In 1986, General Motors Canada, in conjunction with title sponsor Player’s Cigarettes, introduced a new showroom stock series for the Chevrolet IROC-Z Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am Firebird. To attract entrants, the championship offered a $200,000 prize fund. The winner of each race would collect a cheque for $5,000, with the runner-up receiving $4,000, third place receiving $3,000, and $2,000 was awarded to the fourth- and fifth-place finishers. In addition, the races are televised on CTV’s Wide World of Sports.

Seventy-four cars were delivered to drivers competing in the series at the Oshawa, Ontario General Motors plant. The Camaros and Firebirds were built on the Norwood, Ohio assembly line, with the engines coming from General Motors’ St. Catharines Engine Plant. The power plant was a carbureted high-output 5.0-liter V8. The vehicles were also equipped with a window net, roll bar, racing seat, and fire extinguishers. Competitors were required to use Esso fuel and Goodyear Eagle VR Gatorback tires.

The series made its debut at Mosport Park on the Budweiser Victoria Day Sprints weekend in May 1986. Based on the series’s success, divisions were launched in 1987 for Eastern and Western Canadian championships.

The Player’s/GM Motorsport Challenge East kicked off in June at Mosport Park and seven races later ended with a non-championship event in October at Mont-Tremblant.

  • June 7 - Mosport Park
  • June 14 - Le Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
  • July 5 - Mosport Park
  • July 19 - Exhibition Place, Toronto
  • August 3 - Cayuga Speedway
  • August 30 - Shannonville Motorsport Park
  • September 6 - Mont-Tremblant
  • September 20 - Mosport Park

The six-race Western Player's/GM Motorsports Challenge season opened in July at Westwood Motorsport Park and concluded five events later at the same track.

  • July 5 - Westwood Motorsport Park
  • July 12 - Race City Speedway
  • August 16 - Race City Speedway
  • August 23 - Westwood Motorsport Park
  • August 30 - Race City Speedway
  • September 20 - Westwood Motorsport Park

EASTERN - FINAL STANDINGS

POS.NO.DRIVERSCARPOINTSMONEY
111Peter Lockhart, Unionville,OntChevrolet Camaro/Esso/Sony/Bob Johnston704$33,790
243Ron Fellows, Brampton, OntChevrolet Camaro/Motomaster/Applewood685$28,350
310Robin Buck, Willowdale, OntPontiac Firebird/Esso/Sony/Roy Foss677$33,020
41Richard Spenard, Shannonville, OntChevrolet Camaro/Motomaster/Applewood674$35,240
566Marc Dancose, Montreal, QcChevrolet Camaro/Esso Protec/Sony582$17,320
686Randy McDonald, Oshawa, OntPontiac Firebird/STP/Crush/Cliff Mills470$11,450
722Lindsay Riddell, Pierrefonds, QcPontiac Firebird/Secret Panthyhose441$8,660
847Wayne Harper, Bolton OntChevrolet Camaro/Jumbo Express/Allen Test428$7,280
970Ian Philipps, Markham, OntChevrolet Camaro/Northren Tel./Texsel Auto424$8,990
1088Michael Rivet, Toronto, OntChevrolet Camaro/Canon415$9,900
115Victor Larose, Montreal QcChevrolet Camaro/Wihelmy-Lamoureux/KO2373$5,730
1296Scott McColl, Dorval QcChevrolet Camaro/ICG/St-Therese Auto332$7,070
1323David White, Oakville, OntChevrolet Camaro/Contract Driver Services314$1,010
1493Derek Johnson, Montreal, QcPontiac Firebird/Pepsi Cola/Terry Pontiac313$3,880
1591Lloyd Service, Mississauga OntChevrolet Camaro/Atripco266$5,410
1617Sean Burgess, Orangeville OntChevrolet Camaro/Signcraft Competition236$2,360
1727Mark Schill, Oshawa OnChevrolet Camaro/EDS234$2,340
1815Jock Addison, Toronto OntPontiac Firebird/Addison Pontiac227$2,770
1942Alan Labrosse, Repentigny QcChevrolet Camaro/Spenard-David Racing School219$5,940
203Roger Elliot, Unionville OnChevrolet Camaro/Blue Diam. Clean/CDN Com.213$2,880
2176Joe Lapcevich, Hamilton OnChevrolet Camaro/BJ Electrc/Steel City Tires210$2,850
2241Raymond David, Val David QcChevrolet Camaro/Spenard-David Racing School197$2,470
2395Reginald Scullion, Dorval QcPontiac Firebird/Microcom/Terry185$2,350
2499Rolf von Engelbrechten, ScarboroughChevrolet Camaro/Mackenzie180$1,800
2572John Cadman, Cayuga OnChevrolet Camaro/ J.S. Precision174$250
2657Ray Coffey, Willowdale OntChevrolet Camaro/Esso Protec/Sony165$0
2736Stephen Kosa, Toronto OntChevrolet Camaro/Gene's Garage164$0
284Drew Fesar, Toronto OntChevrolet Camaro/Wilson-Niblett Chev-Olds130$0
2952Paul Wheatley, Pierrefonds QcChevrolet Camaro/Snyder Chevrolet-Olds128$0
3089Michael Maguire, Stittsville OntChevrolet Camaro/Budget Rent-a-Car118$0
3149Rob Matta, Mississauga OntChevrolet Camaro/Mr Transmission112$0
3240Pat Cubellis, Unionville OntChevrolet Camaro/Colin Motors111$0
3316Paul Reynolds, Unionville OntChevrolet Camaro/Conlin Motors95$0
3442Rob Fellows, Mississauga OnChevrolet Camaro/Motomaster/Applewood83$750
3529Terry Watson, Pierrefonds, QcPontiac Firebird/Laval e Ins./Unique Pers.Serv77$0
3625Paul Tracy, West Hill OntChevrolet Camaro/Esso Protec/Sony75$1,250
3725Tony Corcoran, Elginburg OntChevrolet Camaro/Esso Protec/Sony63$500
3871John Cadman Jr, Cayuga OntChevrolet Camaro/Trican52$0
3935Jiri Slanina, Mississauga OntChevrolet Camaro/JGS Develp./J.C. Dads39$0
4033John Kyle, Toronto OntChevrolet Camaro/Addison/Sunoco/Bowes12$0
416Jean-Marc Retrouvey, Buckingham QCChevrolet Camaro/Budget Rent-a-Car7$0

