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- Category: Road Racing
January 2, 2024
Elmira, Ontario - JMF Motorsports will kick off 2024 with a bang as they prepare to field two Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams – one in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge as well as one in the SRO Pirelli GT4 America series.
Returning to the team for 2024, and making the move from SRO to IMSA, will be the ultra-talented driver pairing of Michai Stephens and Jesse Webb, driving the #34 Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the GS Class. Moving up into the SRO series will be young Canadians Demi Chalkias and Jake Cowden.
“We are proud to embark on this new chapter of our team,” says President and CEO, John Farrow. “It will be a huge challenge, however, it is just the beginning of our continued growth”.
Michai Stephens and Jesse Webb come off a successful 2023 season which saw 5 wins, 8 podiums and 12 top-5 finishes in the SRO Pirelli GT4 America Silver Class. They both have shown they have the talent and the chemistry for continued success in the 2024 season.
Demi Chalkias and Jake Cowden make the move for the first time to the SRO Pirelli GT4 America series. They both come off of individual successes in 2023, with Demi finishing 2nd in the Sports Car Championship Canada and Jake winning the Radical Cup Canada title. They will pair up in the #34 Mercedes-AMG GT4 to challenge for the 2024 season in the Silver Class.
Michai and Jesse are on deck first for the IMSA Roar Before the 24 practice sessions January 19-21, 2024. That is immediately followed by their debut race of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series at Daytona International Speedway on January 25-26, 2024.
Demi and Jake start their SRO Pirelli GT4 America season at Sonoma Raceway on April 5-7, 2024.
About JMF Motorsports
In 2020, performance driver and motorsport enthusiast John Farrow made the decision to implement a lifelong dream and start a race team. With his passion for Mercedes-AMG, and his desire to help Canadian motorsport athletes, he launched JMF Motorsports. His vision was to start a racing team that would help showcase young Canadian driver talent and assist them in advancing their racing careers.
Partnering with motorsport market leader Conquest Racing, JMF Motorsports entered the 2021 SRO GT4 America series and quickly became podium contenders, winning the last 4 races of the season. In 2022, JMF Motorsports / Conquest Racing had 2 victories and climbed to the podium 12 times. 2023 also saw a strong season with 8 podium finishes and 5 race wins. The JMF Motorsports / Conquest Racing team finished the season 2nd place in the SRO Pirelli GT4 America Silver Class.
While still maintaining ties with Indianapolis-based Conquest Racing, JMF Motorsports ventures out on its own for 2024, and has opened up its race shop headquarters in Elmira, Ontario, Canada, which will serve as the base for all future racing operations.
“We appreciate all the successes we have enjoyed because of our partnership with Eric (Bachelart) and Conquest Racing,” says John. “It is now time to execute our vision of creating a standalone Canadian motorsport team to support our Canadian athletes.”
About the Drivers
Michai Stephens, Chicago IL - Michai is a raw talent that got his start in racing via the Team USA Scholarship. Moving from open-wheel cars into GT cars, Michai has been a principal driver for JMF Motorsports in the #34 Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the SRO Pirelli GT4 America series since 2021, and finished 2nd in the championship in 2022 and 2023. He has garnered 11 victories and 27 podium finishes in the three years of his SRO GT4 career.
Jesse Webb, Mission, BC - Jesse began in karting and moved to cars, getting his start in the Nissan Sentra Cup. Jesse joined JMF Motorsports, and co-driver Michai, in 2023 for the SRO Pirelli GT4 America series, where they took 5 victories and 8 podium finishes to end the season 2nd in the championship.
Demi Chalkias, Stouffville, ON - Demi started in karting after being a competitive triathlete. She transitioned to GT cars and saw multiple podiums and championship wins. She joined JMF Motorsports in 2023, where she piloted the #34 Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the Sports Car Championship Canada, and ended the season 2nd place in the series.
Jake Cowden, Aurora, ON - Jake’s journey into motorsport started with snowmobile racing and karting. He moved into open-wheel cars, and collected multiple podiums and championship wins. He was a member of the Team Canada Scholarship in 2022, and competed in the Radical Cup Canada in 2023, where he won 3 races and took the championship title. Jake joins JMF Motorsports for the first time for the 2024 season.
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- Category: Road Racing
December 14, 2023
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park's 2024 major event season opens with the Castrol Victoria Day SpeedFest. The NASCAR Canada Series provides the on-track action, while fireworks light up the evening sky on this unofficial start to summer and first big holiday weekend of camping. The schedule includes races in the Nissan Sentra Cup, Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin, Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin, Super Production Challenge and the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship. The featured NASCAR race runs on Sunday afternoon to kick off the '24 NASCAR Canada schedule.
