IHRA: MOPAR Canadian Nationals - Grand Bend Preview

The Great Canadian Race: Grand Bend Motorplex hosts International Thrill Fest

July 17-19, 2009

Since the International Hot Rod Association truly became a multi-national sanctioning body with the running of the Canadian Nationals in 2000, Grand Bend Motorplex has been one of the premier venues on the Nitro Jam tour.

Located just outside the quaint village, and popular summer tourist destination, of Grand Bend, Ontario, on the shore of Lake Huron, Grand Bend Motorplex annually hosts large, enthusiastic, fun-loving crowds of race fans from Ontario, Michigan and beyond.

The 2009 version of the Great Canadian Race, the MOPAR Canadian Nationals, promises to be bigger, better, louder, more exciting, more thrilling and more over-the-top than ever before.

“We love to entertain, and that is exactly what we are going to do at Grand Bend,” said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. “Drag racing is an entertainment business. From the sights, sounds, and smells of the nitro-burning Top Fuel dragsters to our always-exciting door car classes, we love to keep our fans on the edge of their seats, not knowing what they are going to see next.”

The MOPAR Canadian Nationals, race six on the 10-event 2009 Nitro Jam schedule, will feature competition in the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock class, home of the quickest and fastest “factory hot rods” in drag racing today.

And if you can’t get enough “doorslammer” racing, hang on to your hats as one of the season’s largest fields of Pro Modified machines blister the GBM quarter-mile with five-second, 245-plus mph runs. Bolstering the ranks of the IHRA regulars will be members of the Ontario-based Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), which has added an additional race to its schedule just to allow its members to take part in the excitement that is the MOPAR Canadian Nationals.

Also on the agenda is the Alcohol Funny Car showdown between two of London, Ontario’s favorite sons, and drag racing’s top drivers. Three-time IHRA Alcohol Funny Car champion Rob Atchison will go head-to head against Paul Noakes in the unique “King of Canada” match race. These two guys are friends, but on the track it’s every man for himself.

In addition to all of this mind-blowing action, the night skies will be set ablaze when the nitro-burning Top Fuel Dragsters take to the track, joining Nitro Harleys, the Ballistic Eagle jet motorcycle, and the “Xtreme Machine” jet-powered Kenworth Classic truck.

This will be without a doubt the wildest, most pulse-pounding, thrill-a-minute entertainment spectacular in Ontario this summer. Everyone you know is going to be there, so don’t be the only one on your block to miss all the amazing action!

Purchase your tickets today by logging on to: www.ihra.com or www.grandbendmotorplex.com.

From Larry Crum // Manager of Media and Publicity // IHRA - Feld Motor Sports

IHRA Mardi Gras Nationals - Saturday results... Commisso sets IHRA speed record

IHRA hosts packed house for Saturday ‘Night of Fire’

Canadian Raymond Commisso sets IHRA World Speed Record, takes Pro Mod pole; Cox tops Top Fuel list, Collins No. 1 in PS

Welcome back to Louisiana.

After a nearly 20 year absence from the area, professional drag racing finally made its return to Louisiana and did so with tremendous results as fans packed the stands for one of the biggest shows in IHRA history during Saturday’s “Night of Fire” at the Summit Racing Equipment Mardi Gras Nationals at State Capitol Raceway.

Under a blue sky and with perfect temperatures, Saturday’s excitement got started early when Pro Mod ace Ray Commisso (Toronto, Ont) set a new IHRA World Speed Record with a run of 246.08 mph during the third round of pro qualifying during the afternoon session – and the action just continued to heat up from there.

“We have actually been faster than that and we are hoping we can just keep getting faster,” Commisso said. “This is a new car we have here and I think we still have some more in store for the speed record.”

LSU head football coach Les Miles brought the capacity crowd to its feet during the evening ceremonies and the rest of the schedule did not disappoint.

Top Fuel made the most noise – literally and figuratively – during Saturday’s festivities as rookie Del Cox Jr. (Downey, Ca) set the pole for Sunday’s final eliminations with a run of 4.712 at 314.83 mph. driving the car that won the Top Fuel championship last season with Spencer Massey at the helm.

“I can’t complain, No. 1 qualifier at our first race out. It started with Paul Smith tuning it and everything took off from there,” Cox said. “This is the championship car from last year and I am just happy to be able to drive it.”

Cox was followed by Bruce Litton (Indianapolis, In) who took the runner-up qualifying position with a pass of 4.723 at 306.88 mph, good enough to claim Saturday’s Top Fuel “Last Man Standing” award going to the fastest car during the “Night of Fire” qualifying session. Terry Haddock (Woodinville, Wa) qualified third for Sunday’s eliminations (4.768, 302.41 mph).

Commisso was the biggest story of the night, setting a new world record while also claiming the Pro Mod pole and “Last Man Standing” with a pass of 5.970 at 246.08 mph.

“Last night’s qualifier was a nice clean run for us in our second full run in this car,” Commisso said. “This afternoon we had some heat in the track and we were just able to do a bit more.”

Tommy Gray (Baltimore, Md) took second in Pro Modified during the evening session with a pass of 6.011 at 240.94 mph and Ed Hoover (Gilbert, S.C) will start third (6.015, 238.93 mph).

