Molnar and Tanasic Clinch Canadian MotoMINI Titles and Team Canada Places
Tommy Molnar and Stefan Tanasic secured Canada's 2026 FIM MotoMINI national championships at Shannonville Motorsport Park, completing the domestic qualification process for Team Canada's trip to the world final in Spain.
Molnar won the Ohvale 160 title with 226 points after ten races, while Tanasic claimed the Ohvale 190 championship with 210. Their titles were confirmed in the final two races of the season, held on Shannonville's kart circuit during the track's 50th-anniversary weekend.
The September 30 event report also confirmed the Canadian riders expected at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia from November 23-26. Molnar and Martina Cardenas will represent Canada on Ohvale 160 machines. Tanasic and Jager Stockill will form the Canadian 190 effort.
Cardenas wins twice, Molnar takes the title
The 160 finale belonged on track to 11-year-old Martina Cardenas of Maple Ridge, British Columbia. She qualified on pole and won both races, continuing a strong late-season run. Her fastest reported lap in the second race was 48.39 seconds.
Molnar arrived unwell after travelling and considered skipping the second race once the championship was secure. He finished second in the opener, which gave him the title, then returned for race two and battled American rider Xander Hilligas for second. Hilligas finished two tenths ahead of Molnar after 13 laps, nine seconds behind Cardenas.
The final standings placed Molnar first with 226 points and Cardenas second with 203. Will Brown finished third in the championship on 132 points, with Hilligas fourth on 111.
The outcome shows why a championship cannot be reduced to the last race winner. Cardenas was the fastest rider at the finale and earned both victories. Molnar's results across the full ten-race season delivered the number-one plate. Both riders earned places on the international team.
Stockill wins the races, Tanasic wins the 190 crown
The larger Ohvale 190 division produced a similar split between weekend dominance and season points. Stockill was quickest through the finale and won both races. His 45.99 fastest lap in the first race was followed by a 45.81 in the second, lowering the class and overall lap record.
Tanasic finished second in both races and did what he needed to protect the championship. He ended the season with 210 points, ten ahead of Stockill. Eric Sergi finished third overall on 168 points and Cohen Byberg placed fourth with 136.
Stockill's pace earned him another Team Canada opportunity despite finishing second in the standings. The November event will be his third trip to Spain, while the 190 category represents an expanding step in Canada's youth-development program.
A national pathway with regional roots
MotoMINI gives young Canadian riders a structured route from small, standardized race motorcycles toward larger machinery and international competition. Spec-based classes place more emphasis on riding, setup and consistency than on unrestricted spending for performance.
The Shannonville finale also demonstrated the geographic reach of the series. Molnar and Cardenas travelled from British Columbia to compete in Ontario, while the national schedule connected riders from several regions. That travel is demanding for families and teams, but it is necessary if the championship is to identify representatives from a country as large as Canada.
The program's value extends beyond trophies. Riders learn qualifying, starts, race craft, technical communication and championship management. They also experience the difference between chasing an individual win and collecting the points needed across a season.
For Canadian dealers and industry partners, youth racing offers a clear development story. Small-displacement competition can bring families into the sport, provide a visible ladder for talented riders and create demand for safety equipment, maintenance and coaching. Support is most useful when it helps riders attend events consistently rather than funding a single appearance.
The next verified milestone
The Canadian season is complete. The next news event will be the world final at Valencia from November 23-26, where the selected riders will compete alongside leading Ohvale racers from other national programs.
Until then, the final domestic record is clear. Molnar and Tanasic are the 2026 Canadian champions. Cardenas and Stockill were the dominant winners at Shannonville. All four now carry Canadian representation into the international finale, giving the closing round a consequence that reaches well beyond its two days of racing.
