T/D Score! — Ontario native Al Kenny (who now resides in Jupiter FL) collected his 12th career NHRA national event title during the NHRA Pep Boys Nationals. Al qualified #1 over a tough field (@6.114 secs) and delivered a “icing on the cake” .001 RT (!) in the championship final round to win over opponent Tim Gray.

Another Final Four! — Quebec’s Daniel Mercier had another superb finish in NHRA Top Fuel racing – going to the semi final round for the second time this season.  Daniel, after qualifying #14 (3.799 secs) took out defending World Champion Doug Kalitta and former 3X World Champ Steve Torrence in rounds one and two – winning both of those tire-smoking battles.  In the semi-final round both he and event winner Antron Brown also had tire spin issues but Antron was able to collect his car and get to the finish line first.

Rewarding Weekend — Popular Ayr Ontario-based drag racer Smax Smith and his character team had a nice effort at the Maple Grove event – qualifying their “Ant Hill Mob” dragster with a 3.897 secs (career best) to make the field. The encouraging performance progressive outing did however end in round one on Sunday when Smax was out-gunned by Justin Ashley.

Cowie Countdown! — The Surrey BC based Cowie Racing/Mundies Towing & Recovery team were impressive again within NHRA national event competition.   Shawn Cowie qualified #1 for TAD and set low ET of the event at 5.172 secs – before falling in an enormous upset to newcomer Kelly Kundratic in round one –when Shawn’s supercharged car shook it’s tires hard.  Shawn’s nephew James Cowie (bottom photo) flirted again with a NHRA title win in Super Comp – rolling to a 5th round finish at this event.  James lost a squeaker double break out in the semis to Shawn Fricke – 8.897 secs to 8.887 secs.

The 2022 edition NHRA Pep Boys Nationals Champion Jeff Veale was the fastest TAD car overall at Maple Grove roaring to a 279.20 mph = top speed for the class.  Jeff, from Canfield ON., also fell victim to Kelly Kundratic when he too lost in a second round major upset – when his favoured machine went up in tire smoke at the hit.

From La Belle Province! — Quebec was well represented within sportsman class racing – including Michel Bastien (top photo) in Top Sportsman and Louis Gill in Super Stock.  Bastien (from Ste Anne Des Plaines) qualified his neat ’93 Dodge Daytona 11th and went to round two.  Gill raced the LaFontaine-Gill-Perigny ’92 Cavalier GT/FA to a red-light third round finish.

Winner’s “Wow Factor” — Kudos to TAFC winner Phil Esz (from Ohio) who won his second career NHRA national event title.  A primary  factor within all  that was the absolute tuning expertise/input of Calgary-based “guru” and Canadian “Hall of Famer” Les Davenport (above left) who helped parlay Esz’s Chevy Camaro to a very convincing victory.

Some More Momentum — Ontario’s Eric Latino continued his learning curve within NHRA Pro Stock class racing.  Latino qualified his GESi Camaro #10 (6.563 secs) in the remarkably quick field (a 6.585 secs bump).  In round one Eric lost out to one of his KB/Titan Racing team members, Matt Hartford – 6.566 secs to 6.587 secs.

Canada’s favourite “Aussie” Wally Clark — was the quickest Canadian qualifier within the 60+ car field of Super Stockers entered at Maple Grove.  Wally (from Niagara Falls ON) coaxed his GT/HA Grand-Am to a 9.622 secs which is .878 under his national class index to set himself 9th going into eliminations.  “WC”  however fell early in eliminations.