Some rather significant late season major event accomplishments from Canadian drag racers!….
All Canadian Final! — The last pairing of the season for NHRA’s Top Dragster class featured an all Canada duel with Alberta’s Grant Durie facing Ontario-native Al Kenny (photo below) for the NHRA In-N-Out Finals title at Pomona! Durie emerged the winner in a very tight battle recording a closer to his index 6.543 secs to edge “AK’s” 6.235 secs. For Grant, who was racing his new TNT-built dragster (from Vegreville AB) it was his second career score at the NHRA national event level — after winning at the 2017 edition Arizona Nationals in Phoenix. Grant’s win came from the #23 qualified slot and over an impressive 34-car field entered for the Pomona event.
Career Best Math! — Serious “kudos” to Quebec’s Daniel Mercier who recorded his quickest and fastest time ever during the NHRA’s In-N-Out Finals at Pomona! During the 2nd qualifying session Daniel rocketed to highly rewarding 3.716 secs at 328.14 mph to ultimately qualify #12 for the Top Fuel eliminator. The ever improving Canadian Ambassador to NHRA racing did however lose out to Doug Kalitta in round #1 — who went on to win the event + take NHRA World TF Championship on Sunday.
Low ET & #1 Qualifier — As he often does — Langley BC’s Shawn Cowie put on another performance display while racing at the Pomona Drag Strip driving his Mundie’s Towing dragster. Shawn qualified #1 with a 5.162 secs (which was low ET of the meet) and over what was arguably the toughest field the TAD class has seen in a while (5.331 sec bump & 24 cars entered!). Shawn did advance to the semi finals but the car then encountered some tire spin and he was eliminated by divisional rival Kim Parker.
Under The Big Top! — A lot of eyes were most certainly on Ontario’s Spencer Hyde who with help from Elite Motorsports was able to make his NHRA Top Fuel debut driving the Paton Racing dragster at Pomona. Spencer and the team produced a best run of 3.778 secs at 323.27 mph to make the show #15. A solid event effort was however ultimately not a match versus multi-time NHRA Champ Steve Torrence in round #1. (DragRaceCanada will post more in-depth details on Spencer’s NHRA level debut experience – coming soon).
Race Rinse Repeat! — Justin Gallant from Chilliwack BC starred again during the recent Street Car Super Nationals held at Las Vegas (Nov 3-4-5). Justin, who was that event champion for the X275 category in 2022 – was able to successfully defend that title – winning again racing his Circle D Specialties 1985 Mustang. Justin also also entered the car in the event’s Extreme Radial class at Las Vegas and went to a R/UP placing in that category. Despite very hot atmospheric condition prevalent over the weekend — his team also recorded career quick times at 4.28 secs and 168 mph.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Dave DeAngelis – Phil Hutchison and courtesy of Gallant Racing