Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Canada’s Best Racing Team may have a new look for this weekend, but they’re going after the same thing as always – victory lane glory.
The noticeable difference is Joey McColm will not be behind the wheel this weekend, but rather focusing on his role as General Manager on the team.
“When we started Canada’s Best Racing team, I had this vision to take it to this point – it just happened a lot quicker than we expected, which is a great thing,” McColm told OnPitRoad.com. “But because it happened so much quicker, I have so much growth that it’s a decision that I had to made – obviously a tough one – to manage the business in the direction we wanted it to go. To do everything is too difficult, from driving to setting up your own car to doing the marketing and doing the day-to-day business operations and getting partners on board.
“So we brought some more people on-board. Amy is doing the marketing and helping us with that as an intern from Laurier. Kevin helps with the business stuff, too. Bud – he’s awesome as a team owner.
“But I need to just focus on getting the team where I want to be – you never know, maybe this year, but right now I think it’s the best decision for the team.”
Even without McColm behind the wheel, the team is going into the weekend guns a-blazing as they will have four cars in the field.
“I’ll be busy,” McColm says. “I’m going to be managing each team and got crew chiefs for each team with new drivers on-board. I’m really excited about Josh Collins from Newfoundland, Kevin Poitras who knows that track from the back of his hand – same with Robin Buck, and then we’re bringing up Mel Shaw from the TransAm Series to have some fun with us. It’s going to be a huge weekend for Canada’s Best Racing Team.”
The team is keeping expectations in check, with McColm stating a top-15 would make Shaw’s weekend in his first Pinty’s Series start, while he looks for Collins to post a top-10 finish.
“This is his first ever road course,” McColm said. “We took him out testing last week and he picked it up like that; it was incredible to watch.”
As far as Poitras and Buck, goals are simple – finish on the podium, with a possible win.
Buck has 10 previous starts on the road course, posting three top-fives and seven top-10s – but notably missing victory lane each time.
Meanwhile, Poitras ran both events last year, finishing 10th and 12th. The events don’t showcase the chances, though, as he has a lot of road course experience racing in the TransAm Series. Poitras is set to run all of the course events on the Pinty’s Series calendar for CBRT this year.
“Looks like the weather is going to be good for us, and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is my home track,” he said. “I’m really excited about that.”We have a really good car. CBRT and Piloti’s have put together a new car for me here, and I know it’ll be fast. We’re going there to win.”
Poitras says his plan is to be in the top-five, and promises he will do what it takes to be out front throughout the weekend. He knows what the team is capable of, having been involved with them for awhile now and seeing the growth internally.
“Joey McColm has really taken this team to another level,” Poitras said. “He’s so motivated, active in the racing world and we have a plan that is going to attract drivers. The series is growing, and we’re also growing in the Trans-Am Series, as well. It’s definitely in developing stages and we have a lot more cars, a lot more drivers, and a lot more interest in what he does. It’s a bright future.”
