With an exciting opening night now in the rear-view mirror, Laird Raceway is set to turn up the intensity as week two of the 2026 racing season takes to the fast 1/3-mile oval on Thursday, July 2nd for the first Thursday Night Thunder event of the season. Following a tremendous season opener on June 26th, another thrilling night of short track racing is expected with the green flag scheduled to wave shortly after 7:00 p.m.
The 2026 season opener was one of the strongest in recent memory, with more than 40 race cars filling the pit area and over 4,000 fans packing the grandstands and pits to witness an action-packed evening of wheel-to-wheel competition. Drivers from every division thrilled spectators with daring passes, close racing, and battles for every position as they chased opening-night checkered flags and valuable championship points.
Fans can once again expect a full night of racing across all divisions, including the Super Late Models, Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Factory Fours, and Enduros, as competitors continue their pursuit of the 2026 track championships.
Admission remains one of the best entertainment values in Northern Ontario, with grandstand admission just $25 for adults. Children and youth 17 years of age and under are admitted free, along with seniors aged 75 and older. Pit admission is $35 for all ages, giving fans an up-close look at the teams and drivers before the racing begins.
The evening schedule will see gates open at 5:00 p.m., qualifying beginning at 6:00 p.m., opening ceremonies at 7:00 p.m., and racing immediately following.
After one week of competition, several championship battles are already beginning to take shape.
In the Super Late Model division, #77 Chase Wilson and #61 Dustin Jackson share the points lead with 29 points, while #33 Jordan Rocchetta sits just three points back with 26.
The Modified standings are just as close, with #22 J.P. DelPaggio and #84 Mark Laakso tied atop the leaderboard with 39 points, followed closely by #61 Dustin Jackson with 36.
The Factory Stock division sees #29 Xavier Carter leading the way with 37 points, while #08 Daniel Bibeau and #4 Dale Tucker are tied for second with 36 points each.
In the Factory Four division, #22X Lucas Crosato sits first with 34 points, followed by #77 Dawson Wilson with 32, while #94 Seth Ralph rounds out the top three with 31 points.
The Enduro division is led by #95 Lucas Fabbricino with 6 points, followed by #44 Eric Sylvestre with 5, while #19 Dayne Lorenzo sits third with 4 points.
With the championship races already tightening after just one week, fans can expect another exciting night of side-by-side racing as drivers battle for valuable points and another trip to victory lane. Whether you’re a longtime racing fan or making your first visit to the speedway, Thursday Night Thunder promises another unforgettable evening of high-speed entertainment at Laird Raceway.
Complete 2026 championship point standings are available through Laird Raceway’s official points page.
