Subject: [Fot] Entering/exiting Canada w a trailer etc

From: yellow04 via Fot <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2025 16:11:30 -0400

It just so happens that I was asked this year by the event chair of the 
VARAC Vintage Grand Prix to provide a writeup from an American’s 
perspective to the border crossing, and what follows is the text I 
prepared for her that was sent to all US based racers. As everyone 
should know by now, the 2026 Kastner Cup will be at Mosport, (currently 
known as Canadian Tire Motorsports Park) and folks from the States will 
obviously need to cross the US/Canadian border with their fully loaded 
race rigs. The subject of the border crossing comes up every time I talk 
to a fellow racer about experiencing Mosport, everyone is concerned that 
something bad will happen at the border. In the almost 20 times I have 
done it, I have never had a problem.

~~~

An American racer’s perspective to the border crossing

I have been asked to provide an American’s perspective to the biggest 
obstacle we have to race in Canada, the border crossing. We have been 
enjoying the VARAC Vintage Festival at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 
(Mosport) for about 20 years. The border crossing question is the one I 
hear all the time when trying to convince my American friends they need 
to check out my favorite race weekend of the season.

My rig has always been an RV pulling an enclosed trailer. First a small 
Class C, now a medium size Class A. Our point of entry is Thousand 
Islands, and friends who use the Lewiston Bridge (Niagara Falls) 
crossing report the same experience.

The basics:

•	Passports are required for everyone in the rig. Have all the passports 
in your hand as you drive up to the border agent and hand them over as 
you exchange pleasantries.
•	Do not hand the border crossing guard anything other than your 
passport(s). If they need anything else, they will ask for it. Anything 
you give to the border agent, they will take the time to read and 
understand, and you will complicate matters and lose time. The only 
additional information I have ever been asked to provide entering Canada 
is the license number of the RV because my trailer blocks their camera 
view.
•	Be prepared with documentation should you need it. Current 
registration and insurance information on your tow rig and trailer. Log 
book for the race car. (I have a couple results sheets that show my name 
next to the car make and model) I always have this information at arm’s 
reach but have never been asked to produce it.
•	Keep in mind your interaction with any border guard will go much 
smoother and faster if you remain pleasant and answer all questions 
succinctly without interjecting any humor. Remember “Dragnet”? Just the 
facts, ma’am.  That’s your mantra when talking to any border agent!
•	Do not attempt to bring any firearms of any kind, or any prohibited 
substances to Canada. Educate yourself on what your limits for alcohol 
and tobacco are, and what is prohibited.

One of the items folks talk about is the requirement of a list of the 
contents of your trailer. Preparing this list seems like a daunting 
task, but here are two pieces of good news. First, an acceptable list 
does not need to identify every item in a tote or toolbox, just the 
number of totes or toolboxes. If I were to do a list for my rig, it 
would include the race car, bicycle, 1 large tote of tools, three medium 
sized totes with tools and spare race car parts for my personal use, one 
tall toolbox, one short toolbox, two trailer spares, 4 race car wheels 
and tires, two fuel jugs, 1 pair Race Ramps and a canopy. Done.

The other piece of good news, it seems very few veterans of the border 
crossing even bother with a list anymore. In all the years I have been 
racing in Canada, I have been asked for my list once, and it was not 
from the border agent. It was from a person walking the line of vehicles 
waiting to enter the US. When I told her I didn’t have one, she was 
slightly annoyed and instructed me to prepare the list for next time and 
kept walking.

I didn’t find any guidance on the US Customs and Border Protection 
website about this list of personal property you intend to take with you 
to and from Canada. If it is there, it is buried deep! I haven’t 
prepared a list in years.

Some thoughts on each crossing:

Entering Canada:

Keep in mind the Canadians are concerned about where we are going and 
what we are doing in their country. Naturally, their job is stopping any 
prohibited items from entering Canada, and to make sure people bringing 
goods for resale in Canada pay whatever duty or tariff they might owe. 
Since we are going to bring all our stuff home with us, this does not 
apply to us, racers do not have pay any duty. So be prepared for 
questions about what you are bringing into Canada. I always say we are 
participating in a race weekend at Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario and 
my race car is in the trailer. Our experience with the Canadian Border 
guards has always been very easy, and it is for most people. In these 
days of Big Brother, when your passport gets scanned by the border 
agent, they see all kinds of data pop up, and their questions will 
reflect what they see.  I believe if you have a permit to carry 
concealed firearms, that pops up and expect more questions about guns. 
That kind of thing. One question I get occasionally is “When was the 
last time you were in Canada?” Now I think about that one in advance so 
I have the correct answer ready. Assuming you have lived a clean life 
without running afoul of the authorities, the border guard should 
process you in a couple minutes and send you on your way.

Returning to the US:

Keep in mind the US agents are most concerned about stopping illegal 
immigration and the importation of illegal substances. It seems a racer 
returning to the States on a Sunday or Monday does not seem to be a big 
risk. We typically get a couple of softball questions and are sent on 
our way. When world affairs warranted it, I had my RV boarded by guards 
looking for undeclared people. I have been asked by the agent for the 
keys to my enclosed trailer for an inspection that consisted of opening 
the back door and peering in with a flashlight. Neither of these have 
happened in several years. If anything like these things happen, just 
let the border folks do their job, and you will be on your way in short 
order.

After you get a couple of border crossings under your belt, you realize 
it is no big deal. Then your biggest concern shifts to how long the line 
is to get processed!

