Standardbred Canada is excited to announce that the field of drivers to compete in the 2026 Atlantic Regional Driving Championship (ARDC), the last of the four regional events, has been finalized.
The participating drivers are:
- Gilles Barrieau
- Marc Campbell
- Michael Downey
- Paul Langille
- Keith Legge
- Corey MacPherson
- Zach Mullins
- Mark Pezzarello
The Atlantic Regional Driving Championship is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at Red Shores Summerside in Summerside, P.E.I. and will mark the conclusion of the regional competitions, setting the stage for the 2026 National Driving Championship (NDC) at Clinton Raceway in Clinton, Ont., on Sunday, July 26.
The ARDC has been held at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino many times and returns again in 2026. Red Shores also hosted the inaugural National Driving Championship in 2007, and twice more after in 2011 and 2014, making them three-time NDC hosts.
Lee Drake, Manager of Racing, Marketing & Sales with Red Shores, shared his excitement for the 2026 event.
"We’re excited about the opportunity to host this event at our historic Summerside property with Standardbred Canada,” said Drake. "The Driving Championship is always a competitive program for our customers. We will be launching a full suite of promotions and activities to support the event."
Photo of the 2024 Atlantic Regional Driving Championship winner presentation at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Left to right: Red Shores' Lee Drake, winning driver Redmond Doucet and former Standardbred Canada Director Andrea Rennison.
Redmond Doucet won the 2024 Atlantic Regional Driving Championship over David Dowling. Both drivers went on to represent the Atlantic Region at the 2024 National Driving Championship held at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Que. The 2026 field of drivers will feature perennial ARDC competitors Marc Campbell, Corey MacPherson and Paul Langille as well as first-time participants Keith Legge and Zach Mullins.
Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position in each ARDC race. At the conclusion of the eight-race competition, the first and second-place finishers by points will advance to the 2026 NDC. They will be joined by the first and second-place finishers from each of the other regional championships (Western, Ontario and Quebec/Eastern Ontario). The winner of the 2026 National Driving Championship will be invited to represent Canada at the 2027 World Driving Championship, alongside defending champion James MacDonald, to be hosted in Canada by Standardbred Canada.
Invitations were extended to drivers based on racing statistics from the 2025 season and the first two months of 2026, along with their availability to compete in both the National Driving Championship and the 2027 World Driving Championship, and their ability to be a positive Canadian representative on an international stage.
(Standardbred Canada Press Release)