2022 Automotive News Canada All-Stars

There likely isn’t a louder, faster or sweeter smelling marketing campaign in Canada.

The Nissan Sentra Cup puts the Sentra small sedan in front of audiences at the six-event series and gives dozens of Canadian race drivers the chance to compete at a cost that most would-be Michael Schumachers can afford (about $45,000 for the car).

The Sentra Cup is exclusive to Canada and takes place in Quebec and Ontario from May to September. For the series, all Sentras are pared down and tuned to the same standard.

This year was the second for the Sentra Cup, which followed six years of racing the subcompact Micra. Moving to the more powerful Sentra was an easy thing to do, said Steve Milette, 50, president of Nissan Canada Inc., whose support is keeping the series alive. The switch was “in two words — more fun.”

The Micra is also no longer sold in Canada.

Each Sentra Cup racing weekend includes two 40-minute races with about 30 drivers.

The series also served as the support category for the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, demonstrating Nissan’s commitment to live events.