As we close the chapter on 2025, it’s safe to say this year was another massive one for the Tech53 team. Between long road trips, multiple disciplines, and countless hours spent driving, wrenching, and supporting our drivers, it was a season packed with growth and unforgettable moments. Gabriel alone logged thousands of kilometers traveling to events across borders, showing up to drive, support teammates, and represent the brand wherever the community gathered. Listing every single event would take all day, so instead, we’re highlighting the moments that truly defined our year.
Midnight Madness & Club Clash – iCar Mirabel (May 10–11)
We kicked off the season in true Canadian fashion, later than most with cold weather, and high spirits at Midnight Madness hosted at iCar Mirabel. Gabriel rolled out in his ever-reliable 370Z, while Alex made his long-awaited debut in his freshly kitted BMW E46 330CI. This event marked the first time Gabriel and Alex drove together in tandem format, and Alex wasted no time exceeding expectations. His driving was smooth, controlled, and predictable, exactly what you want in a new tandem partner. Like any perfectionist, he knew there was more to unlock, but the foundation was undeniably strong.
Midnight Madness also featured Club Clash, a grassroots-style team competition where groups of three or more drivers are judged on how well they drive together. To complete the team, Jay joined the lineup. Unfortunately, during practice, Jay spun after maxing out angle while leading. Gabriel barley avoided the incident, but Alex, running close behind had nowhere to go and made heavy contact.
With both Alex and Jay sidelined and no time for repairs, Club Clash seemed out of reach. What started as an exciting season opener quickly turned into a worst-case scenario. Then, at the last minute, Mathieu Beriau and Cédric Papineau-Lévesque stepped in, recruiting Gabriel as their third driver. Chaos turned into opportunity and against the odds, the newly formed team clicked and took first place. From heartbreak to victory, it was an unforgettable way to open the year.
Formula Drift Round 4 – Englishtown, New Jersey (June 18–21)
Mid-June Gabriel and Alex went on an impromptu road trip to Englishtown, New Jersey, for Formula Drift Round 4. The goal: finally meet face-to-face with our very first FD-sponsored driver Jack Shanahan who traveled all the way from Ireland for his rookie FD season.
2025 marked Jack’s first year competing in Formula Drift, and we were proud to support him with a partial sponsorship to help cover the massive costs associated with international competition. Jack showed his potential early by qualifying first, but despite the strong start, he wasn’t able to keep that momentum going and couldn’t advance far during this round. Jack managed to close out the season with the Rookie of the Year award, an achievement that firmly proved he belongs in North America’s top drifting league.
Trackside, Gabriel and Alex sat down with Jack for a short interview, something that has since become a tradition whenever we travel to support sponsored drivers. With his sights set on the 2026 season, Jack is currently exploring new sponsorship opportunities and welcomes inquiries from potential partners.
Beyond being a well-earned working vacation, this trip became a key networking opportunity for the team. The event went on to be a real eye-opener, encouraging us to rethink how to make the most of our travel time while continuing to grow Tech53 as a brand.
Endurance Racing Debut – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (July 5–6)
July arrived and Gabriel attended his first endurance race weekend of the year at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with Enduro Elite, formerly known as Lucky Dog Racing League. He brought along his proven BMW E36 endurance build, a car that has seen this league multiple times before.
During winters off-season of 2024–2025, the car underwent a major overhaul to eliminate persistent wiring issues from the previous season. The entire chassis was rewired and a brand-new Link ECU was installed. You can read more about this build in our Project Car section and watch the overhaul on our YouTube channel. With these upgrades, we believed the car was ready for war. Unfortunately, about 1 hour and 15 minutes into the endurance race, a new issue surfaced. Under hard right-hand turns, the car began to suffer from fuel starvation, causing power loss and fuel cuts. While this can be a minor inconvenience in track-day scenarios, it’s a serious problem for endurance racing requiring more pit stops and costing valuable grid positions.