~~~

The Triumphs returning to Mosport will be a pretty big deal. The 
Canadians are excited to have us. The event is by far the best race 
weekend I attend every year. The track is legendary, the racing is 
extraordinary. More details once we get past Lime Rock over Labor Day 
weekend!

Henry Frye
KCup chair, 2025 and 2026
860.508.3118 (m)

-------------------------------------

On 2025-06-22 13:47, Mark Cook wrote:
> All,
> 
> Nice update!
> 
> So, I have a friend who is going up, hauling 4 BMWs to CTMP this week.  
>  Any
> words of wisdom for entering/exiting Canada with a trailer full of cars 
> and
> equipment?  Anything specific he needs to know regarding the paperwork?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mark Cook
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From: Mark Cook via Fot <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2025 17:10:05 -0400

Henry,

Excellent - thank you very much and will let my friend know.   He is going up for the BMW Club Racing at Mosport this coming weekend.  He supports four customers, as well as himself and will have a trailer loaded with 4-5 cars and equipment.  First trip for him and his customers to CTMP or Canada for that matter.

Regards,

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: yellow04 [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2025 4:12 PM
To: Mark Cook
Cc: Friends of Triumph Group Email
Subject: Entering/exiting Canada w a trailer etc

VARAC Vintage Grand Prix to provide a writeup from an American�s 

~~~

An American racer�s perspective to the border crossing

I have been asked to provide an American�s perspective to the biggest 

The basics:

�	Passports are required for everyone in the rig. Have all the passports 
in your hand as you drive up to the border agent and hand them over as 
you exchange pleasantries.
�	Do not hand the border crossing guard anything other than your 
passport(s). If they need anything else, they will ask for it. Anything 
you give to the border agent, they will take the time to read and 
understand, and you will complicate matters and lose time. The only 
additional information I have ever been asked to provide entering Canada 
is the license number of the RV because my trailer blocks their camera 
view.
�	Be prepared with documentation should you need it. Current 
registration and insurance information on your tow rig and trailer. Log 
book for the race car. (I have a couple results sheets that show my name 
next to the car make and model) I always have this information at arm�s 
reach but have never been asked to produce it.
�	Keep in mind your interaction with any border guard will go much 
smoother and faster if you remain pleasant and answer all questions 
succinctly without interjecting any humor. Remember �Dragnet�? Just the 
facts, ma�am.  That�s your mantra when talking to any border agent!
�	Do not attempt to bring any firearms of any kind, or any prohibited 
substances to Canada. Educate yourself on what your limits for alcohol 
and tobacco are, and what is prohibited.

waiting to enter the US. When I told her I didn�t have one, she was 

I didn�t find any guidance on the US Customs and Border Protection 
website about this list of personal property you intend to take with you 
to and from Canada. If it is there, it is buried deep! I haven�t 
prepared a list in years.

Entering Canada:

That kind of thing. One question I get occasionally is �When was the 
last time you were in Canada?� Now I think about that one in advance so 

Returning to the US:

~~~

Henry Frye