IHRA Announces Canadian Event Dates

The IHRA has announced the 2014 race weekend dates for it’s two major events held Canada next season at Grand Bend Motorplex and Castrol Raceway…..

The weekend date for Castrol Raceway’s Rocky Mountain Nationals remains the same (July 4-6th) however there has been a major shift forward for the Grand Bend race (held last year in July) to one month earlier:  June 20-22nd for 2014.   Both of the Canadian races will once again be presented by primary sponsor MOPAR.

The IHRA’s 11-event 2014 schedule will also includes stops at ; Southwestern Nationals at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson (March 21-22), San Antonio Nationals at San Antonio Raceway (March 28-29), Southern Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park (April 25-26), Palm Beach Nationals at Palm Beach International Raceway (May 2-3), Rockingham Dragway (May 16-17) Maryland International Raceway for the Northeast Nationals (June 13-14), Pittsburgh Nationals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park (August 1-2), Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan (August 8-9) and Summit World Finals at Memphis International Raceway (October 10-11).

IHRA is touting it’s new schedule as a return to a “national event” format for competition – featuring qualifying and elimination ladders compared to it’s exhibition event presentations in recent seasons.  That apparent return to tradition drag racing will also include a season’s end national championship points fund.

Prior to the season announcement there was a lot of speculation and promise that some of the traditional IHRA class categories would be returned – example – Pro Modified, Mountain Motor Pro Stock and bonafide 8-car fields for Top Fuel racing.

But it should be noted that instead all events in 2014 will feature four core classes of competition – (Nostalgia) Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Nitro Altered and now Jet Dragsters – all with pre booked and limited entries.

While I have absolutely nothing against those racers or classes – that revelation still sounds like exhibition racing to me — and is leaving most IHRA drag racing fans (including yours truly) wondering what if anything will be different?

Posted by:  Bruce Biegler