Crossing the Canadian border to race

[stonebridge20]

So it's been 27 years since I crossed the Canadian border to race at Trois-Rivieres.
In 96. The boys and I in the rig showed our US driver's licenses both coming and going and that's about it. No trailer contents inspection, no other paperwork. The same deal racing in Montreal and Toronto.

In this day and age we live in now, what's required to cross the border both ways with a non commercial rig?

Yes, I'm toying with the idea of hitting a couple of races in Canada before someone starts throwing dirt at me.

[Andrew Stein]

You'll need a passport or a Driver's License from a neighboring state (like NY) that has a US Flag insignia, indicating you have a valid passport. Have the entry list for the race you're attending (or a copy of an email by the organizer accepting your entry); this confirms you're travelling to a race and not bringing a vehicle in for sale. Also have the log book for the race car and your vehicle registrations handy. A cooperative demeanor with the Inspector doesn't hurt, either. In every case I've passed through in about 1-2 minutes. Reentry to the US is a breeze. No matter how big your private rig don't go to the commercial side when coming back to the US.

[Lotus7]

If your truck/trailer looks even remotely commercial or "professional, make up a typed manifest of everything you are crossing the border with, including VIN and serial numbers on any major pieces. (You dont have to count nuts and bolts, but a line item "box of hardware" suffices). Especially identify anything that is new/unused that might look like you bought it in Canada and are bringing it home.
Stop at US side and have them acknowledge your list.
If the Canadians ask if you intend to sell anything in Canada, show them the list and say we are coming in with this and leaving with same.
Most times this is an hour of wasted effort, but helps a lot if you encounter a cranky guard.

[DaveW]

We raced in Canada 30+ times between the '70's and 2011. Ian's post is the best procedure. Our rig does not look professional - no signage, old tow vehicle and trailer, etc., but...

I've found Canadian border crossings to be extremely inconsistent. Sometimes after telling the person in the booth what and why, they'd say "have a nice time" and wave us through. A few times they went through everything searching for illicit drugs. Sometimes it was like they had never seen a racecar before and sent us to the office, where they still didn't know what to do with us. So crossing time ranged from 5 minutes to 4+ hours at the same crossing location (usually Fort Erie Peace Bridge).

Returning to the US was easier, but sometimes Canada wanted documentation to assure that we didn't buy or sell anything and paid the required taxes/fees if we did. We got a few letters post trip saying we owed VAT or other taxes when we didn't stop at the Canadian side coming back to the US.

Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

[R. Pare]

One thing about racing in Canada (or at least used to be), is undercover Customs people acting like a team member coming up to you to see if they can "borrow" or sometimes even buy, a consumable. Under no circumstances ever give them anything!

[stonebridge20]

You'll need a passport or a Driver's License from a neighboring state (like NY) that has a US Flag insignia, indicating you have a valid passport. Have the entry list for the race you're attending (or a copy of an email by the organizer accepting your entry); this confirms you're travelling to a race and not bringing a vehicle in for sale. Also have the log book for the race car and your vehicle registrations handy. A cooperative demeanor with the Inspector doesn't hurt, either. In every case I've passed through in about 1-2 minutes. Reentry to the US is a breeze. No matter how big your private rig don't go to the commercial side when coming back to the US.

I need to have a cooperative demeanor?

Guess I'm not going to Canada

[DaveW]

One thing about racing in Canada (or at least used to be), is undercover Customs people acting like a team member coming up to you to see if they can "borrow" or sometimes even buy, a consumable. Under no circumstances ever give them anything!

We never had that happen, but we did have a somewhat similar experience in Quebec - the RCMP came through the coliseum we were paddocking in looking for everyone's Canadian paperwork that they said we should have filled out and kept with us from the border. But since we were waved through w/o any inspection, etc., we didn't have any. I did have all my inventory list, etc. that I had filled out and always carried with us, so after some discussion and looking at our stuff they left us alone, but not w/o commenting that they were going to report this and the border officials that let us pass were going to be in deep doodoo.

IMO, pretty typical lack of standard procedures we encountered related to Canadian border crossings.

