HOAC Hot Rod Classics
Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics Releases 2026 Schedule
Series Release/Photo by WingNut Productions
DARTMOUTH, NS (February 17, 2025) – The Hot Rod Classics Vintage Race Car Series will see a seven-race schedule at seven tracks in 2026, the seventh season for the only vintage race car series in the Maritimes. Kimco will return as the Series presenting sponsor, marking the sixth year of involvement from Kimco owner Kim Conrad, whose family has been involved in Maritime motorsports for over six decades.
Six of the seven tracks on the schedule are stalwarts with the Series, the seventh will see a return to Speedway 660 near Fredericton after a one-year absence. The Hot Rod Classics will make a second stop in New Brunswick at Petty International Raceway near Moncton. They’ll travel to PEI to visit Oyster Bed Speedway near Cavendish, and they’ll make stops at four Nova Scotia tracks: Lake Doucette Motor Speedway near Yarmouth, Scotia Speedworld near Halifax, Riverside International Speedway near Antigonish, and Bud’s Speedway in Sydney. They’ll also host the 2nd Annual Atlantic Speedway Racers Reunion at Atlantic Splash Adventure in Hammonds Plains, located on the original site of Atlantic Speedway, with some parts of the old track still visible. This event took place for the first time in 2025 and was a great success.
2026 HOT ROD CLASSICS PRESENTED BY KIMCO SCHEDULE
- June 14 – Lake Doucette Motor Speedway, Yarmouth, NS
- July 4 – Speedway 660, Geary, NB
- August 1 – Oyster Bed Speedway, Oyster Bed Bridge, PE
- August 8 – Scotia Speedworld, Halifax, NS
- August 22 – 2nd Annual Atlantic Speedway Racers Reunion, Atlantic Splash Adventure, Hammonds Plains, NS
- September 12 – Riverside International Speedway, James River, NS
- September 19 – Petty International Raceway, River Glade, NB
- October 17 – Bud’s Speedway, Sydney, NS
Schedule is subject to change without notice.
Once again, the Hot Rod Classics presented by Kimco will be included in some of the most anticipated racing shows in the Maritimes, including the Summer Clash 250 at Scotia Speedworld and the Mike Stevens Memorial at Petty International Raceway. They’ll be part of the Back to School Spectacular at Riverside International Speedway, headline the season opener at Lake Doucette Motor Speedway, be on the card with the Easy-Kleen Super Late Model Series at Speedway 660 and Oyster Bed Speedway, and close the season as part of the Caper Memorial at Bud’s Speedway.
The Hot Rod Classics Vintage Race Car Series debuted in 2020 to help preserve stock car racing history in the Maritimes and to honour those who helped make the sport what it is today. It provides a platform where veteran fans rekindle fond memories; at the same time, it educates newer fans about the sport’s history. The Series features race cars from 1985 or before, some original and some replicas – all finely crafted. Fans will enjoy seeing new “old” cars this year. Building rules and race procedures are available at www.hotrodclassics.ca.
The series formed an affiliation with the IWK Foundation in support of the IWK Health Care Centre in its first season (2020) and has since donated over $50,000, raised through the sale of Hot Rod Classics-branded swag and donations. A continued partnership with M&R Automotive will see 2026 Hot Rod Classics swag available at all events, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the IWK Foundation.
In 2025, the Hot Rod Classics partnered with Young Drivers of Canada to help deliver the message to keep racing off the streets and on the track. The partnership continues in ’26.
Members of the Hot Rod Classics Association offer a special thanks to longtime series sponsors Dartmouth Metals, Maritime Car Wash, EIT Race Radio, and to Doug Shand – who provides tremendous help behind the scenes, for their unwavering support since its inception.
About Hot Rod Classics
The Hot Rod Classics Vintage Race Car Series was formed in 2019 by organizers of Heart of a Champion, a group formed in 2017 to help preserve Maritime motorsports – now with over 50,000 worldwide followers on social media. The series debuted in 2020 and showcases vintage-style race cars from bygone eras with gentleman-style racing among its competitors. It provides a real-time platform for newer race fans to learn about Maritime stock car racing history and for veteran fans to relive glory days and meaningful memories. To learn more, please visit www.heartofachampion.ca or www.hotrodclassics.ca, or follow Heart of a Champion on Facebook and Instagram.
