It was a challenging but productive weekend for DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Dodge team as the NASCAR Canada Series contested rounds two and three of the 2026 championship at Autodrome Chaudière, just outside Quebec City, Quebec.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, persistent rain washed out all on-track activity and forced officials to postpone competition until Sunday. With qualifying unable to take place, the starting lineup for the first 125-lap feature was established using 2025 owner points, placing Kennington on the outside of the front row.
When the green flag waved, Kennington immediately put the Castrol Dodge among the leaders. However, it quickly became apparent that the veteran driver was battling a tight-handling race car that made it difficult to rotate through the high-banked quarter-mile oval’s corners.
Despite the handling challenges, Kennington remained in contention throughout the race and fought hard to secure a sixth-place finish in the opening event.
The starting lineup for race two was determined by fastest lap times from the first feature, earning Kennington the third starting position. Despite further adjustments, the tight condition persisted yet Kennington appeared headed toward a solid top five result.
Fortunes changed late in the race. During a restart, Kennington was contacted by another competitor and spun. Before he could recover, a second car collided with the Castrol Dodge, causing extensive damage to the rear bodywork.
The Castrol crew quickly went to work making repairs and managed to return the car to the track. Although the damage and repairs cost the team several laps, Kennington persevered and brought the battered Dodge home in 15th position.
While the results did not fully reflect the team’s effort, the weekend provided valuable information as the team adapts to the NASCAR Canada Series’ new tire package.
“It wasn’t the finish we were hoping for, but there’s no quit in this team,” said Kennington. “We learned a lot about these new tires and that will help us moving forward. The Castrol crew did a tremendous job getting the car repaired after the incident. It’s tough not getting the expected results but we’ll come back stronger.”
Next up:
DJ Kennington and the Castrol Dodge team travel to Riverside International Speedway to compete in round four of the 2026 campaign on Saturday, June 27th.