Despite attempts to resolve the issue trackside, the team was pushed out of the competitive field. With a win no longer in reach, the focus shifted toward learning, gathering valuable data, maximizing seat time, and making the most of the weekend on what we believe to be the best track in Canada.
JDM Fest & Club Clash Redemption – iCar Mirabel (July 12–13)
The following week, the shop went into full prep mode for JDM Fest held at iCar Mirabel once again. This marked the first event attended as a full team under the name Casting Spells made up of Gabriel, Alex, and David. Gabriel’s 370Z was ready as usual, one of the main reasons he built the car the way he did. David’s S13 returned after a winter refresh, including a full engine rebuild guided by the Tech53 team with help from local SR20 enthusiasts. While Alex’s E46 330CI was the wildcard, neglected since the Club Clash incident, it was time for redemption.
In under 48 hours, the team repaired fiberglass, sanded the car, applied primer outside the shop, drove it to the paint booth with questionable visibility, and completed a full respray. Less than 24 hours after paint, all three matching cars were loaded and headed to the track.
Practice went flawlessly despite the brutally hot conditions and limited seat time caused by the massive field of competitors. The team faced off against the MTC Crew, local veterans with an incredible amount of seat time, and couldn’t advance past the top 8. Seeing the MTC Crew claim victory later that day gave the team a sense of pride in their own performance. The redemption arc was complete, proving the team could drive together confidently and competitively without any major issues. The weekend ended with a heavy rainstorm that sent most spectators and drivers packing leaving only the truly passionate individuals behind to enjoy the show and gain valuable seat time in wet conditions.
MK1 Madness – Mohnton, Pennsylvania (July 18–20)
Switching things up the following weekend, Fred, the original creator of Tech53, took his MK2 Country to MK1 Madness, an annual Volkswagen gathering held in Mohnton, Pennsylvania. A regular attendee since 2016, Fred has made it a personal mission to make the trip every single year. This time around, the 8-hour drive south was shared with ASSCO Motorsport and Chris Lacombe, fellow local VW enthusiasts who made the long drive that much better.
Like most attendees, Fred opted to camp on-site, but this year he arrived with a twist: a mini caravan hitched behind the Country. It was the first event he attended with this setup, and it instantly reignited his love for long-distance road trips. Having a rolling hotel in tow added a new level of comfort and simplicity to the experience.
After a successful weekend spent reconnecting with friends from afar, it was time to head back home. The return journey proved more demanding with the steep mountainous roads, pushing the MK2 to its limits. At times, Fred found himself climbing at over 80 km/h in 3rd gear just to keep momentum going, something that wouldn’t have been an issue with our well-known 1.4T swap. Constant gear changes eventually took their toll wearing down the shifting mechanism and forcing a roadside repair using only the minimal tools they had on hand.
Despite the challenges, Fred made it home safely and tired but with another unforgettable road trip in the books. The experience won’t stop him from making the journey again either. MK1 Madness 2026 is already on our 2026 calendar.
Touge.US – Beckley, West Virginia (July 25-27)
While Fred was just getting back home, Gabriel and Alex hit the road again, this time to Beckley, West Virginia, for Touge.US, a new event hosted by the Drift Appalachia team. These events focus on legally closing down public roads, offering a unique motorsports experience centered on driver enjoyment and seat time rather than strict judging and standings.
Having attended Drift Appalachia’s first event in 2024, the team jumped at the chance to participate in Touge.US’s debut event. Gabriel spent the weekend networking with organizers and fellow grip drivers while tackling challenging uphill and downhill runs in the E36. Once again, the car proved why it’s his ultimate setup, reliable, competitive, and consistent on every run. This event also marked the first time Gabriel truly pushed his E36 in a legal street-style environment gaining invaluable real-world experience. You can catch some of his standout runs in our YouTube video!
FDF Track Weekend – Shannonville (August 16–17)
In mid-August, Gabriel headed solo to Shannonville Motorsport Park for a track weekend hosted by FDF Raceshop. With the Slide and Tacos crew in attendance, familiar faces made him feel right at home and well-surrounded.
