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2026 marks the twelfth season of the highly acclaimed United Racing Series for Late Model Stock Cars.
The 2026 APC United Late Model presented by Castrol championship kicks off on May 9 at Delaware Speedway with a race called the Dayco 100. In late May, the teams make the first of two stops at Flamboro Speedway. In mid-June, the series travels to Peterborough Speedway. On the Canada Day weekend, drivers return to Delaware Speedway for the AC Delco 159. The next race sees the championship make its final appearance at Flamboro Speedway for the London Recreational Racing 125. The Stewart s Kubota 175 is conducted in early August at Sauble Speedway. Teams return to Sauble for round seven, called the Stewart s & Kubota 100. Titles are determined on September 26 at Delaware Speedway during the Castrol Great Canadian 300. The series rules remain basically unchanged from last season. Cars are built to specifications and controls typical of most stock car series. The chassis uses a tube frame with an ABC/Gen 6 body, available as a Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet SS, Ford Mustang, Toyota Camry, or Dodge Charger Daytona. Depending on the engine choice, a car can weigh up to 2,780 lbs. Competitors are required to use crate motors from:
All engines must be fitted with five seals to prevent illegal alterations to the motor:
Competitors use American Racer spec tires on 15"x10" steel rims. Stopping the cars are steel brakes.
Bilstein A2 shock absorbers are used to regulate expenses. There are also rules restricting the options for transmissions, ignition components, etc. To determine the starting order of the race, drivers participate in a qualifying session. The five fastest qualifiers selected starting positions one through five during a random draw. Before each race, the cars receive a technical inspection and are impounded until the start of the event. A new restart procedure was introduced in 2023 by series officials for the APC United Late Model and Dayco Super Stock divisions called the 'choose rule.' On restarts, competitors may choose their lane. Their selection may be determined by the condition of the track, how many cars are ahead of them, or the handling of their vehicle. If a driver changes their choice after the designated 'choose spot,' they must start from the rear of the field.
The 2026 NTN BCA Bearings Triple Crown returns for the fourth straight year. The three dates for the Triple Crown are Peterborough Speedway on June 13th, Sauble Speedway on August 1st and Delaware Speedway on September 26th. The three-race mini-series has a $15,000 prize fund. First place pays $3,500, second place $2,500, third place $2,000, and fourth through tenth place $1,000. In 2026, the series introduced a new program for APC United Late Model racers. The Elite Program recognizes teams that commit to competing full-time in the APC Series season and offers extra incentives and benefits. Round four of the 2026 APC United Late Model Series was held at Delaware Speedway during the Canada Day event. Drivers competed in the AC Delco 159, a one-hundred-fifty-nine-lap contest around the track's half-mile semi-banked asphalt oval.
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Fourteen APC United Late Model competitors enter Delaware Speedway’s corner one for the AC Delco 159 during the track’s Canada Day festivities. After the redraw, the second-fastest qualifier, Connor Pritiko, driving the No. 19 Domus Developments Chevrolet Camaro, started on the pole. Beside Pritiko is the defending series champion, Josh Stade, in the No. 17 Canada Clean Fuels Ford Mustang. In row two are Kyle Steckly and Brandon Watson. |
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Despite a lurid spin in corner one, caused by a flat tire on lap 90, Jake Sheridan collected his third APC United Late Model Series victory of the year. Sheridan was the fastest qualifier, driving the No. 52 Vibrent Farms Ford Mustang, and started in the fifth position. After the tire was replaced, he battled his way to the front. Once in the top spot, Sheridan was challenged by the Ford Mustang of Brandon Watson. He prevailed and grabbed the win. |
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The first two-time APC United Late Model champion, Brandon Watson, returned to the series full-time this year and, after three rounds, has shown he hasn’t lost any speed. The driver of the No. 30 Dutch Brothers Ford Mustang was fourth fastest in qualifying. As the race moved into the closing stages, Watson battled Jake Sheridan for the lead. The two made contact several times before the checkered flag flew. He finished second by a margin of 1.112 seconds. |
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Shae Gemmell has been struggling with the setup on the No. 3 APC Auto Parts Centers Chevrolet SS since the opening round of the championship, when the car was severely damaged in a turn three incident at Delaware Speedway. With each event, the team improves the car’s handling. In round four, Gemmell qualified seventh fastest. He moved up the lap chart during the race and collected a third-place result, which is his first podium finish of the year. |
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Local racer Marshall Schrenk is splitting his time between Delaware Speedway’s Epic Racwear Modified Series and the Port City Race Cars Late Model Series. Schrenk leads the Modified standings with a victory and is fifth in the Late Model division. He used his local track knowledge to qualify ninth in the No. 22 All-City Paintless Dent Repair Chevrolet Camaro. A relatively clean drive earned a fourth-place result. |
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Last year, Josh Stade won the opening round of the series and consistently finished at the front of the field to earn the 2025 APC United Late Model championship. When he was victorious in race one, it appeared that Stade was going to use the same strategy. However, his efforts took a blow when his suspension failed at Flamboro Speedway. Stade started second in the AC Delco 159, but power steering issues took him out of contention; he finished twelfth. |
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Another driver who is a threat to win this year’s APC United Late Model title is the series two-time champion Kyle Steckly. However, this is proving to be a challenge for him and the team. Bad luck and mechanical issues have dropped him to fifth in the standings. He was gridded third at Delaware Speedway, driving the No. 22 APC Auto Parts Centers Toyota Camry. Unfortunately, contact and an ill-handling car relegated him to an eighth-place finish. |
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The top three finishers for round four of the APC United Late Model Championship at Delaware Speedway. Standing in the center is the winner, Jake Sheridan. The first-place result marked his third consecutive victory and a commanding lead in the points chase. On the left is the runner-up, Brandon Watson, who is second in the standings. Completing the top three is Shae Gemmell. Gemmell has been improving since his race one accident. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | SPONSOR / CAR | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Jake Sheridan | Vibrent Farms / Ford Mustang | 159 |
| 2 | 4 | Brandon Watson | Dutch Brothers / Ford Mustang | 159 |
| 3 | 7 | Shae Gemmell | APC Auto Parts Centres / Chevrolet SS | 159 |
| 4 | 9 | Marshall Schrenk | All-City Paintless Dent Repair / Chevrolet Camaro | 159 |
| 5 | 10 | Jr Farrelly | Berne Apparel / Chevrolet SS | 159 |
| 6 | 2 | Connor Pritiko | Domus Developments / Chevrolet Camaro | 159 |
| 7 | 12 | Dale Shaw | Shaw Motorsports / Chevrolet SS | 159 |
| 8 | 3 | Kyle Steckly | APC Auto Parts Centres / Toyota Camry | 159 |
| 9 | 14 | Connor Maltese | Ontario Steel Sales / Dodge Charger Daytona | 159 |
| 10 | 6 | Brady Smith | Oliver Ford / Ford Mustang | 158 |
| 11 | 8 | Mike Bentley | Platinum Contracting / Chevrolet Camaro | 154 |
| 12 | 2 | Josh Stade | Canada Clean Fuels / Ford Mustang | 142 |
| 13 | 11 | Kendra Adams | Mobil 1 / Chevrolet Camaro | 109 |
| 14 | 13 | Jonathan Aarts | Dutch Brothers / Ford Mustang | 53 |
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