The west Mountain resident, driver of the No. 13 in the NASCAR Canadian Tire series, had to quickly learn the ins and outs of the concrete corridors at the Honda Indy for last Saturday's stock car race in Toronto.

“It's very tough,” the St. Jean de Brebeuf grad, who had previously only raced on ovals, said before stepping into the car.

“Very tight turns here, very fast straightaways, so getting my breaking points down, my shift points down, that's what I’m having a tough time with.”

The car suffered mechanical problems during the Friday practice session so Monaghan was forced to use the qualifying session as a practice round in order to get a feel for the course.

He started 29th in the 31-car field and finished 25th, five laps down but still running at the end.

Monaghan, 30, said he has been racing in various forms since he was 15.

“My grandfather got me into it,” he said. “Before I had a driver’s licence I was racing a car.”

A regular at Flamboro Speedway — he was Limited Late Model Series champion there at age 18 — he has also competed in the OSCAAR Super Late Model Series and the World Series of Asphalt in New Smyrna, Fla., in the Super Late Model Competition.

Last weekend was just his second Canadian Tire series race this season, but he is hoping to have a sponsorship deal in place for the Aug. 29 race in Montreal.

Last weekend his No. 13 car was wrapped in the Canadian Heroes design, part of a local initiative done in tribute to the nation's troops.

“Having the Heroes on the car, it’s a great thing to give back to them,” said Monaghan.

“I'm very proud and honoured to be driving this car.”

He said he’s hoping corporate Canada might get on board to run the car full-time in the series.

“We’d hate to see it sit there, as gorgeous as it is and the cause that it stands for.”