WHEN SECONDS COUNT
First Responders and Motorsports Safety Teams Come Together Thursday at Toronto Motorsports Park
CAYUGA, ON (August 31, 2026) — When an emergency happens on the racetrack, a fast, coordinated response can make all the difference.
The public will have an opportunity to see that response firsthand this Thursday when firefighters, motorsports safety personnel and emergency-response specialists come together at Toronto Motorsports Park for WHEN SECONDS COUNT — Race Car Emergency Extrication.
The realistic, controlled demonstration takes place Thursday, September 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga. The public is welcome to attend and watch from a designated safe viewing area.
Interest in the first-time event has continued to grow, bringing together members of Haldimand County Fire Services, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the Canadian Motorsports Response Team, M&L Supply Fire & Safety and AMKUS Rescue Systems, along with other participants involved in emergency response and motorsports safety.
Haldimand County Fire Services — Station 12 Fisherville and Station 4 Cayuga have confirmed their participation, with members of other Haldimand County fire stations also expected to attend.
An actual race car chassis will be used during the hands-on extrication exercise, giving firefighters an opportunity to work directly with the specialized construction and safety systems found in a competition vehicle.
Unlike conventional passenger vehicles, race cars can incorporate roll cages, multi-point racing harnesses, window nets, head-and-neck restraint systems, electrical shutoffs, specialized fuel systems, fire-suppression equipment and purpose-built chassis construction. Those systems protect the driver but can create unique considerations for emergency personnel during an extrication.
Dave Connors, Extrication Specialist with M&L Supply Fire & Safety, representing AMKUS Rescue Systems, will provide rescue equipment, technical knowledge and support. AMKUS is the Official Rescue Tool of NHRA and supplies rescue equipment to the NHRA Safety Safari.
The Canadian Motorsports Response Team will also participate and display one of its specialized rescue vehicles.
NC ProModer will be on site to provide a livestream of WHEN SECONDS COUNT, giving motorsports fans, first responders and others who are unable to attend an opportunity to watch the demonstration live from Toronto Motorsports Park.
The event is being organized by Glenn Grow of the National Hot Rod Association, Bruce F. Mehlenbacher and Neale Armstrong, Track Manager at Toronto Motorsports Park.
“This is about bringing the people who respond when seconds count together before they are faced with the real thing,” said Grow. “Race cars are very different from passenger vehicles. This gives firefighters and motorsports safety personnel an opportunity to learn from one another and work through those challenges in a controlled environment.”
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady and Haldimand County Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley have confirmed their attendance.
The demonstration also has a special family connection for Mehlenbacher. His daughter, Jodie Mehlenbacher, a member of Station 12 Fisherville, and grandson, Lucas Ecker, a member of Station 4 Cayuga, will participate.
“Having three generations of our family involved in an event centred on public safety, community service and supporting our first responders makes this particularly meaningful to me,” said Mehlenbacher.
WHEN SECONDS COUNT will help kick off the Labour Day Weekend Spectacular, featuring the John Scotti Canadian Championship Series as part of the NHRA National Open double-header, September 4–6 at Toronto Motorsports Park.
EVENT DETAILS
WHEN SECONDS COUNT — Race Car Emergency Extrication
Thursday, September 3, 2026 — 6:00 p.m.
Toronto Motorsports Park — Cayuga, Ontario
PUBLIC WELCOME
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