Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam — July 16-18^th, 2010 – Grand Bend, ON.

Stawicki Dominates PMRA Round #3

Mike Stawicki has made it known that he is the force in Pro Modified racing this season — he proved that again during the IHRA Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam.

The veteran driver of the G-Force Race Cars MSR Performance powered 1968 Firebird from Medina, New York, qualified number one for race three in the 2010 Pro Modified Racing Association tour, and went the distance to win his first PMRA event of the year and the first IHRA Ironman of his career. 

Stawicki beat former Alcohol Funny Car driver Paul Noakes of London, Ontario in the final. Noakes, who has settled nicely behind the wheel of the Noakes and Martin Racing 1963 Corvette, qualified seventh, and ran a stout 6.293, 223.28 final but it was no match for Stawicki’s 5.820, 253.28 victory run.

While Stawicki qualified number one, to win the Marydel Homes Qualifying Bonus with a 5.881, 252.05 lap, it was the New Yorker’s final run that set low ET and top speed during the IHRA Nitro Jam Nationals held at the Grand Bend Motorplex. Stawicki has been running in the five-second range since he set the PMRA Series record with a 5.803 at 255.15 during the previous event at the Cayuga Dragway.

Noakes took out number three qualifier Bruce Boland of Hamilton, Ontario in the semi round and in the other semi, PMRA season opener winner Eric Latino of Port Perry, Ontario had suffered some engine troubles in his 1938 Chevy, and was unable to get to the line for his next run, giving a solo run and the win to Stawicki. Latino had qualified fourth.

 Winner of the previous PMRA event, Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario, suffered a fuel leak during his burnout in the first round, so he and his 1963 Corvette watched as Boland, also in a 1963 Corvette, made a 6.290, 228.15 solo pass. 

In other first round action, Noakes won over Gary Irving of Toronto, who qualified number two in the Al Hinds 2004 Corvette. Latino took out PMRA rookie driver Vito Montesano of Maple, Ontario, with his 1968 Camaro, and Stawicki shut down Jack Brohman of Jarvis, Ontario, who qualified number eight with his 1969 Camaro. 

With his victory, Stawicki leads the Pro Modified Racing Association 2010 Championship Point Award Series presented by Magnum Auto Parts and Patio Passport with 828 points. Hawker is second with 812 points, and Latino has 806 points for third spot.

Mike Stawicki defeated Paul Noakes in the PM Final

Todd’s Weekend Off (!?)

By:       Bruce Biegler

A rare weekend off for Canadian Todd Paton saw him show up at – you guessed it – the drag races!   The now resident of California, who is employed as a skilled technician for Racepak, was in fact a late driver addition to the last weekend’s IHRA Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam at Grand Bend Motorplex.  That proved to be very positive destiny. (continue reading…)

A good time was had by all at Grand Bend Motorplex during last weekend’s IHRA Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam!  

It was pretty darn entertaining and there were a lot of cool stories and developments.   While we are hard at work on that — in the meantime — check out our event photo gallery which is posted now.

You can access that right : HERE 

Grand Bend was jam packed on Saturday...

Attaboy Todd!

Canada’s Martino Motorsports – On the Verge!

By:       Bruce Biegler

It’s certainly very big news for Canadian drag racing fans.   Canada is now on the cusp of having one of its very own racers back within NHRA’s Pro Stock racing ranks…. (continue reading…)

Webster Spinning Huge Race Car Web!  

 By:       Bruce Biegler

 It is easily one of the most impressive race teams anywhere in the world of drag racing — and Canada is home.   Alberta’s Ken Webster, the talented driver of Geoff Goodwin’s very potent Synoil Fluids TAFC, is also the mastermind behind what is Canada’s all-time largest drag racing operation — 13 cars – and counting!  (continue reading…)

STAWICKI TESTS THE CYNERGY ‘ULTRA LIGHT’ COMPOSITE BODY AT OVER 255 MPH !!!!!

Mike Stawicki in his G-Force Race Cars built ’68 Firebird Re-Set the North American Top Speed Record for Doorslammers last weekend at the PMRA/AHRA Nitro Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park. Sporting a Cynergy Composites ‘Ultra Light’ 50 lb Carbon Fiber ’68 Firebird body, Stawicki and his team pushed the Cynergy Firebird to a 5.80 second run at 255 mph.

Stawicki's Cynergy Composites-bodied Firebird hits record fast terminal speed!

He stated, “This car was as stabile as could be, it drove like a Cadillac right down the blvd!! Not a single panel wavered or changed shape. The 18 inch rear spoiler did it job also. The rear tires were stuck the entire length of the track. I’m happy, say no more”.

  Cynergy’s Ultra Light composite bodies have evolved into quite an amazing product after countless hours of research, development and testing.