[E1pix]

I haven’t crossed into Canada since 2001, but do into Mexico every year for dental.

Coming back across, it is required your Driver’s License has a Star in the upper-right corner.


PS — DaveW, I just had a flashback of the FF race in Montreal, 1978…

[DaveW]

I haven’t crossed into Canada since 2001, but do into Mexico every year for dental.

Coming back across, it is required your Driver’s License has a Star in the upper-right corner.


PS — DaveW, I just had a flashback of the FF race in Montreal, 1978…

Was that the one where my engine blew up at the last AFFA race of the season? That cost me the championship that year.

[S Lathrop]

Decades ago I ran a car in the Canadian Tire F2000 series.

As mentioned above, I made a list of everything in my tailor. I would leave one copy at the US side of the border and have copies for the Canadian side as well.

Bureaucracies survive on paper work so have many copies of your inventory. Bottom line, I never had a hassle going through customs.

[E1pix]

Was that the one where my engine blew up at the last AFFA race of the season? That cost me the championship that year.

I don’t recall many specifics, beyond your running up front there in the Z10, and Gilles’ brother in a 32F.

[HazelNut]

Into Canada is actually the easy part. It's returning to the US where US customs hassles you.

I always had to do manifests and pile of other paperwork for the Toronto RTI/USF indycar support races. We also had a series customs broker (Livingston) who provided a "Livingston letter" and some other info from the series and the broker explaining it all. I'd hand all that to customers along with my manifest. I also took photos of everything (opened all drawers in cabinets, race cars, ect) as a "visual inventory") and printed them and stapled to the back of the manifest.

if you do the manifest you have to stop on the US side before crossing into Canada and have it stamped. It's not super obvious where to park so just go slow and look for either the parking lot at the truck inspection area (that seems like it's only for trucks entering US) or possibly a large shoulder. Walk into the building with paperwork and get it stamped then you cross over to canada. On the way back if you get called back into the office from the booth have all the stamped paperwork ready for them.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Remembering my trips to race at Westwood in FA and the more recent ones with WCAR FA brings up some great thoughts of the border hassle early on trying explain why you would have two motors, lots of tires, race gas (since there wasn't any up there). Best part was the scenery, now a residential subdivision, tow money (generally enough to buy drinks there), worker BBQ which was a blast and the crowds enthusiasm and finally the deer lights since the sound of the motors attracted them and bears! Great group of guys to compete with in the entire series at that time. Rick and Gudrun and later Tim Fortner ran a fun series, probably nothing that friendly will ever show up again! All of that made the border crossings a moot point!

[Brian Graham]

Not sure which events you are interested in stopping in for but if the VARAC Vintage Festival is one of them, here is some info for you. Likely half of the competitors that weekend will be US residents. I cross the border in the regular lines with my tag and for the run offs my 40ft gooseneck with no issues. I used to stop on the Canadian side with a hand written list and get it stamped but the renovated borders makes that all but impossible to do now. I have my passport and I do print out the info on the event including my entry info. My copy of my hotel info and whatever else may be useful.
Brian.



https://varac.ca/carinfo/visiting-racers/

[stonebridge20]

94,95,96 Running the Atlantic series, we never showed anything going in or out of Canada including drivers licenses. The only thing required was that each person in the rig had to state that they were a US citizen.
The only time we had an issue was with one of my boys who had a few too many Molson blue's and didn't want to wake up for the agent who insisted he did or we weren't moving an inch. Fun times !

[Fred Michael]

A detailed list of everything in the trailer and it's location. Get it stamped on the US side before you cross. Bring EVERYTHING on that list home with you.
You probably will not be inspected but if you are....

[old 59]

C'mon Mike, its Labatt's blues! Get it right!

[J Leonard]

Remembering my trips to race at Westwood in FA and the more recent ones with WCAR FA brings up some great thoughts of the border hassle early on trying explain why you would have two motors, lots of tires, race gas (since there wasn't any up there). Best part was the scenery, now a residential subdivision, tow money (generally enough to buy drinks there), worker BBQ which was a blast and the crowds enthusiasm and finally the deer lights since the sound of the motors attracted them and bears! Great group of guys to compete with in the entire series at that time. Rick and Gudrun and later Tim Fortner ran a fun series, probably nothing that friendly will ever show up again! All of that made the border crossings a moot point!

