PMRA featured during this weekend’s IHRA MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals at Grand Bend

CANADA’s DANNY ROWE HOLDS STEADY AT NO. 2 IN NHRA PRO MOD POINTS

By:  Wes Buck

Following three back-to-back events on the Get Screened America NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series tour, Danny Rowe (originally from Calgary AB) and the Sterling Bridge team are holding tight onto the No. 2 spot in the championship points series. (continue reading…)

Ok I admit it — our photo gallery from NHRA’s recent event at Norwalk is a bit over the top….a.k.a….very darn close to 300  images to look at!

Jim Head at Norwalk

While we were out West attending IHRA Edmonton – DragRaceCanada’s talented regional photographers, Steve Embling, Eric Embling and Dave DeAngelis were at the “House that Bader Built” covering the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals.

Bottom line — when you have so much quality it is difficult to trim down the quantity…. and I guess you can quote me on that if you want?

So take your time and enjoy!   You can see our NHRA Norwalk event gallery now posted:  HERE

FIA EVENT ESSENTIALS:   Nitro Nationals — Alastaro, Finland – July 1-4^th 2010

 NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:

BY: Roger Gorringe

Finland, the land of lakes and pine forests and the most northerly track on the FIA European tour was bathed in wall to wall sunshine with temperatures in the mid 80’s F that gave some teams problems in dealing with the heat and track. The fans packed the Alastaro sand banking and bleachers at the Nitro Nationals over the long, hot weekend and were rewarded with some great racing. It proved to be a particularly pernicious event for a number of drivers as they battled for a qualifying place and despite the track having a long run off, several managed to end up off the end. However, the most spectacular scenario was the coming together of the Top Fuel Dragsters of Denmark’s Stig Neergaard and Finland’s Risto Poutiainen, both cars lost cylinders that pushed them toward each other after the finish line and Poutiainen rear-ended Neergaard that wrote off Poutiainen’s machine and damaged Neergaard’s.

 Top Fuel

A 9-car entry with no less than five Finnish teams were led by Finland’s Risto Poutiainen after he brought out his old car after the crash and qualified on pole with a fine 4.179/279 over the one-thousand foot distance. Stig Neergaard managed to rebuild his injured machine but the crash numbers were disallowed and he failed to qualify. Poutiainen however performed well in front of his home crowd dispatching Sweden’s Micke Kågered with a 4.118/277 in round one, then England’s Andy Carter who blazed the slicks at half track slowing to a 4.425/248 to the winning 4.202/279. Timo Lehtimaki from Finland made some big performance strides from last year, in almost bracket-like times he ran a 4.152/284 to defeat fellow Finn, Janne Ahonen’s 4.514/231 then beat winner of the round in England in May, Urs Erbacher who struck the tyres at half track slowing him to a 4.513/234 to the winning 4.271/279. The final was a delight for the home crowd as the two Finns, Risto Poutiainen in the ‘Bad to the Bone’ car and Timo Lehtimaki in his finlight.fi backed machine faced off in the evening sunshine. It was a stunningly close race as both left together with Lehtimaki just getting the nod with a 4.151/279 as Poutiainen runner upped with a 4.156/279.

Top Fuel Winner: Timo Lehtimaki

 Top Methanol Dragster

 It was a reversal of the first round of the Championship at England’s Santa Pod Raceway as once again a family final ensued. The eight car qualifier was led by England’s Dave Wilson with a 5.378/268 just ahead of Germany’s Timo Habermann on a 5.385/255 the only cars in the 5.3s. Timo Habermann entered the final by way of another 5.378/260 beating the 5.590/239 from Swedish A/Fuel driver, Krister Johansson. A shake ridden, body panel tossing 6.066/152 gave Habermann a lucky win as fellow countryman Peter Schöfer slowed with problems at three hundred feet. Dennis Habermann the younger of the Habermann brothers made his way to the final with a holeshot win over Dave Wilson in round one, the 5.519/256 beating the chasing 5.384/273 charge. England’s Derek Flynn was the next victim as his reverser failed to deliver after the burnout allowing Habermann junior a 5.745/250 using his entire lane to win. As said it was a reversal of fortunes in the final as Dennis Habermann who took the Championship opening round in England in May against his brother lost with a red light and severe shake to a winning 5.534/254 for Timo Habermann.

