Riverside International Speedway is ready to rock and roar this weekend with the Matt Minglewood Band on Friday, NASCAR Canada and the Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour on Saturday. It’s all part of the third-annual Maple Leaf Classic Weekend Presented by Tidal Tractors – one of the biggest rock and racing shows in the nation – capped with a fantastic fireworks display on Saturday after racing has concluded.
The facility will be transformed into a concert-setting on Friday for Minglewood Rocks Riverside with the legendary Matt Minglewood Band headlining the show; Antigonish’s own Hammer Down will open the show. Seating is available along with trackside access, with licensed and all ages sections. Minglewood’s music is a blend of country, blues, folk, rock, and roots. Hammer Down covers popular music and traditional favourites – a show sure to get the audience revved up for racing on Saturday.
Revved up indeed, for 450-laps of feature racing action on Saturday – with two of the nation’s top touring series. The NASCAR Canada Series will make its only stop this year east of Quebec for the Pinty’s 300, bringing top drivers from Ontario and Quebec. The Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour 150 will include top drivers from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Besides feature racing, fans will be treated to qualifying action with NASCAR time trials and Atlantic Tiltload Heat Races for the pro stocks.
The NASCAR Canada (NCaS) entry list includes notables like defending and three-time series race winner at Riverside DJ Kennington – also a two-time series champion, Alex Tagliani – a world-class racer with starts in IndyCar and NASCAR’s national series in the United States, Kevin Lacroix – winner of the NCaS doubleheader at Riverside, Andrew Ranger – two-time series champion and series race winner at Riverside in 2009, L.P. Dumoulin – a two-time series champion, and Marc-Antoine Camirand – a three-time and defending series champion and the most recent winner on the series. Riverside is round four of 14 on the 2026 NASCAR Canada Series schedule. Camirand leads the driver standings entering Riverside.
The Pro Stock Tour (PST) entry list includes NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Cole Butcher, the first Nova Scotian to drive full time on one of NASCAR’s national divisions in the U.S. This will be Butcher’s first home race of the year. Cole Butcher is a two-time PST champion and will face other series champions like his brother Jarrett Butcher, Ashton Tucker, Dylan Blenkhorn, and Donald Chisholm. The 21-car entry list is steep in talent from veterans and rookie alike. After three of 10 championship points events, Tucker and Gage Gilby are tied atop the standings by a slim seven-point margin over Jordan Veinotte.
Cole Butcher will be a special guest at Friday’s Minglewood Rocks Riverside concert with a Meet’n’Greet from 7 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and a Q & A during the band changeover time, approximately 8:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Drivers from both series will participate in an autograph session on Saturday from 4:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Friday’s concert starts at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, racing starts at 5:30 p.m. A complete schedule can be found at www.riversidespeedway.ca.
As part of Riverside’s decades-long dedication to providing fun and affordable family entertainment, admission is FREE for kids 15 & under to Saturday’s NASCAR/Pro Stock Tour doubleheader, and only $10 for Friday’s concert. Adult admission prices are available on the Maple Leaf Classic page on the Riverside website.
Complete point standings and more about NASCAR Canada can be found at www.nascar.ca, and about the Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour at www.maritimeprostocktour.com.
Tickets for the Maple Leaf Classic Weekend Presented by Tidal Tractor are available at the gate both days or online. Camping reservations are available online with a limited supply of drive up available starting Thursday at Noon.
CLICK FOR TICKETS AND CAMPING RESERVATIONS
PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST – PINTY’S 300 – NASCAR CANADA SERIES
- (#3) Alex Tagliani
- (#8) Connor Bell
- (#9) Mathieu Kingsbury
- (#10) Rob Naismith
- (#17) DJ Kennington
- (#27) Andrew Ranger
- (#28) Frederick Ladouceur
- (#39) Alex Guenette
- (#47) L.P. Dumoulin
- (#74) Kevin Lacroix
- (#80) Donald Theetge
- (#84) Larry Jackson
- (#85) Howie Scannell
- (#93) Martin Goulet, Jr.
- (#96) Marc-Antoine Camirand
- (#98) Herby Drescher
PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST – FORT GARRY INDUSTRIES PRO STOCK TOUR 150
- (#0) Colton Noble
- (#08) Nicholas Naugle
- (#2) Ashton Tucker
- (#11v) Jordan Veinotte
- (#13) Austin MacDonald
- (#24) Ayden Christensen
- (#25) Ryan VanOrschot
- (#25g) Gage Gilby
- (#30) Stephen Lively
- (#31) Chris Reid
- (#32) Chris Hughes
- (#36) Gary Elliott
- (#40) Robbie MacEwen
- (#42) Kyle Reid
- (#51) Mark Leclair
- (#53) Cole Butcher
- (#54) Jarrett Butcher
- (#66) Owen Mahar
- (#67) Dylan Blenkhorn
- (#89) Donald Chisholm
Entry lists are subject to change without notice.
Fans should stay tuned to Riverside’s website (www.riversidespeedway.ca), social media (Facebook, X, and Instagram), and sign up for the electronic newsletter (www.riversidespeedway.ca/media/newsletter) for further announcements regarding the 2026 season at Riverside.
About Riverside International Speedway:
For 57 years, Riverside International Speedway has been recognized as a premier stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times each year for special events. It is the largest outdoor entertainment venue in eastern Canada and the home of the IWK 250 – widely known throughout North America as a “bucket list” event for racers and fans alike. It also hosts the NASCAR Canada Series in its only stop on the East Coast. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans-Canada Highway 104. For more information, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902-863-2410 (May to September) or 902-404-7049 (October to April).
About the Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour
The Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour (PST) is considered the highest level of stock car racing in Canada. The Tour is recognized in the industry as one of the healthiest stock car racing series in North America. PST visits four tracks throughout the Maritimes during its May through September season. The East Coast International Pro Stock Tour is owned and operated by Maritime Pro Stock Tour Limited. For more information, call 902.481.2531 or click www.maritimeprostocktour.com, or follow on X at www.twitter.com/prostocktour or Facebook at www.facebook.com/prostocktour.
About Fort Garry Industries (FGI)
Established in 1919, Fort Garry Industries is a prominent Canadian-owned distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts. With a steadfast commitment to customer service, FGI offers one of the largest selections of aftermarket truck & trailer parts in Canada. Their business model works to ensure their customers have access to a wide range of parts and services essential to the trucking industry. The Fort Garry Industries group of companies’ employs over 500 employees with 27 locations across Canada-and counting. Fort Garry Industries opened their first Maritime location in Dartmouth in April 2024. FGI is excited to announce they are now open in Moncton, be sure to visit them at 300 Price Street! For more information about FGI please visit www.fortgarryindustries.com.
