|
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 final weekend of the inaugural Challenge Canada Series took place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the track’s Labour Day Sprints Weekend. Nissan Z and Sentra drivers competed in three contests on the ten-turn, 2.459-mile road course.
|
|
|
Seventeen competitors, eight in Nissan Zs and nine in Nissan Sentras, took the green flag for race one / round ten at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Pole sitter Nicolas Barrette drove the No. 427 EMD / Nissan Thedford Nissan Z, with Marc-Antoine D'Amour beside him in the No. 113 CSN Collision / Gator Trailer Nissan Z. Mathieu Lemyre and Guillaume Champagne started from row two in Nissan Zs. |
|
|
Marc-Antoine D'Amour drives the No. 113 CSN Collision / Gator Trailer Nissan Z. Entering the final weekend, D'Amour has victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Circuit ICAR. Still, his greatest strength is always finishing on the podium. He started second in round ten but captured the win. On Sunday morning, D'Amour was the runner-up to Nicolas Barrette but grabbed another victory in the finale. His consistency paid off with the inaugural Challenge Canada title. |
|
|
Nissan Sentra competitor Nicolas Levesque drove the No. 50 Chalet Solutions / Labo Vision Tech-sponsored car. He opened the championship with a perfect record through the first six rounds, then had a difficult stretch at Circuit ICAR, failing to finish race one before recovering for second and third. At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, he returned to form with two victories and won the Sentra category championship. |
|
|
|
Nicolas Barrette joined the Nissan Micra Cup in 2017. After finishing third in the Nissan Sentra Cup last season, he moved to the Canada Challenge Series in the No. 427 EMD / Nissan Thedford Nissan Z. He swept the Trois-Rivieres event, added another win at Circuit ICAR, and finished twenty-third in the NASCAR Canada Series finale. His highlight this weekend was a victory in round eleven. |
|
|
|
Alexis Baillargeon drives the No. 96 P & L Pieces D’Autos Ltee / R2R Road to Racing Nissan Sentra. Baillargeon made an excellent debut in the first weekend of the Canada Challenge Series with two runner-up results, then won round seven at Circuit ICAR. In the finale at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the newcomer earned three podiums, including one win, and finished third in the championship standings. |
 |
 |
 |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 7 | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | 22 | - |
| 8 | Class 2 | Nicolas Levesque | Nissan Sentra | 22 | - |
| 9 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 22 | - |
| 10 | Class 2 | Raphael St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 11 | Class 2 | Yannick Hurtubise | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 12 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 13 | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 14 | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 15 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 21 | - |
| 16 | Class 2 | Stephane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 18 | - |
| 17 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 12 | - |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 7 | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | 25 | - |
| 8 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 24 | - |
| 9 | Class 2 | Nicolas Levesque | Nissan Sentra | 24 | - |
| 10 | Class 2 | Raphael St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 24 | - |
| 11 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 24 | - |
| 12 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 23 | - |
| 13 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 23 | - |
| 14 | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 23 | - |
| 15 | Class 2 | Yannick Hurtubise | Nissan Sentra | 23 | - |
| 16 | Class 2 | Stephane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 22 | - |
| 17 | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 11 | - |
| POS. | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Class 1 | Marc-Antoine D'Amour | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 2 | Class 1 | Valérie Limoges | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 3 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 4 | Class 1 | Mathieu Lemyre | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 5 | Class 1 | Guillaume Champagne | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 6 | Class 1 | Steve Poulin | Nissan Z | 20 | - |
| 7 | Class 2 | Alexis Baillargeon | Nissan Sentra | 20 | - |
| 8 | Class 2 | Nicolas Levesque | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 9 | Class 2 | Yannick Hurtubise | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 10 | Class 2 | Dave Vaillancourt | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 11 | Class 2 | Billy Thiboutot-Tremblay | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 12 | Class 2 | Jean-Francois Couture | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 13 | Class 2 | Pierre-Olivier Paquette | Nissan Sentra | 19 | - |
| 14 | Class 1 | Francois Bourassa | Nissan Z | 13 | - |
| 15 | Class 2 | Stephane Pouliot | Nissan Sentra | 11 | - |
| 16 | Class 2 | Raphael St-Pierre | Nissan Sentra | 2 | - |
| 17 | Class 1 | Nicolas Barrette | Nissan Z | 0 | - |
| 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. |