Timo Habermann TMD winner

Top Methanol Funny Car

With engine damage and awaiting parts several teams did not make the trip to Finland giving the TMFC class just two participants, local driver Jarmo Kuutniemi and Norway’s Arvid Grødem with Kuutneimi sitting on pole with a 5.935/238.73 as Grødem struggled. It all changed in the final as Arvid Grodem in his Sunoco Mustang charged to a 5.936/213 as Jarmo Kuutniemi chased hard with a losing 6.015/238.  

Arvid Grodem won in TMFC

Pro Modified

This was a stunning event for this class with Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist driving the Roger Burgess R2B2 Camaro that Melanie Troxel drove at Santa Pod Raceway during the tours first round in May – needless to say everybody was racing for second place as the car is almost in a class of its own. Gullqvist took top qualifier with a 6.026/244 ahead of England’s Andy Robinson’s 6.105/228 it left four DNQ machines and a full sixteen car eliminator. Robinson suffered a thrown rod that caused a big fire at the top end in the last qualifier ending his weekend. Micke Gullqvist however powered his way past some big names to make the final. First victim was Sweden’s Freddy Fagerström, 5.911/245 to a loose and tyre smoking 6.374/221. Bad tyre shake put paid to the 9.519/102 from Mikael Lindahl as Gullqvist zoomed to a 6.065/242 win; the last bout saw Sweden’s Adam Flamholc slow after sashaying at the halfway

Micke Gullqvist dominated Pro Mod in the R2B2 Camaro

mark as Gullqvist made his way to the final with a 6.044/240. Meeting Gullqvist for the money run was winner of the Main Event first round in England, Johan Lindberg who saw off Jan Perén with a 6.140/230 to a 6.801/198, and then a 6.120/232 beat the loose 6.692/214 from the nitrous Mustang of Roger Johansson. The semi final pitted Urban Johansson against Lindberg and despite a bit of a half track weave Lindberg’s holeshot made good the 6.158/232 to a 6.214/219. An all Swedish final had Micke Gullqvist leave first and deliver a 6.030/242 to see off the 6.114/232 from Lindberg’s Rockstar Energy Drink Firebird.

PRO STOCK 

Main Event winner Michael Callin notched up pole with a 6.803/203 over the eight car near all Swedish field. This round saw the return of 2009 FIA Pro Stock Champion Jimmy Ålund but not in his usual car and it showed as he qualified fifth on a 6.939. Making the most of Ålund’s part-time showing is the top runners in the class including Michael Malmgren whose 6.811/204 was second in qualifying. Malmgren made the best of his weekend pushing the Lahega backed GTO through the field beating Bo Pettersson in round one with a 6.767/204 to a 7.108/193 then a 6.818/204 to a weaving 6.924/203 from Finland’s Richard Sundblom. Coming up the other side of the ladder was fellow Swede Jan Palmqvist in his GTO who had a solo round one as Ålund no showed with engine damage, a 6.896/190 was all it took next to fall was Michael Callin who red lit away a 6.856/202 handing the win to Palmqvist’s 6.883/203. The final saw Jan Palmqvist go slightly off song, he led out of the hole but slowed to a 6.959/196 as Michael Malmgren caught and passed to take the win with a 6.865/194.

Sweden's Machael Malmgrem won in Pro Stock

 Text & Photos Copyright — Roger Gorringe: July 2010.

 www.eurodragster.com & www.nitroexposure.co.uk

The Regulations Amending the Gasoline Regulations were published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on July 7, 2010.  The Regulations came into force on June 17, 2010. 

The Regulations and the accompanying regulatory impact analysis statement RIAS) are available at: www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/Regulations/DetailReg.cfm?intReg=184.

The Regulations allow for the production, import and sale of leaded gasoline for use in competition vehicles.  The Regulations maintain the record keeping and reporting requirements for producers, importers and sellers of leaded gasoline.

Although the exemption for the use of leaded gasoline in competition vehicles has been extended for an indeterminate period, Environment Canada, with the support of Health Canada, will conduct a five year review and will assess if further action is warranted based on science, technology and fuel replacement developments.  Environment Canada will work collaboratively with the racing industry to encourage a voluntary reduction and phase-out of leaded racing fuel. 

The work plan for the five year review will be available by the end of July.  Please contact Environment Canada’s Inquiry Centre (email enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca; telephone 819-997-2800, toll free 1-800-668-6767 in Canada) to request a copy. 

Sincerely,

Leif Stephanson
Manager, Fuels Section
Oil, Gas and Alternative Energy Division
Environment Canada
Tel.: 819-953-4673
Email: fuels-carburants@ec.gc.ca

Grand Bend Motorplex’s biggest event of the year is quickly approaching and the chance to take part is quickly disappearing!

