Fabled Cayuga Dragway at Toronto Motorsports Park hosted it’s first feature race of the season over the Victoria Day Weekend….
The race which featured round #1 for the NDRA Alcohol Funny Car circuit as well as and independent Pro Mod eliminator, acted as an important test and tune session for the upcoming 2015 Ontario drag racing season.
Here is a photo highlight presentation featuring just some of the event highlights and participants as well as a race summary courtesy of the NDRA.
Despite some initial violent tire shake – Kyle Harris sped to an impressive 6.41 secs at 213 with his now AJ powered TD
Burlington’s Rick Kopp tested his all new Jet-powered truck!
Rob Lapierre ran his wild looking and wild handling supercharged Chevy Vega
Derek Hawker scored the Pro Mod title over an 8-car field.
“Brazil Nut” Lou Pereira made some laps with his “Terminator” Jet dragster.
Team Lowdown – which now consists of 2-cars driven by brothers Brody & Austin Van Der Geld were on hand.
Joe McCormick won over the Q16 field in his NitroMoose Mustang
Bruce Boland has brought back his very popular and reconfigured Willys for the 2015 Pro Mod season!
Jack Brohman’s son Chris made laps driving that team’s supercharged Camaro
Al Martorino (Coburg ON) had his supercharged Ford Mustang entered for PM
The “Ant Hill Mob” AFC went to the beach on one run.
(All photos by Brennan Shortall & John Marechal)
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NDRA Lidlifter to Atchison Racing
The National Drag Racing Association Alcohol Funny Car Season Opener saw London’s Atchison Racing take the first 2015 NDRA AFC Series event win.
Rob Atchison’s potent AFC team won the first NDRA event of the season.
A six car field set the stage for the first of 3 events for the NDRA AFC Series presented by Xylotek Solutions. Bankes-Cox Racing, Atchison Racing, For Wheels Racing, Ant Hill Mob Drag Racing, Paul Zgoda Racing, and Kardiac Kids Racing was the line-up for the weekend.
Saturday basically saw the teams shaking the cobwebs and bugs out of their cars but eager to bump their competitor out of action. Three-time IHRA Funny Car champion Rob Atchison of London, ON and his crew took the top spot in qualifying by the day’s end in his 2006 Monte Carlo setting the goal to beat 6.13 @ 206 mph. NDRA’s 2014 Funny Car champion Tyler Scott, Exeter, ON squeezed in second with 6.17 @ 186 mph in Kardiac Kids Racing’s new 2010 Monte Carlo.
Sunday’s eliminations saw Rob Atchison take out Aidan Heatley-Smith of Paris, ON with 5.95 @ 247. Â Next 2014 NDRA’s AFC Champion Tyler Scott of Exeter, ON wins against Buffalo, NY native Chris Zgoda with a 5.84 @ 245 mph. The final pair saw Ron Bankes of St. Thomas, ON becoming the winner over London, ON resident Dylan Hache.
In round #2, Ron Bankes of Bankes-Cox Racing had some unexpected mechanical issues leaving Sportz Truck Tents by Napier Tyler Scott for a bye run in round two in a lane of his choosing. Tyler made a pass of 5.89 @ 244 mph. Round two saw Atchison Machine Service sponsored Rob Atchison making a bye pass of 5.99 @ 197 mph.
In the final round match-up three-time IHRA winner, Rob Atchison ousted 2014 NDRA’s AFC champ Tyler Scott with a 5.75 @ 251 mph to Tyler’s 5.90 @ 246 mph.
Rob Atchison ran low ET of the event to beat Tyler Scott in the NDRA AFC final
Congratulations to Rob Atchison, his crew Bob Atchison, Kyle Harris, Pat Ryan, Dennis Smith, Tim Rodger, Colin Harris, Maxine Atchison and Julie Atchison on the first National Drag Racing Association AFC Series event win!
Next stop for the National Drag Racing Association is the famous NITRO NATIONALS in July at Toronto Motorsports Park-Cayuga!!
NDRA post by Jessie Sharpe & Photos by Stacee Kenington