Just try to corral all these guys into one spot on a race weekend.

[Lotus7]

I've found Canadian border crossings to be extremely inconsistent.

Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

Absoluetly! As a Canadian living in USA, I get more stick crossing into Canada with my Canadian passport than I do returning home with my green card.

Smile, always be polite, answer every question immediately, but offer no more than they ask for

[E1pix]

Just try to corral all these guys into one spot on a race weekend.

That’s really cool, our old bud Al Whitman used to stay at our place Saturday nights and watch GPs at 5:30 am — and was with us watching Dismore’s awful Indy crash (Mark was an *amazing* karter in person).

I did some graphics for Rusty Scott in the day, too (S2000, S/V). Another friend won Westwood in ‘76, wish I’d have gone there.

Cool shot, love those days, Thanks for posting it!

[stonebridge20]

That’s really cool, our old bud Al Whitman used to stay at our place Saturday nights and watch GPs at 5:30 am — and was with us watching Dismore’s awful Indy crash (Mark was an *amazing* karter in person).

I did some graphics for Rusty Scott in the day, too (S2000, S/V). Another friend won Westwood in ‘76, wish I’d have gone there.

Cool shot, love those days, Thanks for posting it!

Mark is a really nice dude. It was so cool watching him coming back from the Indy crash in 94 to drive Ficklings old DB4 to a one off win at Nazareth over all the Ralts. It would have been even cooler if he didn't lap me in the process thow.

[grapefarmeral]

The first time I raced in Canada I printed out a manifest of all parts, tools, serial numbers, etc... The Canadian customs said they didn't need a list and the crossing was uneventful. A number of years later I was crossing, and they waived me aside. I was asked to unlock the trailer and sit on a bench at a distance while they went through the truck and trailer. At the time I was still doing some film photography and had my 35mm camera under the driver's seat with extra film. There was a deal from Ilford film that included a really nice wooden box with 10 rolls of black and white film in those famous little black canisters that were used for storing illicit substances. When they removed the box from under the seat and opened the lid, they became visibly excited. Outer customs officers were called to document the find, about 8 in total. I had to chuckle as they carefully opened each container and discovered 10 rolls of unexposed B&W film...I was soon released. That was at the Rainbow bridge so I decided to return via Thousand Islands Bridge...as I pulled up to the gate the US customs officer asked me to open the trailer? Thinking I was now on some watch list I asked as I was opening the trailer if he was looking for anything in particular... He smiled and said he just wanted to see the race car...

[t walgamuth]

Absoluetly! As a Canadian living in USA, I get more stick crossing into Canada with my Canadian passport than I do returning home with my green card.

Smile, always be polite, answer every question immediately, but offer no more than they ask for

We used to go to Rice Lake in Ontario every year. Your last sentence is the best advice. Once we were traveling with my sis and her slightly goofy husband. We breezed through when they looked inside our travel trailer and saw it was filled with well used bikes and waved us on. My bro in law tried cracking jokes with them and got thoroughly searched. I use the same technique if pulled over by a policeman too.

[E1pix]

He smiled and said he just wanted to see the race car...

Haha, I love that.

We go through maybe five Border Patrol checkpoints every winter. Volkswagen van, Colorado plates, what can go wrong???

We’ve nothing to hide but our youth. We’ve never been broached for being old. Yay, we win.

Almost every time, they just ask about the van and compliment it. Who’da thunk?

[billtebbutt]

Pithy advice from a Canadian:

1.For the love of God, do NOT bring any alcohol across the border - do yourself a favour, buy what you need in Canada and consume it there. Don't bring any back with you either. And as bizarre as it sounds, check the regulations on fruit/produce - if you get a dick of a guard and they go through your cooler or fridge and find that sinister Clementine that is barred from entry, a stupid little search can turn into a bigger hassle quickly.

