturday at noon.
Flamboro Speedway – Next Race – Legends, S/S, O/M, L/M, M/T, H/R, S/LM & OSCAAR Mods, Saturday.
Buxton Speedway – Next Race – $2 Hot Dogs, NRVRS, OTS, MODS, LM & MM, Saturday.
Grand Bend Dragway – Next Race – Sportsman Nationals, this weekend.
St. Thomas Dragway – Next Race – TBA, this weekend.
Toronto Motorsports Park – Next Race – Canada Heads Up, this weekend.
Shannonville Drags – Next Race – Jim Parkinson Memorial, October 11.
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.
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