IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam – Just the Facts
The International Hot Rod Association’s (IHRA) Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series returns this coming weekend to the Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario on June 20-22 for the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals…..
This year’s Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals marks the 15th consecutive year the IHRA has traveled to the Motorplex to celebrate one of drag racing’s biggest and most exciting events. The 2014 IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals will feature three full days of drag racing action in seven professional categories and nearly a dozen sportsman categories with qualifying on Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 and eliminations on Sunday, June 22, all at the Grand Bend Motorplex.
The professional classes will include more than 20 nitro-powered cars in Top Fuel Dragster, Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Altered and Nitro Harley, plus the return of Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Pro Modified with the PMRA tour and the debut of the fastest women in drag racing – the Larsen Motorsports Jet Dragster racing team. Points and big money are on the line for all of the teams in attendance as the best racers in the world travel to Ontario for three days of championship drag racing.
The IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals is the seventh of 12 races on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series North American Tour.
EVENT INFO: The 2014 IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals will feature the best racers from the world of drag racing in seven professional categories. Each day will feature sportsman racing throughout the day and professional racing in the evening. Nitro Jam professional racing will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
New in 2014, the IHRA will host an all-new Fan Fest pit area centered around the Larsen Motorsports compound. FanFest will feature driver autographs and interviews, an interactive display showcasing how to build, design and race a jet-powered racecar in the Jet Technology Center and the exciting Hollywood Cars of the Stars collection featuring some of the most famous cars ever driven in film and television including the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Batmobile from the 1960s Batman television series and more.
The FanFest pit area opens at 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
SPECIAL GUEST: Motorsports legend and 17-time drag racing world champion “Big Daddy” Don Garlits will be the special Grand Marshal for the event. Garlits will sign autographs, greet the crowd and display his legendary Swamp Rat record-setting dragster throughout the weekend.
WHEN: Friday-Sunday, June 20-22
WHERE: Grand Bend Motorplex | 70292 Grand Bend Line/Highway 81, Grand Bend, ONT N0M1T0
TICKETS: Available at the gate day of show or in advance at www.nitrojam.com.
SCHEDULED TO APPEAR (subject to change):
Top Fuel Dragster: Ike Maier VS Kyle Wurtzel (Match Race)
Nitro Funny Car: Wayne Mellinger “Candies Family Racing,” Mike McIntire Jr. “McAttack,” Tim Boychuk “Forever Forward,” Jason Rupert “Black Plague,” Mark Sanders “Mr. Explosive,” Bruce Litton “U.S. Male,” Gary Kraus “Pony Up”
Nitro Altered: Kyle Hough “Nanook,” Ron Hope “Rat Trap,” Ron Maroney “Blind Faith,” Don Blackshear “Bullet Bob,” Terry Haddock “Nasty Benjamin,” Mike Hilsabeck “Arizona Thunder”
Nitro Harley: Jay Turner, Mike Scott, Randal Andras, Larry Brancaccio, Alvin Kubernusz, Mark Cox, Tracy Kile, Takeshi Shigmatsu
Mountain Motor Pro Stock: John Konigshofer, Tony Pontieri, Larry O’Brien, Anthony Paone
Jet Dragster: Elaine Larsen, Marisha Falk, Kat Moller, Dawn Perdue
PMRA Pro Modified: Open Field (8-car eliminator)
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS (subject to change; all times local):
FRIDAY: Sportsman Racing @ 5 p.m.; FanFest Opens @ 4 p.m.; Nitro Jam @ 8 p.m.
SATURDAY: Sportsman Racing @ 9 a.m.; FanFest Opens @ 2 p.m.; Nitro Jam @ 7 p.m.
SUNDAY: Sportsman Racing @ 9 a.m.; FanFest Opens @ 11 a.m.; Nitro Jam @ 2 p.m.
Posted by: Larry Crum
Photos by: Bruce Biegler, Brennan Shortall & Marc Gewertz