The 44th annual VARAC Vintage Grand Prix returns Father's Day weekend with a colourful lineup of open and closed-wheel race cars from the past six decades of motorsports, competing on the legendary Grand Prix circuit. Presented by the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada (VARAC), the Vintage Grand Prix features three days of racing for Vintage (pre-1962), Historic (pre-1973), Classic (pre-1999), and Formula Classic (open wheel up to 1999). The featured marque will be Porsche, with a wide range of models expected from across North America, including Porsche 911s, 914s, 924s and 944s. Check back for more details soon.
The biggest sports-car race in Canada features the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for exotic prototype and GT race cars at the Chevrolet Grand Prix. A world-class field of drivers takes on CTMP's legendary Grand Prix circuit racing iconic performance brands such as Corvette, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. In addition to the LMP2, GTD PRO and GTD classes of the WeatherTech series, IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge and VP Racing Sportscar Challenge, and the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires will compete on this jam-packed weekend of racing.
Join us for Canada's biggest motorcycle road racing weekend, the Superbike Doubleheader Weekend, featuring the Bridgestone Canadian National Superbike Championship (CSBK). The country's top riders will take on the legendary Grand Prix circuit twice (with a race on Saturday and Sunday) in a pivotal weekend in the chase for the Bridgestone Pro Superbike crown. Other pro and amateur national classes include the Pro Sportbike, Pro/AM twins, Pro/Am Ninja 400rr Cup, AM Superbike, AM Sportbike, and Pro/AM lightweight.
Closing out Canadian Tire Motorsport Park's 2024 major event schedule, this year's Labour Day Weekend Sprints marks the return of a legendary championship to the legendary Grand Prix circuit – the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. The thundering sounds of the Trans Am Series will echo across the Park for the first time in a decade, featuring the TA and the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 classes. The co-featured NASCAR Canada Series will add to the excitement with their penultimate event, the WeatherTech 200. The race schedule includes key races in the Nissan Sentra Cup, FEL Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin and the Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin. Two FIA open-wheel championships, the Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) and the Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.), round out a busy weekend of on-track action.
For more detailed ticketing information go to BUY TICKETS
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- Category: Road Racing
November 29, 2023
St. Catharines, Ontario – For the third consecutive year the Sports Car Championship Canada (SCCC) presented by Michelin will race at the historic Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R), the longest running street race in North America. In recent years the event has become a fan and driver favourite on the SCCC calendar. Providing thrilling action on the track and a vibrant atmosphere off of it.
About FEL Motorsports
FEL Motorsports grew out of a deep base of automotive roots from FEL Automotive Learning and Promotion. FEL, the parent company of FEL Motorsports, has over three decades of experience in the automotive event industry working within Canada and the U.S by combining the expertise gained from working with luxury automotive brands with some of Canada’s most experienced motorsport personnel, FEL Motorsports executes premium race event weekends at tracks in Ontario and Quebec. FEL Motorsports is focused on growth and sustainability in the Canadian Motorsports landscape by giving back to its teams through prizing and prize money.
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- Category: Road Racing
December 4, 2023
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- Category: Road Racing
November 27, 2023
St. Catharines, Ontario – The Sports Car Championship Canada (SCCC) and Radical Cup Canada (RCC) presented by Michelin will return to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) for the 2024 Victoria Day SpeedFest and Labour Day Sprints. Once again the SCCC and RCC will touchdown at these two major events, as the unquestionable home of Canadian racing has hosted both series each season since the inaugural 2021 FEL Motorsports campaign.
Victoria Day SpeedFest will take place May 17-19, 2024 and the Labour Day Sprints August 30 - September 1, 2024. Last year both events hosted roughly 50,000 fans and campers, with attendance expected to increase in 2024. The Labour Day Sprints weekend features the return of the iconic Trans-Am series, the longest running professional road racing series in North America. It will also be accompanied by FR Americas and F4 U.S, setting the stage for one of the largest non-IMSA race weekends at CTMP in many years.
“Returning to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the Victoria Day SpeedFest and Labour Day Sprints is a testament to the enduring partnership between the SCCC, RCC, and this iconic racing venue. As the home of Canadian racing, CTMP has been the backdrop for our events since the inaugural 2021 FEL Motorsports season, and we’re thrilled to continue this tradition,” said Chris Bye, President of FEL Motorsports.
Tickets will be available for purchase on the CTMP website in the coming months.
About FEL Motorsports
FEL Motorsports grew out of a deep base of automotive roots from FEL Automotive Learning and Promotion. FEL, the parent company of FEL Motorsports, has over three decades of experience in the automotive event industry working within Canada and the U.S by combining the expertise gained from working with luxury automotive brands with some of Canada’s most experienced motorsport personnel, FEL Motorsports executes premium race event weekends at tracks in Ontario and Quebec. FEL Motorsports is focused on growth and sustainability in the Canadian Motorsports landscape by giving back to its teams through prizing and prize money.