Solid Semis — Standout Vancouver BC area-based drag racers Shawn Cowie and Justin Bond both were in top form at NHRA’s Route 66 Nationals – with each having impressive finishes.
Shawn Cowie, the 2X and defending NHRA Lucas Oil World Champ for TAD, did what he often does – grabbing the pole position over the field with his 5.172 secs — also being low ET of the race. Shawn then advanced to the semi final round after beating out Jared Dreher and Joey Severance. But then he could not hold back Jamie Noonan this time out when his car slipped to an off pace 6.280 secs.
Also making the “final four” was Justin Bond within the JBS Equipment Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event portion. Justin qualified his supercharged Camaro #5 at 5.696 secs and defeated Chip King and Lyle Barrett in the first two rounds. Justin left on his opponent Derek Menolt in round 3 – but Menholt’s fantastic new Montana-based Corvette came from behind for a 5.730 to 5.769 secs win-light. Menholt then went on to win the event.

A Remarkable Run! — As reported previously this week to DragRaceCanada (HERE), Ontario’s Brian Clayton did something pretty special last weekend while dominating the first NHRA John Scotti National Open weekend of racing held at Toronto Motorsports Park.
At that, weather plagued event, which forced all eliminations to Sunday, he won not one but two Stock/Super Stock combo eliminators that day with his Camaro Super Stocker. While racers doubling up is fairly common and always impressive — the fact that both times he handled 40+ car fields within each tournament – which equated to 12 straight win lights (all in one day).
While we’re not sure exactly — some curious minds at DRC do think that could very well be some sort of a record for drag racing ? – especially for a Super Stock class car and most probably an all time single day round win total for drag racing within Canada?
But if anyone knows for sure or any different? – Please let us know or post it to our FB Page?

A Peak Performer! — Mississauga Ontario’s David Schroeder once again turned some heads while running with his fantastic Corvette at the recent NHRA Route 66 Nationals. David was a participant within that event’s special added attraction Peak (Presented by Sick The Magazine) Street Car Shootout – which is an annual 8-car gathering featuring nothing but — street driven and drag machines. At Chicago, he qualified the Schroeder-Ens Corvette #1 at 6.535 secs and went even quicker in round one while defeating Tom Bailey with a 6.505 secs (low ET of the race)! But unfortunately the multiple Hot Rod Drag Week circuit champion, could not run for round two due to a mechanical issue – and he was shut off on the starting line.

Shootout Success Story — Alberta’s iconic Sportsman racer Eddy Plaizier had a nice score during the recent NHRA Lucas Oil Pacific Northwest Divisional race hosted at Boise Idaho’s fabled Firebird Raceway. Plaizier raced his immaculate ’56 Chevy S/G car to a popular victory within the event’s supplimental Shootout program which takes place during qualifying.
Shootout fields (in Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street classes) are primarily populated by the top point earners from the NHRA Northwest Division (Division 6).
The qualified positions for the shootout ladder are then based on a driver’s best runs from their initial time trials, usually those closest to or above the class index. Once the field is set (usually top 8) drivers then go head-to-head in a sportsman bracket-style elimination ladder until a champion is crowned.
“It’s a real neat way to try to hit the number right off the get go and then you get to actually race in qualifying rounds,” Eddy said. “The racers take it very seriously and it’s always a fun thing.”
The race-within-a-race program is unique to NHRA Division 6 – sponsored by Dalrymple Family Racing and Hughes Performance.

Manitoba Mashup! — Round #1 for Top Alcohol Dragster class car racing at last week’s NHRA Route 66 Nationals featured an interesting head-to-head confrontation between two injected nitro cars – both from Manitoba. That occurrence saw Doug Doucette’s car (driven by Alan Bradshaw ) face Clif Bakx’s dragster driven by Todd Bruce.
Doucette’s machine, which had been the quicker qualifier for the two (#4 at 5.225 secs) however did have a red-light foul start which advanced Bakx’s “The Bull” to the next frame with a winning 5.407 secs ET.
As fate would have it however, it was Todd Bruce then having a red-light foul racing against eventual event winner Jamie Noonan which nullified Bruce’s best run of the Chicago race – a 5.328 secs.