WESTERN - FINAL STANDINGS

POS.NO.DRIVERSCARPOINTSMONEY
112Frank Allers, Coquitlam B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Town Center Chevrolet-Oldsmobile609$32,590
299Paul Gilgan, Calgary AlbPontiac Firebird/Moray-Keith/Financial Tr.493$18,430
388Tony Morris, Port Moody B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Town Center Chevrolet-Oldsmobile472$19,720
45Kent Holden, N. Vancouver B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Gary Hawe Chevrolet-Oldsmobile446$15,960
579Wade Lee, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Carter Chevrolet/Lee Baron Collision400$11,250
633Ross Bentley, Surrey B.C.Pontiac Firebird/Jim Pattison On Main357$7,040
76Allen Berg, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Jack Carter Chevrolet-Oldsmobile336$14,360
855Murray Graig, Langley B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Town Center Chevrolet-Oldsmobile334$8,840
94Mark McCraig, Calgary AlbPontiac Firebird/Carter Pontiac-Buick331$5,560
102Derek Ross, Vancouver B.C.Pontiac Firebird/Carter Pontiac-Buick325$7,250
1113Andy Mahood, White Rock B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Kern Chevrolet-Oldsmobile/Sony311$9,360
128John Simonsen, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Jack Carter Chevrolet-Oldsmobile302$4,230
1317Mark Thomas, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Jack Carter Chevrolet-Oldsmobile285$2,890
1469Gary Miller, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/A-1 Auto Body/Jack Carter Chevrolet281$7,810
1522Rolf Aberegg, Calgary AlbPontiac Firebird/McKay Pontiac268$3,150
1621Toivo Heinonen, Coquitlam B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Courtesy Chevrolet-Oldsmobile260$4,850
173George Aron, Vancouver B.C.Pontiac Firebird/Carter Pontiac-Buick248$4,880
1832Bill Johnstone, Vancouver B.C.Pontiac Firebird/Jim Pattison On Main240$2,370
1977Carl Harr, Edmonton AlbPontiac Firebird/Apple Computer180$0
2075Ben Docktor, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Platinium Grover Int. Inc178$1,000
2098Bill Tanner, Calgary AlbPontiac Firebird/Financial Trust178$500
2297Ernie Romanow, Edmonton AlbChevrolet Camaro/Amsoil/Joe Doherty Chevrolet168$250
2328Laurie Graig, New Westminster B.C.Chevrolet Camaro148$0
2485John Cattle, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Autotech/Jack Carter Chevrolet137$250
2511Norbert Glimpel, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Jack Carter Chevrolet-Oldsmobile123$0
2610Fred Semple, Langley, B.C.Chevrolet Camaro/Wolfe Chevrolet-Oldsmobile116$0
2764Ron Edgar, Maple Ridge B.C.Pontiac Firebird/Gold Key Pontiac85$0
2815Rob Peters, Calgary AlbChevrolet Camaro/Jack Carter Chevrolet-Oldsmobile63$550

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