NDRA FC Series Debuts – Dobbs is 1st Winner  

With perfect weather and the scenic beach town of Grand Bend, Ontario as the backdrop, Canadian Funny Car standout Larry Dobbs took home the first ever NDRA Alcohol Funny Car Series presented by Ohsweken Speedway title this past weekend at the RPM/Lucas Oil Extreme Event at Grand Bend Motorplex…..

Dobbs, who hails fromWelland,Ontario, hadn’t been behind the wheel in over a year but realized the importance of supporting the newly formed NDRA series which will host four events in his own backyard this season. “I think it’s great that Dale (Boeru) and Ohsweken are trying to do something again inCanada because it’s been to way to long,” said an appreciative Dobbs. “It used to be real strong in Canada and I want to promote it. We all need to work together to support something great that especially the racers stand to benefit from.”

Larry Dobbs & Dale Boeru

En route to his win over funny car veteran Vinnie Rastelli of Gasport, NY, who qualified in the #2 spot, Dobb’s also racked up a pile of bonus points for his performance throughout the weekend including, the number one qualifying position, low ET of the event at 5.991 seconds and top mile per hour at 243.24. “It’s always nice to win the first of something and always nice to win, period. It was a beautiful weekend and everything worked out for us,” said Dobbs.

The weather played an important role in the overall success of the weekend, one that produced the first rain-free forecast in 13 years for the IHRA facility that hosts one of the best attended events on the Nitro Jam tour each year.

“We’d like to thank all our NDRA Teams and the fans that came out to support our inaugural event,” noted Director of Operations Dale Boeru. “A special thanks to Paul and Kim Spriet for allowing us to kick-off the NDRA season at Grand Bend Motorplex, the facility is a first class operation and we really enjoyed the hospitality. Kudos also goes out to Track Manager Ron Biekx and all the GBM staff for providing a great racing surface. I also can’t go without thanking my good friends Chris and Trish Biro from RPM Magazine, as always, an outstanding Extreme Event you guys put together and we were proud to be involved. And finally a huge thanks to Glenn Styres and Donny Hill of Ohsweken Speedway and Dallas Lehigh of Insight Graphics & Design for supporting our racing series, we are looking forward to seeing everyone at our next event!” 

The next stop for the NDRA Alcohol Funny Car Series presented by Ohsweken Speedway is June 23-24 at Toronto Motorsports Park where it will be part of the Canadian Nitro Nationals featuring Tony and Cruz Pedregon, both of whom compete on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series full time. 

For more information about the NDRA and for full race results and points standings visit www.ndra.ca

Posted by:  Jory Elliott

Photo by:  Ian Sprague

ABOUT THE NDRA — 2012 marks the inaugural campaign for the NDRA and its Alcohol Funny Car Series presented by Ohsweken Speedway.  The Alcohol Funny Car division represents one of the most exciting groups of vehicles and competitors in all of motorsport. Reaching speeds of more than 250 miles per hour in less than six seconds over the quarter mile racing distance is just the beginning. These 3000 horsepower machines feature flip top carbon fiber bodies that often sport paint schemes and names as unique as the men and women who drive them. With four events on the 2012 calendar, spread between two respected facilities, this will prove to be a landmark year for the NDRA, its competitors and fans.