The 2015 and 6th version of what is Canada’s largest independent drag racing event delivered a very nice product last weekend…..

The annual event which featured some booked in NHRA level Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars and was supplemented by an impressive list of exhibition cars and supporting Canadian drag racing series — played out to an absolute overflow audience at Cayuga Dragway Toronto Motorsports Park.

California’s Jeff Diehl (top) and Chicago’s Dale Creasy Jr were two of 4 Nitro Funny Cars in attendance.

The race was highlighted by a line-up of 10 nitro burning machines – Todd Paton, Jenna Haddock, Scott Palmer and Smax Smith in Top Fuel and in Funny Car, American racers Terry Haddock, Jeff Diehl, Dale Creasy Jr., and Jack Wyatt.

Canada’s Todd Paton also drove Doug Cadman’s nitro burning Chi-Town Hustler replica in an Nostalgia FC match race versus Gary Kraus’s “Pony Up” Mustang.

Todd Paton drove both in Top Fuel and Nostalgia FC at Cayuga’s Nitro Nationals.

During exhibition runs — all of those machines gave the racing faithful what they had come to the event for — singed nostrils and tire smoke residue.

The event also feature ferocious action in NDRA Alcohol Funny Car won by Tyler Scott who upset Paul Noakes in the all Ontario-racer championship final round.  Noakes had earlier reset both ends of the Cayuga Dragway track record for TAFC.

Tyler Scott had a very nice event effort — winning the NDRA Alcohol Funny Car feature driving Larry Dobbs’ Kardiac Kids Chevy.

Pre-race favorite Paul Noakes reset both ends of Cayuga’s track record for TAFC (5.642 secs & 257.75 mph)

Weekend event action also included a great fast street car program with regional Outlaw 10.5 and EZ Street categories won by Jerry Mitrovic and Mark Azevedo respectively.

Jerry Mitrovic (from Toronto) scored in the 1/8th mile Outlaw 10.5 class

Mark Azevedo won over 17 other competitors in the EZ Street class.

The event also featured the series debut for the Napa Auto Pro Ultimate Showdown circuit. The race at Cayuga was the first of three season races planned for that group for 2015 and their official event summary is included below.

DragRaceCanada has also posted a very extensive photo gallery from this race featuring the excellent work of our valued contributing photographers Brennan Shortall and John Marechal. You can access that event gallery : HERE

“Intriguing Inaugural” 

The NAPA Auto Pro Ultimate Showdown Drag Racing Series (USDS) launched its first ever event at Toronto Motorsports Park, with a strong turnout of racers, and a packed house to take in the racing action, at the Canadian Nitro Nationals.

The AUTOPRO USDS crowned it’s first Champions in Pro Modified, Top Sportsman, and Top Dragster on Sunday, following two days of intense qualifying, and tight elimination action.

The name Rob Atchison (from London) will go down in history as the first ever Napa USDS Pro Mod event winner.

There were 14 Pro Modified teams in attendance, all vying for a position in the 8 car qualified field. When qualifying was completed, it was many time Pro Mod winner Bruce Boland leading the field with a stout 5.888 @ 245.76 mph. Five of the eight cars that qualified, ran in the fives.

During eliminations, it was former Alcohol Funny Car World Champion, Rob Atchison from London, who worked his way into the final round with consistent performances from his Atchison Machine Service supercharged 1963 Corvette.  Atchison had defeated Al Martorino’s Mustang in round one, then took out a strong running Derek Hawker and his 1968 Firebird in the semi-finals. Atchison’s final round opponent was Gen Musto, who was wheeling his nitrous equipped 864 cubic inch 1968 Camaro.

The ever-improving independent Pro Mod racer Derek Hawker recorded his first career “fives” — including a 5.946 best!

Musto, out of Goodwood, Ontario, found himself inserted into the Pro Mod field as an alternate, and facing low qualifier Bruce Boland in round one. In that match up, Boland’s 1941 Willys acted strangely during the run and was not able to hold off the Camaro of Musto, who captured the upset win. In the semi’s, Musto laid down a 6.648 elapsed time, to take out a red-lighting Jeff Roth.

That set up the first ever NAPA ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN SERIES Pro Modified final, between Rob Atchison and Gen Musto. Back at the burn box, Bob Atchison stood right next to son Rob’s Corvette, ready squirt the injector and fire up for the final. In the other lane, Gen Musto’s team began to scramble for assistance, as the Mountain motored Camaro would not fire up. After different attempts to get the car fired, all that failed, Musto conceded, and told the TMP starter, to let Atchison run alone for the single, and the victory. Atchison fired his Corvette up, completed his burn-out, staged the car and drove it out the back door to a 5.96 at 240.12 mph to become the first ever NAPA AUTOPRO USDS Champion.

Team Atchison tows back in front of the appreciative and capacity Cayuga crowd.

In the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories, a large turnout of competitors were in attendance to compete not only for Series points, but also for the huge purses posted.

In Top Dragster, some 24 cars were trying to run quick enough to bump into the 16 car dragster field. As a result, the bump spot ended up at 6.759, held by Jim Rubino from Buffalo N.Y.  The number one qualifier was Lyle Williams out of Strathroy, Ontario, at 6.040 at 229.53 mph.

Erin Stirdivant (from Dorr, Michigan) won the T/D event portion.

After four rounds of Top Dragster eliminations, it was Erin Stirdivant from Dorr, Michigan picking up the win with consistent performances from her Muffler Man dragster. In the Top Dragster final, Erin faced Keith McKellar from Ft. Erie, Ontario. In that race, Stirdivant had a perfect .000 reaction time, and ran a 6.453 on her 6.45 dial-in. That win allowed her to move into the $10,000. to win run off.

On the other side of the ladder in Top Sportsman, MotorCity Mike Sowards from Clarkston, Michigan was working his way thru the competition to meet up with Canadian racer, and many time event winner, Kevin Wicke.  Wicke had just defeated Bill Wilson in the semi-finals, while Sowards had just run dead on his dial-in, in the semis against Jeff Gabel. In the all important Top Sportsman final, MotorCity Mike Sowards edged out Kevin Wicke, to advance to the Ultimate Showdown $10,000. race.

The anticipation was immense as fans and crew members from all teams crowded around the starting line area, to take in the first ever NAPA AUTOPRO ULTIMATE SHOWDOWNS  Top Dragster vs. Top Sportsman final.

MotorCity Mike Sowards collected a cool $10G after his big win!

MotorCity Mike Sowards took a starting line advantage in reaction time in the run off, and held on to take a 7.081 at 186.06 mph victory over Erin Stirdivant.  Erin’s dragster ran a trailing 6.457 at 209.44 mph for a runner-up effort.

MotorCity Mike was obviously excited with his win, and the team praised the track and the NAPA AUTOPRO USDS for a great winning weekend.

The next event in the NAPA AUTOPRO ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN DRAG RACING SERIES takes place at Grand Bend Motorplex, on August 7th, 8th, and 9th. It will be part of the Stratford Spectacular Weekend. Visit your nearest NAPA AUTO PRO or NAPA AUTO PARTS STORE for FREE SPECTATOR TICKETS TO THIS EVENT!

All Photos by: Brennan Shortall and John Marechal

To see more photos from the Canadian Nitro Nationals click:  HERE