What is the Ontario Pro Challenge Series?

Simply put, the Ontario Pro Challenge Series is a traveling racing program that features ¾ scale versions of NASCAR stock cars.  The cars feature the same steel tube frame and roll cage design as any hardcore late model, and they are skinned in fiberglass bodies resembling your favorite Cup cars.   Models such as the Chevy Monte Carlo, Dodge Intrepid, Pontiac Grand Prix and Ford Taurus are all in the Ontario lineup, as are the recent inclusion of the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Avenger.

The Pro Challenge cars offer up a unique exhaust note, that’s for sure, as they are powered by Kawasaki 1100cc motorcycle motors that boast 100+ horsepower.  Bolted into a 1550 lb race car, they will propel the Pro Challenge cars to over 100 mph on the series’ longest tracks.  The engines are sealed to keep costs affordable and the competition tight, and all the cars run a spec Hoosier slick tire.  While the Pro Challenge car is a spec car, there is also enough adjustability in the suspension to allow proper set-up to make a real contribution to the final pace a driver can achieve.

The length of a track is the primary factory in the development of Ontario Pro Challenge schedule, as anything over a long third-mile becomes a little large for the series.  Quarter-mile and third-mile bullrings allow the cars to stretch their legs, putting on exciting shows that have been adding to the nightly excitement at Ontario ovals for the last nine years.  In 2009, the Ontario Pro Challenge Series visited the speedways at Flamboro, Sunset, Kawartha, Sauble and Varney during a 14-race calendar that went from May to September.  As soon as the 2010 schedule is confirmed, we’ll have it for you here on Pro Challenge Online.

If you’d like to find out more about the series, head to the official Ontario Pro Challenge website.