The Hot Rod Classics Vintage Race Car Series Presented by Kimco debuted a new in-house car in the spring of 2026. It was created by series founder Patty Lawrence as a tribute to ‘Daytona’ Don Biederman. The car is a replica of one of the most recognizable race cars in Canadian stock car racing history, Biederman’s Petty blue #43 1972 Chevy Nova. In it, Biederman won crown jewel races in Canada and the United States, including the Maple Leaf 250 at Cayuga Motor Speedway in Ontario and the Oxford 250 in Maine.

For Lawrence, the project to create the car was one of passion – paying homage to a personal hero with whom he has a personal connection, and to create memories for veteran race fans while helping newer fans learn about our stock car racing heritage.

Biederman (1940-1999), who hailed from Port Credit, Ontario, was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001. Even though his home base was in Ontario, he was well-known in the Maritimes with frequent visits to tracks throughout the region in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Whether he won or not, his appearance was nearly always memorable thanks to his hard-nosed persona and aggressive driving style. He was, as they say, ‘a character’.

Patty Lawrence (3rd from left) with his brothers Peter and Michael, and Don Biederman.

In the late 70s, Lawrence’s father, Jerry ‘Jer Bear’ Lawrence, was the promoter at Riverside Speedway (James River). Patty Lawrence was young when he first met Biederman during that era. Biederman’s race car at the time was the ’72 Nova. Biederman made an indelible mark on the youngster.

“For me as a young child, Don Biederman was a larger-than-life personality that helped form the basis of my love for racing,” said Lawrence. “The Biederman car project brings that full circle and exemplifies what Heart of a Champion and the Hot Rod Classics are all about – to help bridge the gap between racing generations and share memories from back in the day. Don Biederman was the basis for many colourful stories that are still shared today, and we hope this car will uncover even more of those stories so they can be passed down from generation to generation. Ironically, my favourite childhood memory from 1977 is not about him racing, but eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with him in our motorhome – we’ll be packing some for Saturday in his honour.”

In a racing career spanning three decades, Biederman was a two-time winner of the River Glade International in New Brunswick, a three-time winner of the Riverside 250 (now known as the IWK 250). He was the first Canadian to compete full-time in the NASCAR Grand National Series (now Cup Series) in 1967; it was then that he became known as ‘Daytona’ Don Biederman – a moniker that has lasted over 50 years. He built race cars and drove them for a living, practically unheard of at the time, and as a result, raced every chance he got – often running five nights a week at different tracks in Canada and the U.S.

Behind the scenes, Biederman often gave back to fellow competitors with parts and advice; he also donated time and equipment to restoration projects as he loved nothing more than seeing old race cars restored to their former glory.

So, for Lawrence, this project to replicate one of Biederman’s cars is a way to give back to a man who contributed so much to the history of short track racing in the Maritimes and beyond.