CSN Collision/Lift Auto Group Sign as 2025 OPDA Sponsor

The Okanagan Precision Driving Association is pleased to announce that CSN Collision and Lift Auto Group have signed on for a third year as a bronze sponsor for the 2025 season.

With over 200 locations and more OEM certifications than any other network, CSN Collision is Canada’s choice for quality collision repair.

The OPDA is grateful for CSN’s generous support in our effort to build motorsports in the Okanagan Valley and recommends CSN Collision‘s quality repair services to all OPDA Okanagan Autocross members, friends and family.

Lift Auto Group is a leader in the collision repair industry. Headquartered in Kelowna, Lift currently owns and operates locations in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario with plans for expansion coast to coast.

2025 OPDA Introduction to Autocross a Success

The Okanagan Precision Driving Association hosted its fourth annual Introduction to Autocross training course on Saturday, May 3. With the weather threatening the proceedings resulting in several cancellations, seventeen newcombers braved the elements in an effort to hone their driving skills and learn the motorsport of Autocross.

The OPDA had plenty of volunteers on hand for a driver-to-instructor ratio of nearly 1:1. The day started out cool and overcast but dry. As the event progressed, participants were increasingly challenged by the wet conditions. The session wrapped up at 3:30 after logging some five hours of on-course driving.

Participants can find the results for the timed portion of the event at this location.

The OPDA wishes to thank our trainees for attending the 2025 OPDA Introduction to Autocross training course and looks forward to seeing them at Okanagan Autocross events this year. Registration for all OPDA events can be done at https://www.okanaganautocross.net/registration.

The OPDA also wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to principal event organizers Nick Gunner and Steve Gunner who have managed this event now for three consecutive years.

Thanks also to the many volunteers acting as instructors, officials and workers for the event including Wayne Terai, Owen Wright, Chloe Yule, Kurt Breton, Phil Davidsen, Ethan Delichte, Terry Dunn, Bailey Ivan, Caleb Loewen, Richard Matte, Josh McIssac, Marc Novakowski, Peter Royea, Mark Stovel, Grace Vasko, Mike Vasko, Jakub Vozeniluk, Michael, Wende, Steve Wolter, Doug Floer and any others that may have been somehow omitted from this list.

2025 Season Schedule Released

It’s been a long haul this pre-season firming up the schedule but we finally have agreements in place for both Vernon and Kelowna. Sadly, this will be our last year at Vernon Kal Tire Place and we were offered a very limited selection of dates with no dates available until late May. Similarly, the Okanagan College KLO lot is not available until May due to construction in other areas of the campus necessitating the concentration of parking into the lot we use for Autocross. You should also be aware that the Kelowna lot is doubtful for 2026 and we are taking steps to have an alternate lot or lots available should this come to fruition.

The good news is that we have a 22 days of autocross for the 2025 season. In Kelowna we’ll host 13 club championship events plus one autocross training session. Of those 13 events, 11 will be on Friday evenings and two will be full-day Sunday events on May 25 and September 7. The first Kelowna event is Friday, May 2 followed by our Introduction to Autocross on Saturday, May 3.

Vernon will host 6 full-day events as part of the club championship plus the 2-day Eliminator on September 20-21. The first Vernon event will be a 2-day weekend competition on May 31 and June 1.

For those who attended and enthusiastically endorsed last year’s Merritt Airport event, we’ve tried to work around VCMC’s Merritt schedule which includes a yet-to-be-confirmed Canadian National Autoslalom Championship on September 13-14.

Finally, we are working on the possibility of hosting one or two events at an alternate site in April so stay tuned.

Click here for the 2025 OPDA Okanagan Autocross calendar.

OPDA Named CACC 2024 Club of the Year

BC’s FIA ASN Canada motorsport sanctioning body, the Confederation of Autosport Car Clubs (CACC), has named the Okanagan Precision Driving Association as their Club of the Year.

The OPDA was selected due to its continuing success in growing its membership, hosting more autocross events than any other club in Canada and for its actions in helping sister autocross club VCMC Motorsport Club in Vancouver to identify and secure the Merritt Airport for club autocross events.

This is the second time since 2021 that the CACC has chosen the OPDA to receive this prestigious award.

Congratulations to the OPDA and its membership for their continuing success in growing motorsport in the Okanagan.

2025 OPDA Board of Directors Elected

At the 2024 Fall General Meeting held on Wednesday, November 13, the membership elected the board that will serve as the Okanagan Precision Driving Association executive for the 2025-26 seasons.

New to the board are Owen Wright (Secretary), Terry Dunn (Director), Phil Davidsen (Vice-President) with Remi Ouellet securing the role of President. Doug Floer (Treasurer), Matt Phillips (Director) and Wayne Terai (Director) continue in their previous roles for 2025.

