Top of Class! — Quebec’s Gerard Milette collected a very nice high profile victory during NHRA’s Thunder Valley Nationals (June 7th).
Racing his absolute meticulously prepped and maintained ’63 Corvette, the “only” Canadian Sportsman level racer entered for the Bristol event, did Canada proud by collecting for Top Sportsman eliminator – after a 4-round title winning effort.
After qualifying #11 of 15 cars entered, Gerard defeated Vince Hoda, Mark Roberts and Allen Firestone to advance to the championship round late Sunday afternoon.
Then in that match his opponent (class repute Jeff Brooks) broke out trying to run Milette down hitting a too-quick 6.462 sec (6.47 dial in). That assured Gerard and his wife Suzanne (S&G Racing) their second career NHRA nationals level “Wally”.
The popular Provincial duo had previously won once before with their machine (which was first debuted all the way back in 2012) at NHRA’s Nationals held in Concord NC in 2016.

Gerard & Suzanne Milette

More Cowie Clout Coming! — Rival Top Alcohol Dragster class racers – may want to look away!
We have revelation and our first look at an “all new TAD” now completed for the defending and 2X NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion – Shawn Cowie.
Shawn made his first few hits in that car just last week – testing it at his home track Mission Raceway – just prior to that track’s titanic weekend of racing (RAD Canadian SPORTSnationals & Lucas Oil Divisional events).
The car did run a truly significant and ominous for the opposition – 5.12 secs best. But then Cowie’s Mundies Towing & Recovery team did elect not to run it for Saturday & Sunday racing – which they won instead with their current very tried and true dragster.
The new dragster was built by Australian native Richie Crampton – from his Indy chassis shop.
“We just felt it was time to get a new one — but we will slowly bring it around,” said Shawn. “It will eventually be out — but there is lots still to do on it and test passes to make. We don’t have a set date yet for competition!”
For the world’s all time quickest methanol-burning TAD team (5.115 secs) — to do this upgrade may offer world wide drag racing fans something exciting to ponder. Once unthinkable, could the first ever performance in the 5.0 secs zone for within the class be in the cards for later this season?  (Or perhaps if conditions were mineshaft — dare I even say it — flirting with a four!?)

Pole Cat Performances! — One of many interesting aspects generated from within Mission Raceway’s recent RAD Canadian SPORTSnationals/Lucas Oil Divisional racing last weekend — came from within qualifying for “Top” level: Dragster and Sportsman class car racing.
Not only was overall attendance for those categories significant — it was Canadian drivers who jockeyed in mass while eventually grabbing #1 pole positions — going 4/4 for the class eliminators offered!
For Top Dragster, Dunmore Alberta’s Aaron Steinkey continued his fast propensity – pacing the Canadian SPORTSnationals 25-car field with a 6.161 secs. Then for the Lucas Oil Divisional event, it was his 6.074 secs being both #1 qualifier and also the quickest for the event overall.
But (for good measure) — Steinkey also collected #2 slots “twice” for Top Sportsman class racing with his wicked quick nitrous-injected Camaro.
Local racer Kirk Lanz also earned equal distinction within Top racing when he also qualified his Pro-charger powered Camaro #1 for both races. He paced the RAD Canadian SPORTSnationals with a 6.103 secs (low ET of the event) and then the hometown Mission driver, clocked a superb 6.106 secs to set the tone for the Lucas Oil Divisional event.

A First Reported Sighting! — Some fans at Mission Raceway did get an opportunity recently to catch a glimpse of Canada’s newest TAFC class car.
During the recent NHRA National Open (held late May), Edmonton’s Max Yaremko took advantage of Mission’s expert track prep to make his first ever licensing runs in his all new SaMaxRacing Chevy Camaro.
Yaremko, whose career so far had included some limited outings within Western Canada’s 6.90 Nostalgia Funny Car circuity – he has made the step up from that to an all new Murf McKinney-built car outfitted with a Brad Anderson engine program. He hopes to complete his licensing upgrade soon and if that goes well plans may see him running at some NHRA races with it including Seattle and Woodburn and also potentially Las Vegas and Pomona later this season.
Max’s team has within its crew enlistment some of the players from “the late great” Geoff Goodwin TAFC team (Red Deer AB) including Ryan Protz – son to Geoff’s former crew chief Wally Protz.
“It’s been a long & winding road forward for most of my crew,” Max said. “Basically after buying our first Firebird Nostalgia Funny Car – six years later these guys are now strapping me into a TAFC. It’s a step up for all of us.”
Yaremko, who did in fact collect a NHRA National Open “Wally” with a win at last year’s Rocky Mountain Nationals (6.90 Index Funny Car) held at RAD Torque Raceway (photo below) is including a possibility that he will be making some exhibition runs with his new TAFC at that event this year (coming July 10-12).
For more background and future updates for this team – link to: www.SaMaxRacing.com