Pro Stock was headlined by Jason Collins (Rainbow City, Al) who took the pole with a pass of 6.294 at 222.03 mph during Friday’s opening rounds of qualifying. Pete Berner (Crete, Il) will start second for Sunday’s eliminations with a pass of 6.306 at 220.33 mph while also claiming the Pro Stock “Last Man Standing.” Frank Gugliotta (Mt. Airy, Md) qualified third (6.317, 221.31 mph).

Sunday’s action will get underway at 9 a.m. with final eliminations set to begin at 4 p.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Mardi Gras Nationals at State Capitol Raceway, the first of 10 events in the 2009 Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.

Top Fuel -- 1. Del Cox Jr, 4.712 seconds, 314.83 mph vs. 8. Tim Boychuk, 5.040, 244.87; 2. Bruce Litton, 4.723, 306.88 vs. 7. Mitch King, 4.900, 283.91; 3. Terry Haddock, 4.768, 302.41 vs. 6. Paul Lee, 4.897, 291.45; 4. Terry McMillen, 4.863, 305.63 vs. 5. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.875, 282.48.

Pro Modified -- 1. Raymond Commisso, Chevy Camaro, 5.970, 246.08 vs. Bye; 2. Tommy Gray, Camaro, 6.011, 240.94 vs. 11. Harold Martin, Martin M 4, 8.257, 120.89; 3. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.015, 238.93 vs. 10. Al Suggs Jr., Chevy S-10, 7.404, 195.56; 4. Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.018, 240.12 vs. 9. Earl Folse, Camaro, 6.395, 220.19; 5. Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 6.071, 242.28 vs. 8. Harold Laird, Corvette, 6.374, 222.69; 6. Roger Burgess, Camaro, 6.116, 237.25 vs. 7. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 6.189, 232.79.

Pro Stock -- 1. Jason Collins, Chevy Cobalt, 6.294, 222.03 vs. 14. Scott Hintz, Ford Mustang, 6.644, 217.91; 2. Pete Berner, Pontiac GXP, 6.306, 221.49 vs. 13. Trevor Eman, Ford Escort, 6.396, 219.94; 3. Frank Gugliotta, GXP, 6.317, 221.67 vs. 12. Jerry Haas, Pontiac GTO, 6.395, 221.31; 4. Mark Martino, Cobalt, 6.338, 222.77 vs. 11. Bob Bertsch, Mustang, 6.395, 220.69; 5. JR Carr, GXP, 6.340, 221.05 vs. 10. Cale Aronson, Escort, 6.394, 218.76; 6. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.351, 221.02 vs. 9. Dean Goforth, GXP, 6.366, 220.73; 7. John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.353, 221.13 vs. 8. Richard Freeman, GXP, 6.353, 219.29.

IHRA Nitrojam.com Rock Spring Blast

From IHRA Communications

Every spring racers travel from across the country to Rockingham Dragway with a definite purpose in mind…to see how their engine combinations and off-season work will pay off once the racing starts for real. The Nitrojam.com Rock Spring Blast presented by Richmond County Tourism is expected to be one of the largest organized test sessions in the country and will bring drivers from all over the United States and Canada.

"The Rock Spring Blast is a great opportunity for drivers and crew chiefs to see how their off-season work will pay off," IHRA president Aaron Polburn said. "You can run on the dyno all you want, but you are not ready for the season until you make a few laps on a national event-level prepped racing surface. This event will tell you a lot about where you stand, what you need to work on and what you have done that will be successful."

The Spring Blast is a four day feast designed with the most ardent gearhead in mind. The top doorslammers in the country will be joined by new and established sportsman cars to give the race fan everything he or she could want. Feb. 21-22 will feature testing in the Pro Stock and Pro Modified classes while all other pro entries will be welcomed to take a shot or two at the racing surface at Rockingham Dragway. Feb. 23-24 will be a free bracket race for all sportsman competitors as well as a Chicago Style race in the professional classes.

"This is what it's all about, running at this track where we have some of the quickest fields in IHRA history," Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood said. "This is also the site of the second event on the 2008 Knoll Gas Nitro Jam schedule and our Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am event is tentatively scheduled for the next weekend, so you will do yourself a big favor by getting a few passes under your belt."

Nitrojam.com, the official website of the Knoll Gas Nitro Jam, secured title sponsorship for the Rock Spring Blast prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.

"Everyone knows the Spring Blast is the top test session in the country," Nitrojam.com webmaster Jeff Lee said. "This event is the one everyone keeps their eye on. Last year the drag racing world wanted to see what Scott Cannon had coming for the Pro Mod class in the 2007 season and I remember the anticipation to see Robert Patrick's Mustang in action. We are proud at Nitrojam.com to secure our name to this prestigious event."

Earwood always looks forward to getting a sneak preview of who will be swinging for the fences during the Knoll Gas Nitro Jam season.

"You get to see people dealing with new equipment, refreshed motors and new combinations," Earwood said. "And this is not just an event to break in new things, it is a chance for the drivers to shake some of the cobwebs off in a very competitive, professional setting."

Tickets for the Nitrojam.com Rock Spring Blast presented by Richmond County Tourism will be $20.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids age 6-12. Children under 6 will be admitted free with a paid adult admission. The box office at Rockingham Dragway will also be open during the Spring Blast to sell tickets for the Nitro Jam Spring Nationals, scheduled for April 18-20 at Rockingham Dragway. For more information about Rockingham Dragway visit www. Rockinghamdragway.com.