Two Western Canadian dragster racers vault successfully into the new season…
NHRA’s first Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race of 2026 went down at Arizona’s iconic Firebird Motorsports Park (Phoenix) last weekend and that event produced two major wins for Canada.
British Columbia’s Shawn Cowie and Alberta’s Grant Durie were among the group of very first racers to garner one of NHRA’s very special Diamond edition 75th anniversary season “Wallys” by taking their respective categories – Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Dragster.
For Surrey BC’s Shawn Cowie, who is entering the 2026 season as the 2X and defending NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion — the fast season start was probably both expected and inspiring.
As he most often does, Shawn qualified #1 — this time at 5.147 secs which was low ET of the race (and 280.25 mph top speed) and then navigated his feared “Mundies Towing and Recovery” dragster through the 8-car eliminator.
Shawn Cowie got his 2026 season campaign off to a very positive start – collecting his 45th career NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series level victory.
In the final round his 5.335 secs at 277.72 mph took the measure of rookie driver Braiden Chesleigh. With that win Shawn upped his career event total at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series level – to 45.
“It was a great way to start the season that’s for sure,” Shawn stated. “We had a clutch issue at the last minute in the 2nd round — and almost didn’t make that run. So that was our lucky round for sure. At these level races sometimes you just need one of those.”
Shawn’s victory had been preceded by only a few minutes by a victory by Grant Durie’s “Durlowe Farms” T/D team, who are based from Vegreville AB.
For Grant, the victory was his second career NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series level event score.
He had raced his TNT Supercars built machine to a #4 position in qualifying (at 6.207 secs) before collecting the title in a five round tournament of racing – defeating many time event champion Thomas Bayer in the final round, hitting a 6.205 secs at 213.27 mph.
“I couldn’t believe it when my light came on,” Grant stated. “Tom Bayer had won the first race and had been driving really great so I wasn’t expecting to win. It was a double breakout with only .0015 difference.”
Alberta’s Durie Racing Team celebrates their T/D class win!
Durie was also entered with his second dragster at the event in the Super Comp division – and had a semi-final round finish in that class.
“Some of my friends were disappointed that I didn’t make it into both Super Comp and Top Dragster finals,” he added. “But I told them I’d rather win one class than be runner up in two finals.”
“Within our team I always do better as a driver when I’m calm — so it’s great having Lloyd Coker and Andy Neyer helping and doing most of the worrying for me! I’m so happy to have the support of my friends and family and special thanks to Andy Spiegel of Spiegel Racing Engines, Hughes Performance, Hoosier tires, and TNT Supercars.”
Both Shawn and Grant were in unison too about being excited to win one of the first NHRA 75th Diamond Anniversary Wally trophies.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos Courtesy of Cowie Racing & Bob Johnson
