Grand Bend Motorplex and Mopar Canada continued important Canadian drag racing tradition last weekend…
For the 18th year in a row, area racing fans were treated to the single longest surviving major drag racing event held anywhere in Canada during the running of the latest edition Mopar Canadian Nationals.
This 2017 race was a 100% independent affair co-ordinated by Grand Bend Motoplex itself. While the facility itself remains under IHRA sanctioning, IHRA was not involved nor were any of their classes included at the event this season.
GBM Track President Paul Spriet, handled that evolution admirably, by booking in an interesting mix of featured racers, who were then well complimented by two prominent Canadian circuits: the Napa Ultimate Showdowns, and Can-Am Stock/Super Stock drag racing series’.

GBM President Paul Spriet used a booked in “Pro Show” to pack his stands for the Mopar Canadian Nationals!
Highlighting the booked in “Pro Show” was some Top Fuel dragsters, Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars and Nitro Harleys.
Larry Dixon, who is a 3X former NHRA World Champion and who in in the midst of relaunching his racing career now as an independent team owner and driver, was a top attraction with his Indianapolis-based Top Fuel dragster.
Dixon headlined an eliminator that also included Canadian-based drivers Ike Maier, Smax Smith as well as the top standard A/FD driven by Jeff Veale (from Stoney Creek ON). During these 1/4 miles format match ups it was Larry Dixon that produced the event’s quickest run at 4.751 secs, followed closely by Ike Maier’s 4.881 secs time. Jeff Veale, racing his injected nitro (non-supercharged) car ran a best of 5.355 secs at 276.24 mph.

Former 3X NHRA World Champion Larry Dixon raced his Top Fuel car during the Mopar Canadian Nationals.
Nitro Nostalgia FC class racing drew in some serious circuit hitters from the USA which included Mike McIntire Jr., Paul Romine, Gary Kraus and Greg Jacobsyer. Those racers produced some highly impressive times and speeds on the very well prepped race track surface. Romine (from Indiana) qualified his Mustang #1 with a 5.596 at 257.28 mph and advanced to the final only to be stopped by McIntire who unloaded the quickest and fastest time ever for the class seen on Canadian soil — an astounding, 5.520 secs and 259.44 mph, to win.
In fact that final round performance math by McIntire Jr., exceeded the 5.530 secs at 259.14 mph record set by Bobby Cottrell in Bucky Austin’s car at Mission Raceway in BC just two weeks ago.
The nitromethane portion of the Mopar Canadian Nationals also included a 6-bike field for Nitro Harley riders. That race was dominated by Pennsylvania’s Bob Malloy who not only qualified #1 – but also set low ET of the event (with what we believe also be a Canadian record) 6.229 secs, while winning the event.
The 2017 Mopar Canadian Nationals event schedule included the conclusion of the Napa Ultimate Showdown’s Stratford Spectacular event which was rained out three weeks ago, as well as the completion of season race #4 for that popular circuit. DragRaceCanada will post complete details and results from all that great action – separately and coming soon.

The NAPA Ultimate Showdown Series handed out a lot of “hardware” at GBM last weekend – details on all that – coming soon!
The Can/Am Stock/Super Stock tour presented it’s 7th and 8th events for 2017 with wins in that going to Bob Park (over 30 cars on Saturday) and Chris Lozon (over 31 entries on Sunday.)

Bob Park and Chris Lozon (top) were winners during the latest rounds for the Can-Am Stock/SS Association series.
Some jet-car exhibitions (Neale Armstrong’s Northern Warrior dragster and Jerry McCart’s triple-engined Ford F650 Jet Track) as well as Grand Bend’s premium home version ET Bracket car racing program, rounded out the very successful race.
GBM ET Bracket winners included Ken Hebert (Box) Andrew Bucher (No Box). It was Noah Caperchione and Tyler Donohue taking Junior Dragster class titles.

Exhibition jets at GBM included Jerry McCart’s triple engined truck and Neale Armstrong’s “Northern Warrior” dragster
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Bruce Biegler – Brennan Shortall – John Marechal – Darwin Kent
To view an expanded Mopar Canadian Nationals event photo gallery — visit LoudMusicLoudCars : HERE