The Superior Classics Car Club is revving up for another year of racing with its annual Test ‘n Tune event in June and Dragfest, the main event, in August.
Ray Gionet, club president, said the 2025 Dragfest event was well attended last August at the Terrace Bay former airfield and raised $20,000 that the club donated to charitable groups.
“We see the joy in everyone’s faces when we’re handing out the money, and we actually see the great work that all these organizations do,” Gionet said.
“It feels good to be able to help out with what they’re doing, especially with organizations like the Dew Drop Inn, which are feeding people who go without. It really tugs at your heart.”
He added that although the funds are not huge amounts, it’s divided among several organizations that are grateful to be recipients.
“When choosing the recipients, we ask the membership who they have in their (residential) areas that they’d want to see a donation going to,” he said. “We tend to look at organizations that are helping out other people, and a couple of times we donated to pet rescues.”
The recipients of this year’s donations include the White River Food Bank, Marathon Marjorie House, Marathon Girl Guides, Marathon Food Bank, Terrace Bay Superior Seniors, Terrace Bay Firefighters Association, Fur-Get-Me-Not Animal Shelter, North Shore Harvest Cupboard, Ladies Auxiliary Legion Branch 109, Schreiber Fire Department, Ecole Secondaire Catholique de La Verendrye, Dew Drop Inn, Grace Place, Hospice Northwest, Regional Food Distribution Association, Shelter House, Underground Gym, and Tamarack House.
The club also saves $1,000 for two school bursaries.
Gionet says the 2025 Dragfest event’s success was bolstered by Charlton, Ontario’s Rob Horner and his jet-propelled race car, which lured crowds to watch the powerful racer break speed records at the northern track.
“We’re having him back as an attraction again this year,” Gionet said. “He really put on a show and ended up getting the track record. He broke our record, and then he broke the track record again. He ended up doing some pretty good speeds. His top speed was 271 miles per hour or 436 kilometres an hour.”
Shaun Umscheld, the No Way Guy, a Canadian social media personality from Vulcan, Alta., was featured as an entertainer at the 2024 Dragfest event. He was so impressed by the organization of the event that he returned this past August with his own race car to compete. He will be back again for the 2026 Dragfest.
Gionet said the events wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Township of Terrace Bay and the emergency response team, comprising the Terrace Bay and Schreiber Volunteer Fire Departments, paramedics, towing services from D and A Service and Albert and Sons Towing.
“There is also all the volunteers who dedicate their time to our events and maintenance throughout the year; service groups that generously volunteer to staff our gates and booths; our security personnel for safeguarding our site; sponsors who continue to support us year after year; spectators who attend our events and our racing family,” he added.
Test ‘n Tune 2026 will be held June 19-21, and Dragfest 2026, July 31 to Aug. 2, at the Terrace Bay former airfield.
