NHRA’s Competition eliminator is one Lucas Oil Sportsman Racing category that is very specialized and also very much not for the meek….
So the fact that participation of a race team based from the unlikely confines of very far Northern Alberta is a top class runner — is pretty significant by any measurement.
Dale Giroux, from Canyon Creek Alberta, is the owner and operator of Giroux Logging. But when he is not busy overseeing that very successful and seasonal company, he switches modes to his long time personal passion — the sport of drag racing.
Dale Giroux is emerging as a bonafide major threat within NHRA Competition eliminator racing
“I’ve been into drag racing since I was a kid — I was fascinated by Don Garlits growing up,” Dale confirmed. “I started out with some very fast street cars and over the next 20 years that led me deeper and deeper into the sport with a variety of race cars.”
Fast forward to 2015, for Dale Giroux, his newest race car effort is for him the epitome of his career so far. During the later part of 2013 – he took delivery of a Jerry Haas built Chevy Camaro and is now focused on making that car a top runner within the unforgiving and very index consequence racing category.
A 470 CID Panella motor is being used.
“Originally I had some intentions of going into Pro Stock,” Dale revealed. “But when my engine deal fell through for that I changed direction for this car. At first I put a Sonny’s motor in it but we went Top Sportsman racing. But I found out later that I personally didn’t like racing it in that class. So we then put in a 470 CID Panella motor in it and I went back into Competition eliminator where I was more familiar and comfortable.”
“We’ve done pretty well with the car since we debuted it — we set both ends of the NHRA national record in B/AA at Las Vegas last fall,” Dale added. “This car by Jerry Haas is really spectacular to drive. And because it’s very easy to handle and never a worry that allows us to focus more on making the car fast and consistent.”
The Giroux Camaro holds both ends of NHRA’s B/AA national record at 6.96 secs and 198.12 mph.
Giroux has already put a few pretty big victories under his belt during his driving career so far — including wins at the Jegs NHRA Pacific Sports Nationals at Las Vegas (in Comp) and multiple scores during the IHRA’s Rocky Mountain Nationals at Edmonton (in TS). But now the long time veteran admits he is looking for more.
“We’re pretty serious about all this now,” he stated the obvious. “I think this new Camaro is coming right along. We are going to race mostly on the West Coast with a NHRA Lucas Oil Division Six focus. My objective is to win a championship — and maybe we can sniff at that this season.”
The Giroux Racing operation is in fact a 2-car team with his son Garth also in the fold. Garth drives the team’s other car – a B/AA classed Chevy Cavalier – also built by Jerry Haas. At the present time Garth is busy up north working with the logging company but is scheduled to return driving his car for the NHRA national event race at Las Vegas next month.
Garth Giroux drives the team’s Jerry Haas-built Chevy Cavalier
The wave making Giroux Racing team, which is funded 100% independently, is rounded out by expert crewmen Tommy Snowden (Dale’s nephew) and crew chief/tuner Brian Metzenhem.
Post and photos by: Bruce Biegler
