More legendary than usual
Canadian National Driving Championship adds to Legends Day at Clinton Raceway.
by Matthew Lomon
A pillar of the Ontario harness racing community, Clinton Raceway has spent the better part of its storied existence building a reputation for punching above its weight class.
This summer, the quaint half-mile oval will step up once again — this time into uncharted territory — when the National Driving Championship (NDC) comes to town on July 26.
“I think I can speak for the majority of, if not all of us, and say that it’s pretty special to be able to host an event of this magnitude at our little down-home track,” said Jessica Carnochan, marketing manager at Clinton Raceway.
The seeds of hope sprouted long before the official announcement from Standardbred Canada on Feb. 25, but as Carnochan noted, the mere prospect of Clinton hosting its first NDC final felt, at one time, far-fetched.
“When Ian [Fleming, Clinton Raceway general manager] had brought it to my attention last season and we began the application process, I thought it was maybe a pipe dream — we are both good at those — and the odds might not be completely in our favor to host such a prestigious event.
“In this case, I don’t mind being proven wrong.”
Now, in the wake of its reality, the significance of the moment is clear, especially for a denizen of Clinton Raceway like Carnochan.
“This track has been a part of my life for more years than it hasn’t,” she said. “I know that all of us here take pride in what we do and what we can offer to our fans. It’s so exciting to be able to show it on a national level. I am very excited to work with a fantastic group at Standardbred Canada to put on a show that won’t soon be forgotten.”
The 2026 renewal marks 20 years since the inaugural National Driving Championship.
For Clinton, staging the NDC, let alone during a milestone year, was already poised to mark another proud moment in the southwestern Ontario oval’s rich history.
When it was revealed the NDC would also coincide with a celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the 25th Anniversary of Clinton’s flagship biennial event, Legends Day, anticipation for the mid-summer program only soared.
The hope, at least around Clinton, is that the supercharged event will tease a taste of the nostalgia from the track’s early days.
“I really don’t know how it can’t,” Carnochan said. “I spent a day down at the Hall of Fame a month ago doing research on our history. It runs deep with many connections of family members involved in the early days who are still coming season after season. Our first race was held here 80 years ago this August. We will no doubt be bringing some of that history into this event.”
With plenty of bases to cover ahead of the big day, Carnochan and the folks at Clinton are working diligently to ensure everything goes according to plan.
The program, which in true Clinton fashion, will support its local Public Hospital Foundation. It will also feature an online auction, a drivers’ meet and greet, memorabilia, and the Raceway’s patented chicken barbeque following the races.
The team is also partnering with the Hall of Fame to deliver a special tribute alongside the other festivities.
“We are very excited to be working with Linda [Rainey] and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame as they celebrate 50 years this summer,” Carnochan said. “There are plans on holding a reunion and honoring members with connections to this area leading up to the event.”
Between the array of on- and off-track attractions lies the opportunity to immortalize July 26 among Clinton’s most cherished race days.
Few understand the gravity of the three-pronged slate better than Carnochan, who upon the initial NDC announcement, told Standardbred Canada the combined force of these events “creates a once-in-a-generation moment.”
Words she continues to stand by.
“Something like this caliber of event doesn’t come along very often, and being able to bridge the past with our legends, to the present of today’s drivers, and the future of the youth in attendance is truly unique, and special – it’s something many people may not see again,” she said.
“I don’t come from a harness racing background and even I can appreciate the merit of such an event, so I can just imagine how those who have been immersed in it will feel.”
No matter how the racing bug found them, the NDC epitomizes where memories are made at the racetrack.
For Carnochan, it’s James MacDonald winning the 2024 NDC at Hippodrome 3R and then going on to claim the 2025 World Driving Championship in New Zealand.
For others, it might be the “Maritime Magic Man” Gilles Barrieau capturing the 2007 NDC or Alberta’s Brandon Campbell taking the crown 2016.
What’s for certain, though, is a refreshed Clinton Raceway will provide the grounds where the next wave of NDC memories is made.
“Having the facility that we do now will make this event accessible for everyone,” Carnochan said. “Our new grandstand combined with the pavilion, tent, and patio will be the perfect stage to welcome guests from far and wide.
“This is the type of event we wanted to be able to hold, and it just wasn’t something we could see happening with the older grandstand. Having one year under our belt with it as well helps with the flow, we know how things work, and how to ensure it’s a pleasant experience for those who have never been here.”
In just over four months’ time, the harness racing world will divert its attention to the town of 3,200.
Ahead of its most anticipated race day of the season — and perhaps years — the Raceway at the center of its charming, tight-knit community, is relishing the opportunity to put on a world-class show.
“Of course, it’s a little nerve wracking, but the outside support that we’ve received so far since the announcement has been so positive and the team here on the inside works like a well-oiled machine,” Carnochan said. “We know it’s going to take a lot of work and dedication on our end, but that’s not something we’ve ever shied away from before.
“We are a proud little track located in a wonderful community with lots to offer, and we look forward to sharing it with the harness racing world and beyond.”
To reach the final at Clinton Raceway, drivers must finish first or second in their respective Regional Driving Championship.
There are four divisions, featuring fields of eight or nine drivers who will compete in a series of races and earn points based on finishing position.
Below are the dates and locations for each regional championship:
May 5 — Ontario Regional Driving Championship — The Raceway at Western Fair District, London, ON
May 23 — Western Regional Driving Championship — Century Downs, Calgary, AB
June 14 — Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championship — Hippodrome 3R, Trois-Rivières, QC
June 23 — Atlantic Regional Driving Championship — Red Shores Summerside, Summerside, PEI
