Some serious success stories from within Canada’s thriving NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing scene!….

As the NHRA’s 2019 drag racing season zooms to its conclusion (at Pomona this weekend) — we can report already that Canada’s Sportsman drag racing contingent has prevailed with a number of significant overall season scores!

Shawn Cowie won his 5th NHRA Lucas Oil Regional event of the season at Las Vegas last weekend. Shawn powered his Surrey BC-based Mundies Towing dragster to a final round win over his primary rival Joey Severence.  That was Shawn’s 29th career Lucas Oil “Wally”. Cowie Racing’s amazing season (undefeated in the West!) resulted in the team clinching the NHRA’s Lucas Oil Western Regional TAD title for a 3rd time.

Francesca Giroux — who is daughter to Western Canadian Sportsman icon Eddy Plaizier — is the NHRA Pacific Northwest Super Street 10.90 points champion for 2019. Racing her 1985 Camaro (one of three cars campaigned by Plaizier Motorsports) “Frankie” had a superb season driving the super consistent index car which features a motor program by Edmonton’s Flyin’ Ryan Bell.

Joe Melloff — who is from Maple Ridge BC — scored top season honours within the NHRA’s super tough scene — Pacific Northwest Top Sportsman class category. Racing his meticulous prepped GXP Melloff’s 344 season points prevailed in that Divison 6 season chase.

Eastern Canadian veteran Al Kenny has finished #1 in season points for the NHRA’s Northeast Division 1 Top Dragster class. Kenny, who is from Kingston ON., snagged that prestigious championship when he won at the final NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional season event (at Las Vegas) last weekend. That race win was the 7th of his career at the regional/divisonal level.

Also finishing on top of the heap in 2019 was – Charlie Kenopic — from Renfrew Ontario.  Kenopic — who is a long time veteran class racer in the NHRA Lucas Oil 9.90 Super Gas class — wheeled his topless ’63 Corvette to a couple  divisional event wins this season and with that did take the Northeast’s title by a rather large points margin.

Post and photos by Bruce Biegler