Leaving the OPDA board are Steve Gunner (President), Mike Vasko (Vice-President), Steve Wensley (Director) and Caleb Loewen (Secretary).

The board would like to extend its gratitude to the departing board members for their service and dedication in helping make the 2023-24 seasons two of our best ever and for their hard work in advancing the goals and objectives of the club.

Visit our Club Information page for a full listing of the current OPDA board members.

2024 OPDA Annual General Meeting

Please be advised that the 2024 Okanagan Precision Driving Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 PM using a Teams virtual meeting session. Members are invited to join the meeting at that time using the link sent your email. Note that you must be a member of the OPDA to vote at the meeting.

Elections

There are four vacant 2-year voting board positions up for election this year. If you are interested in giving back to the club, please consider throwing your hat in the ring. Duties vary but expect to attend one meeting per month to deal with club business.

  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Secretary
  • Director

Vacant Roles

Each year several non-voting operational roles become available within the club. Without volunteers stepping forward to help in these positions, the club cannot operate. If you are willing to help out in any capacity or would like more information on any role, please reply to this message or reach out to any board member.

  • Course Design
  • Trailer Hauling
  • Timing and Scoring
  • Registration and Membership
  • Novice Support
  • Sponsorship Coordinator

2024 Okanagan Autocross Championship Results

The 2024 OPDA Okanagan Autocross season is in the books. The Okanagan Precision Driving Association had a busy year hosting a total of twenty autocross championship events from April 15 through September 8, capped by our 2-day Eliminator fun event in late September.

Congratulation to all our winners and runners-up with special mention to Amanda Schuffels for being the first woman to enter the OPDA Topgun ranks by winning the Vernon Hotshot Championship.

Here are our 2024 champions. Note that Hotshot champions are permanently moved to the Topgun category for the next season.

ChampionshipWinner
Overall ChampionshipNick Gunner
Kelowna Topgun ChampionKurt Breton
Vernon Topgun ChampionNick Gunner
Kelowna Hotshot ChampionCaleb Loewen
Vernon Hotshot ChampionAmanda Schuffels
Vernon Eliminator ChampionMatt Phillips
Rookie of the YearEuan Henderson
Most ConesWayne Terai

For a consolidated championship history, visit our Championship Results page. For detailed information on the 2024 and previous season results, visit the OPDA Forum.

2024 OPDA Championship Award Winners

Our 2024 OPDA Okanagan Autocross Trophy Winners
2024 Eliminator Champion Matt Phillips

Event Attendance Caps

In an effort to provide drivers with a minimum number of runs at each event, the Okanagan Precision Driving Association board has implemented the following policy capping the number of drivers that may enter an event.

“Attendance at OPDA Autocross events shall be limited to 40 participants except for evening events before May 15 and after July 31 when attendance shall be limited to 35 participants. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Clerk of the Course.”

The policy takes into consideration both the available daylight and lot rental hours for Kelowna evening and Vernon morning and afternoon events.

Please note that the policy will be enforced starting with the August 23 Kelowna event. To avoid missing an event, members are advised to register early. Note that you may cancel your registration without penalty prior to the event. No-shows will face a $10 charge.

Kal Tire Joins Okanagan Autocross as a Gold Level Sponsor

The Okanagan Autocross is proud to welcome Kal Tire as a 2024 Gold Level Sponsor. With over 260 stores across the country, Kal Tire is one of Canada’s largest independent tire service dealers and one of North America’s largest commercial tire dealers.

OPDA President Steve Gunner (handshake right) seals the sponsorship deal with Kal Tire’s Phil Davidsen as OPDA members look on [July 19, 2024]

Kal Tire is also the largest retreader in Canada of medium truck tires with 16 manufacturing facilities. Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group is an international leader in mining tire service and supply, servicing more than 150 mine sites across five continents.

Kal Tire is an Okanagan Valley success story. Founded by Tom Foord in 1953, and based in Vernon, BC, Kal Tire employs more than 6,500 team members internationally.

The Okanagan Precision Driving Association board and members would like to thank Kal Tire for their generous support of our efforts to further motorsports to the Okanagan Valley.

CSN Collision/Lift Auto Group Renews OPDA Sponsorship

The Okanagan Precision Driving Association is pleased to announce that CSN Collision and Lift Auto Group have signed on again as a bronze sponsor for the 2024 season.

With over 200 locations and more OEM certifications than any other network, CSN Collision is Canada’s choice for quality collision repair.

The OPDA is grateful for CSN’s generous support in our effort to build motorsports in the Okanagan Valley and recommends CSN Collision‘s quality repair services to all OPDA Okanagan Autocross members, friends and family.

Lift Auto Group is a leader in the collision repair industry. Headquartered in Kelowna, Lift currently owns and operates locations in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario with plans for expansion coast to coast.