The weekend stood out for the sheer seat time and tandem experience gained. Shannonville may be easy on tires, but that didn’t stop Gabriel from burning through every set he brought while driving nearly nonstop in the trusty 370Z. Beyond the driving, the FDF-hosted event provided valuable networking opportunities with fellow Canadian aftermarket brands and up-and-coming drivers. These are the events we love most, pure driving, great people, and natural, organic growth for the brand.
Roots Classics – Wildwood, New Jersey (September 5-6)
Summer was moving fast, and before Fred knew it, Roots Classics, a vintage VW gathering in Wildwood, New Jersey was right around the corner. With just a week to prepare, he dialed in his caravan setup, adding comfort-driven upgrades such as an HVAC system and some solar panels to make camping comfortable no matter the climate.
As the departure date approached, one lingering issue resurfaced. A shift linkage that had been temporarily patched roadside on the way back from MK1 Madness required a proper repair to ensure it wouldn’t fail on this journey. Unfortunately, replacement parts couldn’t be sourced in time and there was no window left to machine them in-house so plans quickly had to change.
Fred made the call to hit the road at 4 a.m. the next morning in his daily-driven GR Corolla. While arriving without one of his beloved VWs wasn’t the original plan, the trip went off without a hitch and was met with nothing but warm welcomes at the event. Throughout the weekend, Fred fielded countless questions from longtime enthusiasts about our teased 1.4T swap and its upcoming release. The excitement and feedback from the community reignited his motivation to push the project forward.
Fast forward less than three months later and the vision is nearly complete. The 1.4T swap has come together with mounts, downpipe, wiring, and ECU solutions now available to the public on our website.
Roots has long been a staple on Fred’s calendar, and 2026 will be no exception and hopefully this time with a 1.4T swapped MK1 on display. The only question left is: which chassis should we bring?
Lock City Street Series Comp – Thompson, Connecticut (September 12-13)
The final event worth highlighting was the Lock City Street Series Competition in Thompson, Connecticut. Once again, Gabriel’s reliable 370Z was the weapon of choice. Before the 8+ hour trip, the car went on the lift for its first full inspection of the year. After the check, the only items that needed attention were a left rear upper control arm due to a worn-out ball joint and resealing the left axle to keep all that grease in place. After multiple events without even checking a single bolt or nut, the 370Z once again proved its reliability and sturdiness for drifting, a sport that isn’t exactly easy on a car. With those minor fixes completed, the car was ready to hold strong all weekend long.
At the track, Gabriel linked up with sponsored drivers Tristan and Hugo, who also made the 8-hour long trip from Montreal. This was Gabriel’s first solo drifting competition, but having friends familiar with the Street Series format made him feel more comfortable. Unfortunately, Gabriel and Tristan faced off in the Top 16, ending Gabriel’s run early. Tristan advanced but fell short in the Top 4, barely missing out on third place. Hugo delivered an incredible performance throughout the standings, battling through multiple OMT (one more time) battles and leaving the judges confident in their decision. His winning streak ended in the finals, where he claimed second place, but there was no doubt the locals knew the French crew had brought the heat.
The day after the competition was an open track day, and the team decided to stay. The venue was fantastic offering three different layouts to keep drivers engaged. The track, organizers, and weather all delivered an exceptional experience. The team will definitely be back next year, hopefully with the full Casting Spells roster. Let us know if you think we should attend every round of the Street Series or if there’s a specific event you’d like to see us at!
Closing Thoughts
2025 was a year of growth, lessons, long nights, and even longer drives. From grassroots competitions to international-level events, endurance racing to touge runs, the team continued to push forward learning what works, fixing what doesn’t, and building stronger connections along the way.
We’re incredibly grateful to our drivers, partners, and customers who made this season possible. Looking ahead, 2026 is already shaping up to be even bigger, and we can’t wait to share what’s next. If you’d like to see our team at one of your events, let us know, we'd love to shape our 2026 calendar around the suggestions of our supporters.
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