Top Fuel class racing at last weekend’s Circle K 4-Wide Nationals includes an inspiring Canadian effort!….

The Paton Racing team enjoyed one of their finest events yet within NHRA Top Fuel class racing – placing a superb runner-up for the 2022 version 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in North Carolina.

With budding star driver Cameron Ferre at the controls of the Fast Eddie Speed Wear livery dragster – this Can-Am configured team came particularly close to etching their first ever NHRA national event title together.

Cameron Ferre raced the Paton Racing Fast Eddie Racewear dragster to a runner-up finish at zMax Dragway.

After qualifying on the bump #16 with a 3.854 secs – Cameron (who is married to Tim Boychuk’s daughter Angie) and who together reside from Huntington Beach CA., placed 2nd in two consecutive “quad” rounds to advance to the marquee championship final.

In round one his event best 3.841 secs at 320.66 mph placed in front of Austin Prock and Antron Brown and that was followed in round two by a 3.924 secs at 307.44 which advanced over Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta.

The final round saw Cameron mix it up within a grouping including opponents Mike Salinas, Josh Hart and Spencer Massey.

A very rewarding weekend for team owner Todd Paton!

Some problems on the burnout did force the Paton Racing team to push the car back — however Ferre was able to get the car staged and away with the pack off the starting line.

Hart and Massey did succumb to tire smoke early – but Cameron’s run was then curtailed by a broken blower belt with his 3.986 secs at 272.56 mph falling short of Mike Salinas’ Pep Boys-sponsored dragster which scored the event win at a 3.708 secs 330.47 mph pace.

“Man what a weekend,”Cameron Ferre beamed post race. “Going from struggling to start the season after some last minute loss of sponsorship to banding together with our awesome associate partners to show what we can do feels UNREAL! Thanks to everyone involved with the team! I can’t wait to get to work on the next opportunity — we’re hoping we can use this momentum and put us in the shop window — show a potential major partner what we are capable of!”

The strong event finish is the best placing by the race team so far together – topping their previous “final four” effort at last years season-ending Auto Club Finals at Pomona.

Post and photos by Bruce Biegler