Book  your slot for next weekend’s the Mopar NitroJam Nationals, presented by E3 Spark Plugs.

For Sportsman racers in the E.T., Top Dragster and Top Sportsman ranks, we have the best programs and paydays we’ve ever had at this years event.

For the Top Dragster and Top Sportsman competitors, there’s the Armando’s Pizza bonus program.

Also, as an added plus for TD/TS competitors, IHRA has made adjustments for the Canadian events that opens the playing field for our local hitters. For 2010 at GBM, the Top Dragster bump will be raised to 7.70 seconds and the Top Sportsman bump will be raised to 7.90 seconds. IHRA has also lifted the Top Dragster wing requirement below 190 mph.

Pre-registration in the Box or No-Box E.T. classes at the Nationals, also gives you a free crewmember pass for the weekend, and a chance at the biggest payouts the classes have ever seen, courtesy of Rudy Held’s Performance Centre.

Finally, a Junior Dragster bracket class has been added to the program for the weekend. In the past, only the 7.90 Juniors were able to compete, but the new IHRA program has opened the doors to all the kids.

To register click here:  http://grandbend.lweb.net/

Our Rocky Mountain Reflection

By:       Bruce Biegler

By most accounts, the 2010 running of the IHRA River Cree Rocky Mountain Nationals may have been the most successful version yet.   (continue reading…)

Chrysler Group LLC to Introduce Mopar® ’10 Challenger

Company Continues to Leverage, Grow Mopar Brand

• Mopar ’10 will be available in August
• Pricing starts at $38,000, which includes destination
• Five hundred special-edition cars to be built, customers may pre-order now

All New 2010 Challenger

Auburn Hills, Mich. , Jul 7, 2010  –  For the first time in its history, Chrysler Group LLC will launch a special-edition Mopar® version of one of its vehicles. The Mopar ’10, a Mopar 2010 Dodge Challenger, arrives in Dodge dealerships next month.

“Our Mopar ’10 Challenger is a collaboration of two iconic brands with tremendous heritage,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC. “Dodge put the heart into this Challenger and Mopar added the soul. The result is a unique, special-edition car that only we can offer.”

The U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for Mopar ’10 is $38,000 for an automatic transmission and $39,000 for a manual transmission. Both prices include $750 for destination. Customers may pre-order now.

“Mopar ’10 has a wicked, sinister appearance that will turn heads.” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of Dodge, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Mopar brand resonates with hard-core enthusiasts, and this car will too.”

Dodge and Mopar collaborated to create Mopar ’10, a “Mopar modified” 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T. Under-the-hood features include the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI^® V-8 engine, a hood-venting system, a cold-air intake, a front strut-tower brace with shock caps, and a unique engine cover. Under the decklid is a rear strut-tower brace that stiffens the chassis and improves handling characteristics of the car.

Mopar ’10 will be available in Brilliant Black with a choice of three accent colors: Mopar Blue, Red or Silver. Accent colors will appear on side stripes as well as in the stitching on the steering wheel and seats. Exterior features include 20-inch forged heritage gloss-black wheels, black-chromed grille surround, and a functional, vented T/A-style hood with vintage hood pins. Mopar logos and graphics are prominent on the front fascia, hood, hood-pin caps, body-side stripes, windows and on the chromed fuel door. A special Mopar ’10 car cover also comes with the vehicle.

Interior features include Katzkin leather seating, custom leather-wrapped steering wheel with baseball-style stitching, Mopar shift handles (T-handle for automatics, Pistol Grip for manuals), a serialized dash plaque with Mopar ’10 logo and Mopar branding throughout.

Every customer who purchases a Mopar ’10 will receive a special owner kit that includes a certificate with the vehicle identification number (VIN), date of build completion, and build number. The kit also includes a limited-edition sketch of the vehicle signed by Chrysler Group design chief Mark Trostle, a book that highlights the special vehicle build, and Mopar ’10 merchandise.

(Bruce A. and Joan) Mehlenbacher Inducted into the York Reunion Legion of Honor

Nitro Jam’s Canadian Swing Targets GBM July 16-18  –  Diverse lineup greets Ontario race fans

After an incredibly successful event in Edmonton, Alberta to close out the month of June the Nitro Jam tour is packing up and heading back east to the shores of Grand Bend, Ontario for the sixth race of the 2010 season at the MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals July 16-18 at the Grand Bend Motorplex. (continue reading…)