Eastern Canadian drag racers coagulate for NHRA glory at fabled Cayuga Dragway….. 

Drag racing at Toronto Motorsports Park’s legendary Cayuga Dragway took another step towards some normality last weekend with the return of a NHRA National Open event format.

Following a COVID-induced deletion from the race schedule last year,  NHRA’s Northeast Division One was back at the track with one of their PC Richard & Sons presented races — which included both NHRA class car and ET Bracket racers in hot pursuit of much coveted official “Wallys”.

The race was a well run and well attended one — in particular for the Stock & Super Stock eliminator Combo – a class which once again received valued support from Montreal’s John Scotti Classic Cars.  

The NHRA Stock/SS Combo saw 50+ cars entered for each day of competition, and the winning drivers (for both Saturday and Sunday) were in Super Stock classed machines.   

Drew Buchner, who had recently co-produced the Inaugural 660 Sportsman Nationals with Ian Hill at rival Grand Bend Motorplex, raced his wheel standing SS/JA ’66 Chevy Nova Wagon to victory during the Saturday event.  His final round 10.983 secs at 112.52 mph held off the rampaging SS/AS Chevy Beretta driven by Niagara Falls-based Chuck Nagy.

Drew Buchner won his first NHRA “Wally” taking the Stock/SS Combo eliminator on Saturday at Cayuga.

Sunday’s final went to an invading Quebec driver Louis Gill in the high flying “LaFontaine-Gill-Perigny” ’92 Cavalier – GT/FA.  Gill, from Val Belair PQ, who also had an impressive undefeated weekend/2-race win during the NHRA National Open event hosted by Napierville Dragway in mid August, beat Kirk Vanni’s GT/KA ’69 Camaro in the final round.  

Quebec’s Louis Gill kept his NHRA National Open winning ways intact at Cayuga with another victory.

Sunday’s racing program schedule had been adjusted to a 1/8th mile format due to some safety concerns after rain storms had blown through the Cayuga facility the previous overnight.

Racing within NHRA’s “target shooting” index classes (Super Comp/Super Gas/Super Street) was also featured — the “Super Combo”.   Local 10.90 class expert Ted Barnes showed his skill again by winning on Saturday — taking his immaculate ’72 Datsun past Larry Pulver’s Camaro in the final round.  Then on Sunday, another area “hitter” Andrew Stirk went to his familiar spot in  victory lane with his topless S/G ’63 Corvette, again beating Larry Pulver in the final round.

The “Super Index” titles went to a couple of local experts – Ted Barnes (top) and Andrew Stirk.

ET class racing this weekend was highlighted by Bob Jennings, from Mulmur, Ontario who won three times in his Pro-Charger assisted ’88 Mustang.  Bob won both Modified and Super Pro eliminators on Saturday and then collected another Super Pro title on Sunday in the 1/8th mile feature.

Bob Jennings had a very lucrative weekend with his ’88 Mustang – winning X3!

Saturday’s other ET winners were Pete Stewart (Bike/Sled), Brad Fraser (Street) and Jacob Ferstl in Junior Dragster.

Sunday’s ET winners included Andrew Stirk (in Modified with his Mustang), Murray Lonsbary (Bike/Sled) and Gary Rankin (Street ET).  Junior Dragster racing titles went to Cole Ferri and to Alyssa Stuart.  

Posted with files by Bruce Biegler & Rob Potter

Photos by Bruce Biegler and Stacee Richards

To view DragRaceCanada’s photo gallery from this event visit LMLCMedia:  HERE