Press release by: KartStars Canada.
After months of dedicated planning and extensive negotiations, KartStars Canada has made the difficult decision to postpone its vision of hosting the KartStars National Championship at a brand-new venue.
From the outset, the objective was ambitious—to create a temporary street circuit in a premier destination, recapturing the electric atmosphere of the legendary Barrie Street Race while delivering an annual marquee event unlike anything Canadian karting has experienced. With sponsorship secured, preliminary renderings approved, and tremendous enthusiasm surrounding the project, there was every reason to believe this event would redefine the KartStars National Championship for years to come.
Unfortunately, as critical municipal permits remain outstanding and infrastructure projects within the host community have fallen behind schedule, the timeline required to deliver the event to the standard competitors deserve has simply become unattainable. Rather than compromise the experience, KartStars Canada has elected to place the project on hold with every intention of bringing the vision to life in the future.
“Unfortunately, we’ve simply run out of time,” explained KartStars Canada promoter Daniel Di Leo. “Our team has invested countless hours into this project because we genuinely believe it has the potential to change the landscape of Canadian karting. Circumstances beyond our control have delayed the process, leaving us with no choice but to postpone the project for 2026.
“I want to sincerely thank our racers, teams, and families for their patience and understanding. We recognize how busy the summer months are and how important it is for everyone to finalize their plans well in advance. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason, and as soon as we began exploring a contingency plan, it became clear that we had an opportunity to create something equally special.”
KartStars Canada is proud to announce that the 2026 KartStars National Championship will now take place at Hamilton Karting Complex from August 6–9, 2026.
The change in venue has created an exciting opportunity to unite the Ontario karting community through KartFest – A Celebration of Speed, presented by the KartStars National Championship and BSC Ontario. By bringing two premier organizations together for one unforgettable weekend, competitors and fans can expect one of the largest and most exciting karting events ever staged in the province.
Danielle Duffy, Owner of Hamilton Karting Complex and Series Promoter of BSC Ontario, added, “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the KartStars National Championship to Hamilton and partner together to create what we believe will become one of the biggest karting weekends in Canada. KartFest is exactly what our sport needs—a true celebration that brings racers, teams, families, and fans together under one roof. This year, there is no need to choose between events. KartFest is the place to be. The excitement doesn’t stop there either, as it also serves as the perfect lead-in to the Canadian Karting Championship being hosted right here at Hamilton Karting Complex the following week, creating an incredible two-week festival of Canadian karting. We’re looking forward to welcoming competitors from across the country and encourage everyone to keep an eye on our social media channels over the coming days for hotel discounts, parking information, registration details, and a number of exciting event announcements still to come.”
And yes—the Bear Hunt continues. The 1.5 points multiplier remains and on the heels of this announcement the 2026 KartStars Championship is reduced to four rounds with logistics in mind.
- Round 1 – Goodwood Kartways – May 9-10
- Round 2 – Mosport Karting Centre – June 13-14
- Round 3 – Hamilton Karting Complex – August 7-9
- Round 4 – Goodwood Kartways Night Race – September 19
Complete event details on the KartFest – A Celebration of Speed including logistics, schedules, special activities, prizing and exciting announcements will be unveiled early next week. This is one event you won’t want to miss!
For more information about KartStars Canada, visit kartsportcanada.ca or email info@kartsportcanada.ca.
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