Although the season did not start off as warranted this past season for Cameron McGlashan, the second half made up for it with some success.

“2023 was like a tale of 2 seasons honestly,” he told SHORT TRACK MUSINGS. “The first half was terrible, motor blowing up night 1, was in more accidents and stuff then my entire career combined it felt like. Then the second half things seem to get a lot better finishing where we belonged. I felt like I was the third best car and that’s where we finished.”

Although he was able to score five top-five’s in regular competition through the second half of the season, it was the battle for victory in the third feature of the Allan Lankin Cup on Labor Day weekend that stood out for 2023.

“Battling (Blaise) Shaw for the stage three win at the Allan Lankin was probably the highlight of the year,” he reflected. “Me and him had some good battles thru out the year. It was good side by side racing, lots of restarts; I gave him everything I could to try and win but came up one spot short.”

The battle that night, alongside over 40 cars on hand to try and qualify for the event, certainly displayed why the Mini Stock division has risen to become a favourite for many fans.

“Racing with the guys who are in the top-five every week is some great racing,” he commented. “Starting in the back and getting up there when they start the fast guys in the back is interesting and a great show for the fans I’m sure.”

With the past couple of seasons seeing him be part of the conversation for the top spot, McGlashan is entering the 2024 campaign with a “put up or shut up” mindset.

“I’m going all in to try and win races plus the championship; anything less will be a disappointment honestly,” he explained. “This will be the best prepared car I’ve ever shown up with after all the work we’ve had done to the car this off season.”

The off-season effort going into the car certainly bodes well in being hopeful to improve the start of his campaign, which he feels has hurt his efforts the past two years. As he noted, he has blown up on opening night the past two years, which has put him “behind the 8 ball to start and trying to play catch up all year.”

Looking beyond this upcoming season, McGlashan admits that he would like to try any of the higher classes than Mini Stock in the future.

“I ran super stock in 2015 at Fall Velocity and had a blast,” he reflected. “I’d really like to sell both my mini stocks and buy a hot rod and run that at Sunset full time in the future. I’m kinda bored of mini stock racing. I want a new challenge, but it all comes down to money. I don’t wanna ruin my future just to drive a higher class for a few years.”

Growing up as a fan watching the action at Barrie Speedway, it is Keith McLeod that he considers his racing hero, and the reason he got into racing.

“Every night at Barrie Speedway me and my dad would go down pit side,” McGlashan recalled. “Whether he won or wrecked, he’d always let me sit in his car and I was hooked from that moment on. His wife Jeanne always made amazing treats to enjoy after the races so that was a bonus of being a fan of his as well.”