Deferred Finalists — The PDRA’s most recent event (Mid-Atlantic Nationals) at VMP was weather affected which has moved the championship final rounds to it’s next race (North-South Shootout) at Maryland International Raceway (May 30-June 1). That rescheduling will include two Canadian-based cars still in the hunt for event titles. The defending PDRA Pro Boost World Champion car owned and operated by Al Billes (Barrie ON) with driver Tommy D’Aprile (below) will face Jerico Balduf for the win.  Billes/D’Aprile have advanced to that title round following an impressive string of 3.7 secs ETs which gave them win lights over Terry Leggett, Kevin Rivenbark and also Canadian Melanie Salemi. Larry O’Brien’s Bears Performance Parts Dodge (driven by Jeff Dobbins) has advanced to the XPS final round and will race Tommy Lee (driver for John Montecalvo’s Chevy Camaro). Dobbins has already beaten John Pluchino and Steven Boone in the Windsor Ontario area based Mountain Motor Hemi-powered machine.

Close At Atlanta — Canadian native Brian Browell came up just short of winning for the 4th time in his career at NHRA’s Southern Nationals.  At Atlanta Dragway last weekend, the 2018 Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductee, who had won this race consecutively (1999-2000-2001), lost out in a dual deep sub index breaking final round to Craig Bourgeois’s A/ND.  Browell, who now resides in Lafayette IN., and is the owner and operator of industry leading Browell Bellhousing had qualified his V6 powered D/D #5 and won three frames of competition while advancing to the championship round.

Prestige for Pacemaker — Canada’s premier Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car operation had another very memorable score during one of the single most prestigious independent events held each season — at Boise Idaho’s 49th edition NAPA Ignitor Nationals – last weekend. Ryan Hodgson drove the Hodgson & Papirnick Pacemaker Camaro to victory there. To view more details on that big win – visit our co-production site report : HERE