Tim Hodgins states, “You always have to push the envelope on your product to get to the next level. Sometimes there is a price to pay for that in the in terms of development. It is frustrating, but in the end the results are always positive. We are delighted about the Ultra light being pushed into new boundaries. It is testament that our product is a front runner in our market place”. This feat was not only accomplished one time either — 5 of the 6 runs that Stawicki made down the track that weekend were over the 250 mile per hour mark.

Jim Salemi, owner of G-Force Race Cars Inc. exclaimed. “We builders now look at the doorslammers through different eyes. There needs to be close attention paid to mounting points, mounting tree structure and number of attachment points with the Ultra Light Composites. It’s definitely not the same old game any more with the rates of acceleration and speeds these door cars run now – everything is getting ‘amplified’. That part of this game needs to be seen through different eyes”.

  Cynergy is ever improving on the composition of its complete product line through in house development and also the rigors of the 1 / 8 and 1 / 4 mile arenas.

YouTube link of 5.82 – 254 mph run (to back up record): http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=EwJm7HJ_9DU

Pictures courtesy of:  DragRaceCanada.com

Cynergy Composites bodies are fast becoming a successful tool for the elite racer.    LIGHTER…STRONGER…FASTER.

  Cynergy Composites Ultra light bodies WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS!       Order the best Carbon Fiber racing components for your race team today…   Call toll free today!  1-866-338-0016 www.cynergycomposites.net    info@cynergycomposites.net    

Seattle S/G to Calgary’s Reg Wilson

By:       Bruce Biegler

A huge congratulations to Calgary’s Reg Wilson who became the latest in a long list of Canadians who have won at the NHRA national event level. (continue reading…)

KonRodz Racing Road to the Future 

By:       Bruce Biegler

Canadian race car team owner Spiro Kontos is a big man with a big heart.  The owner and operator of Recyco Environment/Direct Waste Systems also has big intentions for his KonRodz Racing effort – a two-car Top Alcohol Funny Car team which is fast gaining in the notoriety department. (continue reading…)

NHRA Northwest Nationals
July 9-11^th, 2010  Kent, WA 

 Grueling NHRA Western Tour Kicks Off

(By NHRA Communications – Michael Padian)

With their wins on July 11^th during the 23^rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, Cory McClenathan and Greg Anderson successfully began their respective quests to become the first driver(s) to sweep the Western Swing twice.   

The other winner at the 14^th race in the 23-event NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series was Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), who also won at this event in 2009.

McClenathan faced off against Antron Brown – who swept the Western Swing in 2009 – in the Top Fuel final round and his 3.887 at 311.70 in the FRAM dragster was just good enough to outrun Brown’s 3.909 at 308.92 in the Matco Tools dragster.

“There’s Antron (Brown) and myself in the final, we’ve both won (the Western Swing) … I want to be the first to win it two times,” said McClenathan, who swept the Western Swing in 1997. “I know that’s a lot to ask for, but you can’t get there until you win this first one and that’s what we did.”

The win also moved McClenathan around teammate Tony Schumacher and into second place in the Top Fuel point standings.

The Funny Car final was also a near photo-finish with Wilkerson (4.221 at 292.39) powering the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford to a narrow victory over Ron Capps (4.246 at 289.51) and the NAPA Dodge Charger team.

It was the third straight final round for the LRS Ford team and second straight win in a space in the schedule – summertime – where they traditionally have done well.

“We’re happy to be in the position we’re in and we seem to really come into our own in this kind of weather,” said Wilkerson, who moved around Ashley Force Hood into fifth place. “We try not to think about it or do anything to pull us backwards. Just go run the racetrack every round.”

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson won his second straight race with a 6.599 at 209.56 in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP to Johnny Gray’s 6.626 at 209.43 in his NTB Pontiac GXP.

“I’m the only guy (in Pro Stock) with a chance two sweep (the Western Swing),” said Anderson, who remains the only Pro Stocker to sweep the Western Swing (he did it in 2004). “It’s a neat, neat deal. I’ve been able to do it once in my career and I remember what a great feeling that was. It’s still a long way down the road, and I’m not going to say we’re going to win those two races, but we’ve got a chance. I’ve got a great hot rod right now.”

Sunday Tragedy

For the 2^nd time this season a NHRA national event race was marred by an ultimate tragedy involving one of it’s drivers.  Top Alcohol Dragster racer Mark Niver, from Nevada, received fatal injuries during the semi-final rounds on Sunday.

Niver, who was 60 years old, was racing alongside Canada’s Shawn Cowie and had just beaten Cowie to the finish line.  There was then an apparent parachute malfunction and Niver’s injected nitro dragster went off the end of the race track at high speed.

He was transported from the scene to local hospital but was soon pronounced.

NHRA officials are continuing their investigation of the accident.

DragRaceCanada, on behalf of all Canadian drag racing fans, joins NHRA and Pacific Raceways officials in extending its deepest sympathies to the entire Niver family and race team.

Top Fuel Winner Cory McClenathan - (Photo by: Gerry Frechette)