2. Same with smokes, if that is your thing. Don't bring any in, and don't take any out. They don't ask you if you are bringing in a carton - they ask you if you are bringing in "ANY".

3. It goes without saying (but I will say it anyway), when you roll up to the booth already have both driver's side windows fully down and all passengers' passports already in hand.

4. I am not suggesting that you would, but Americans do occasionally forget that Canada is extremely vigilant re handguns. I used to room with a guy who worked the border at Fort Erie, and they would fairly routinely pull a pistol from the driver's sun visor AFTER asking if there were any weapons in the rig and being told NO. If you are the type that carries, you are asking for a world of hurt bringing it with you into Canada. And make sure your crew abides by this as well. There should be no trace of any sort of gun/ammunition in the vehicle. I suspect if you regularly carry one in the truck that it could be easy to forget to leave it at home before you leave


In 2019, crossing at Sarnia to go to the USA (to the amazing 50th!), I was driving the rig and had three racing pals with me. Handed the US guard the passports, and he asked me a question that I stumbled on (had never heard it before): "Anyone in the truck ever been convicted of a felony?". I actually didn't know the answer, and simply said that. Off we went! But it kind of threw me (which I think was his intent), and I figure that by being honest with him he realized we were probably ok. And by the time I stammered out the answer he had likely run the passports and already knew the answer!

Have fun. Come spend as much of your expensive $US as you can!

best

bt

[John Nesbitt]

...
In 2019, crossing at Sarnia to go to the USA (to the amazing 50th!), I was driving the rig and had three racing pals with me. Handed the US guard the passports, and he asked me a question that I stumbled on (had never heard it before): "Anyone in the truck ever been convicted of a felony?". I actually didn't know the answer, and simply said that. Off we went! But it kind of threw me (which I think was his intent), and I figure that by being honest with him he realized we were probably ok. And by the time I stammered out the answer he had likely run the passports and already knew the answer!

Have fun. Come spend as much of your expensive $US as you can!

best

bt

And, if you smoked a single joint back in high school or college, for heaven's sake, do not say so if the US border guard asks about marijuana use.

[stonebridge20]

I appreciate all the sound advice you all posted up here.

One last question......do I NEED to have a passport to cross the border both ways.

I've Google searched this quite a bit and can't come up with a definitive answer.

[John Nesbitt]

I appreciate all the sound advice you all posted up here.

One last question......do I NEED to have a passport to cross the border both ways.

I've Google searched this quite a bit and can't come up with a definitive answer.

From your State Department:

Entry into Canada: Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry proof of citizenship and identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.

From CBSA:

All U.S. citizens need U.S. passport books if re-entering by air. Land and sea border crossings accept additional travel documents, such as U.S. Passport cards and Trusted Traveler cards.

[Dan Pyanowski]

I appreciate the question and advice as well.

Haven’t raced at Mosport since early 1990’s and I’m looking forward to returning for the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix June 13 -16 and seeing my Canadian friends.

Mike if you or anyone else are contemplating attending this race, please register before year end for a $100 discount.
The organizers committed to our own FFCS run group if we have at least 20 entries and it’s looking promising.
Dan

[Robins Ken]

I appreciate all the sound advice you all posted up here.

One last question......do I NEED to have a passport to cross the border both ways.

I've Google searched this quite a bit and can't come up with a definitive answer.

A few tips at the Canadian Customs booth.

1. Shut off tow vehicle engine. Esp. a diesel.
2. Make eye contact with the guard.
3. Smile. No sunglasses.
4. Be specific. Where,when,why and date of return.
5. Print an event schedule.
6. Try not to cross at shift change time. ie. noon.
7. Your F1600 Kent engine originated in the USA.
8. Be cordial while saying as little as possible.

Our health system is not in great shape manpower wise so have adequate medical insurance, bring your meds and personal care stuff. It will save you time and money.

As Bill Tebbutt says best to plan on grocery shopping in Canada.

The VARAC Festival at Mosport (CTMP if you will) has developed into a very well rated, cost vs track time event.