Who’s the Best in the West? Canada’s Top Rotax Racers Set to Clash at Stratotech

It’s time for the most high-stakes weekend of Rotax racing in Western Canada, as nearly 100 drivers from across the country, and a few bold Americans, are descending on Stratotech Racing Park in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, for the Max Karting Group Canada Final.

This isn’t just any race weekend; this is the only single-event qualifier for Canadians to earn a ticket to the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, and the pressure couldn’t be higher.

The event, taking place just outside of Edmonton, features a unique triple-race format. Drivers will contest three full race days: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with points awarded each day. At the end of the weekend, the highest cumulative point scorer in each of the six Rotax categories will be crowned champion and earn the ultimate reward: a spot on Team Canada and a ticket to compete on the world stage this December in Bahrain.

This weekend’s battleground, Stratotech Racing Park, adds another layer of unpredictability. The circuit is rarely used for karting, meaning few drivers have a true home track advantage. Known for its high-speed corners, bumpy surface, and punishing layout, Stratotech will demand maximum precision, consistency, and endurance. Expect chaos, surprises, and plenty of heroic drives as competitors hang it all out in pursuit of a dream.

A number of the 2024 Canada Final Champions are returning, one to defend their title, and some to try to win in a new category. Yutaka Tsunoda has leapt from Micro Max to Junior Max this season, now competing in a full-size chassis. After winning his Mini-Max ticket at the US Trophy Final in March, Christian Sanguinetti has also stepped up to Rotax Junior this week. Junior Max champion Antoine Lemieux is now a full-time Senior Max driver, leaving Lucas Pernod as the only champion staying in the same category, as he looks to defend in Rotax DD2. Rotax Masters Champion Jared Freeston has decided to skip the event this year, opening up that category to a new champ.

Stratotech Racing Park – Photo by DroneBuzz / Stratotech Park IG

At the heart of the action is Rotax Senior, the only category to sell out with 40 entries. This stacked grid features talent from coast to coast, including at least nine former Grand Finals competitors. Reigning champion Mark Newson is back to defend his title, while Griffin Dowler looks to earn a return ticket to Team Canada on home turf. But with elite drivers from Ontario and Quebec also in the mix, and a host of hungry racers gunning for their first trip to the big stage, the battle will be fierce from green to checkered.

Rotax Junior promises to be equally electrifying. Seventeen drivers are ready to put on a show, including Nathan Dupuis, who makes his Canadian season debut following a strong campaign in the U.S. Watch for fireworks between Cole Medeiros and Alexis Baillargeon, who have built a rivalry out East this year. And with a handful of Alberta’s finest looking to defend their territory, this category is shaping up to be a highlight of the weekend.

The youngest racers in Micro Max will have a rare chance to shine on their own, as this is the only Canadian event where the category runs independently. Ten young drivers are chasing their ticket to Bahrain, and a few will double up and also take on the Mini Max grid, which currently features eleven entries.

In Rotax DD2, nine determined racers are chasing just one prize, but they’ll have to go through Matthew Taskinen, who already has his Grand Finals ticket punched but won’t be pulling any punches racing in front of a home crowd.

Finally, in Rotax Masters, a tight-knit but competitive field of six drivers will fight it out for the title. With three races to set the tone, one mistake could swing the entire championship—consistency will be key.

The action begins with practice on Thursday, followed by the first round of racing on Friday. Points will build across the weekend, setting up a Sunday finale that will determine not just winners, but Canada’s next group of Rotax Grand Finals representatives.

Who will rise? Who will crack under pressure? And who will book their trip to Bahrain? One thing is certain: Western Canada’s most intense weekend of Rotax racing is about to begin!

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