|
The Nissan Micra Cup series debuted in 2015. In 2021, it was replaced by the Nissan Sentra Cup.
Last year, the Sentra Cup ended, but the demand for a one-make series remained.
To fill that void, the new Challenge Canada Series was established using the Nissan Z.
Building on this, the new series is open to 2025–2026 Nissan Z models in Class 1, while the Challenge Canada welcomes Nissan Sentra Cup cars, designated as Class 2. Class 1 - Nissan Z The Nissans are prepared by RH Motorsport, which has extensive experience in the field. The cars are powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, which produces 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Upgrades include a big brake kit, braided brake hoses, and adjustable front and rear camber arms. The Nissans used FAST wheels fitted with Yokohama racing tires. In the driver compartment is a bolted roll cage, FIA-approved race seat, quick-release steering wheel, five-point safety harness, fire extinguisher system, and window net. Class 2 – Nissan Sentra Cup The Sentras were prepared by the Motorsports in Action team at St-Eustache. The cars are powered by a DACT 2.0-liter four-cylinder sequential multi-point fuel-injection engine that produces 149 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. Some performance upgrades include four-piston front calipers, adjustable coil-overs, 18”X9” alloy wheels, braided stainless steel flex lines and a MoTec M1 Series ECM. To address safety, the Sentra Cup cars include features such as an FIA Spec six-point roll cage, FIA homologated six-point harness, and FIA homologated racing seat. The 2026 Challenge Canada Series schedule consists of four race weekends.
The inaugural Challenge Canada Series event took place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the Victoria Day Speedfest, with three scheduled races held on the ten-turn, 2.459-mile road course over the weekend.
|
|
|
Seventeen Challenge Canada competitors (nine Nissan Z and eight Nissan Sentra) enter Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s front straight for the start of the inaugural event. On the pole is the 777 BETGRW Nissan Z driven by Valerie Limoges. Beside Limoges is Jean Audet in the No. 44 Times Grand Hotel Nissan Z. Row two is occupied by the No. 113 Gator Trailer Nissan Z of Marc-Antoine D'Amour and Guillaume Champagne driving the No. 21 Steve Lampron Electrique Nissan Z. |
|
|
Nicolas Barrette was the winner of the inaugural Challenge Canada Series race. Barrette’s involvement in the previous Nissan series dates back to 2017, when he raced Micra and Sentra models. Barrette qualified fifth for the weekend’s first contest. He joined the leaders and, with seven minutes remaining, grabbed the lead and victory. On Sunday morning, Barrette was gridded ninth but charged to the front for a second place. In the finale, he finished eighth after starting tenth. |
|
|
Nicolas Levesque made his Nissan Sentra Cup debut in 2022. Last season, Levesque finished fifth in the final Sentra Cup standings. This year, he competes in the No. 50 Lévesque Motorsport Nissan Sentra with backing from Chalet Solutions. Levesque qualified on the pole for Saturday’s contest and went flag-to-flag for the victory. The next morning, he delivered another dominant performance. Levesque ended the weekend with a sweep of all three races. |
|
|
|
Overtime during the NASCAR Canada event caused the final Challenge Canada race to start one hour after the scheduled time. Seventeen competitors charge into Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s corner one. Grabbing a slight advantage is the second-place starter, Valerie Limoges in the No. 777 BETGRW Nissan Z. Closest to Limoges is the pole-sitter, Jean Audet, in the No. 44 Times Grand Hotel Nissan Z. Behind the leaders are Marc-Antoine D'Amour and Christian Thibault. |
|
|
|
The winner of the weekend’s second contest was Marc-Antoine D'Amour. D’Amour piloted the No. 113 Gator Trailer Nissan Z. He also transitioned from the Nissan Sentra Cup, where he finished fifth in the championship. D’Amour qualified and finished third in Saturday’s race. The next morning, he was gridded in the third position but captured the victory. Late Sunday afternoon, D’Amour started third and chased Valerie Limoges to a runner-up result. |
|
|
|
Veteran road racer Valerie Limoges was a participant in the Nissan Micra and Sentra Cup Series. She won the 2022 and 2024 Sentra Cup championships. Limoges topped the timesheets in practice and qualifying, driving the No. 777 BETGRW Nissan Z. She led early in race one but lost the lead to Nicolas Barrette and finished second by a margin of 0.977 seconds. She was gridded second for the next contest and finished fifth. In the finale, Limoges redeemed herself with a victory. |
 |
 |
 |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Jean Audet | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 7 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 8 | Class 1 | Christain Thibault | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 9 | Class 1 | André Lortie | Nissan Z | 15 | - |
| DNS | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | - | Did Not Start |
| 1 | Class 2 | Nicolas Lévesque | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 2 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 3 | Class 2 | Raphaël St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 4 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 5 | Class 2 | Stéphane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 6 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 7 | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| - | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 2 | Did Not Finish |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Jean Audet | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Christain Thibault | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 7 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 8 | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 9 | Class 1 | André Lortie | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| - | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 3 | Did Not Finish |
| 1 | Class 2 | Nicolas Lévesque | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 2 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 3 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 4 | Class 2 | Raphaël St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 5 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 6 | Class 2 | Stéphane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 7 | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| - | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 1 | Did Not Finish |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Christain Thibault | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Jean Audet | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 7 | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 8 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 9 | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 10 | Class 1 | André Lortie | Nissan Z | 16 | - |
| 1 | Class 2 | Nicolas Lévesque | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 2 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 3 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 4 | Class 2 | Raphaël St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 5 | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 16 | - |
| 6 | Class 2 | Stéphane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 5 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| 7 | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 15 | - |
| Copyright Notice: |
| All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated. |
