After losing it’s elimination schedule due to the elements back in July – Castrol Raceway has declared it’s 2017 Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals champions….
When untimely rainstorms washed out the action back on July 16 – Castrol Raceway was forced to hit the reset button and following a long gap, were able to finally conclude that marquee event on September 2-3.
The event’s big winners included all local fan favourites with scores by Ryan Hodgson in Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car, Jimmy Fersch in Pro 6.90 Funny Car and Gary Urlacher in WDRL Pro Mod competition.
Hodgson, who is in fact currently the points overall leader for NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series heading into that circuit’s final rounds at Bakersfield California next month – tuned up nicely for that event with another season win coming at Edmonton.
Ryan drove the very potent Bob Papirnick-tuned Hodgson Racing “Pacemaker” Chevy Camaro to a final round 5.82 secs at 243.57 mph to defeat Jay Mageau’s “Prospector” Corvette. Ryan had qualified his car #1 back in July at 5.73 secs.
In the reschedule for the Rocky Mountain Nostalgia Funny Car class (6.90 indexed) race – car dealer and former Professional steer wrestler Jimmy Fersch emerged victorious for the first time in that circuit’s history. Jimmy raced his “The Bulldogger” Barracuda (which is tuned by John Evanchuk) to a final round 6.96 secs 199.82 mph to 6.98 secs 199.73 mph decision over the Mike Reynold’s supercharged ’23 T.
Jim, who is the President of Big West Dodge (Drayton Valley) had defeated Joey Steckler and Cory Kincaid in earlier class competition.
The WDRL Pro Mod cars also returned to Edmonton and that Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals finals pitted the injected nitrous Corvette driven by Gary Urlacher (Spruce Grove AB) versus the supercharged ’57 Chevy raced by Wade Sjostrom. Urlacher won that final handily – converting an early lead with a run of 6.17 secs 228.08 mph to Sjostorm’s slowing 8.97 secs 100.54 mph.
Sportsman racing on Sep. 3rd did include a reboot for the second of the two NHRA National Open races originally scheduled for the event.
That action was highlighted by Mopar-brand proponent Darcy Clarke who won both in Stock and in Super Stock with his great classic cars.
Also collecting NHRA Wallys were Trevor Ritchie in Top Dragster, Darren Williams Top Sportsman, Darrel Smith (Super Gas 10.10), Eric Goulden (Super Comp 9.10) and Warren Neitsch’s PT Cruiser scored in Super Street 11.10. That day’s ET Bracket racing titles went to Ed Vanderkooi (Super Pro), Scott Len (Pro), Leith Darrach (Bike/Sled) Ryan O’Connor (Junior Lightning) & Connor Scott (Junior Thunder).
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Don Meleshko and Bruce Biegler