Castrol Raceway’s marquee annual Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals event will enter a new phase this coming week….
It’s hard to believe but Castrol Raceway is in 2017 celebrating it’s 20th year of operations!
After being under the IHRA for it’s first 14 versions — the 2017 Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals (July 14-16th) — will for the first time be presented under NHRA sanctioning. Armed with continued dedication from primary event sponsor Mopar Canada and now newly fuelled with presenting sponsorship from Jim Bell’s JB’s Power Centre, the event has all the potential to be once again – history making!
Here is the latest scoop on just some of the things to expect and look for at next weekend’s historical happening!
The booked in feature car program looks pretty dandy — with nitro burners of many shapes and sizes headlining. That includes Top Fuel dragsters, an appearance by Gary Densham’s Mustang NHRA fuel FC and an 8-car qualified field of Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars. Canada’s very fast reputation for injected nitro dragsters will be featured — including the names Don St. Arnaud (Edmonton’s very own NHRA class speed record holder!) as well as the Manitoba-based powerhouse machines owned by Clif Bakx and Doug Doucette.
But there will be even more Nitro — with 8-car qualified fields in AA/FA and Nitro Harley classes. Top AA/FA name drivers like Kyle Hough
and Jason Richey and premium Nitro Harley racers Jay Turner and Mike Scott (who have both won on the NHRA tour this season) will attend.
Also on the event fight card – season event #3 for the WDRL version Pro Mod cars (8-car qualified field), Pro Drag Bikes (8-bike field), 6.90 Index Funny Cars and exhibition cars (including the first Western Canadian appearance for Ontario’s Rick Kopp in his Jet-powered truck) as well as the crowd pleasing “Jelly Belly” wheelstander of Ed “Outlaw” Jones.
In addition — this race will be an official NHRA Northwest Division National Open — showcasing various NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Sportsman regional strength racers in Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, Super Comp & Super Street classes. A full field of local ET bracket racers will also be armed to do battle for official NHRA “Wallys”.

Ontario’s Rick “Hollywood” Kopp will run his awesome Jet-powered truck for the first time at Edmonton.
DragRaceCanada will once again post full results as well as an extensive photo gallery for the 2017 Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals – coming the week after.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
DragRaceCanada File Photos