Toronto Motorsports Park hosts John Scotti NHRA National Open & much more!….
Fabled Cayuga Dragway at Toronto Motorsports Park played host to a second John Scotti NHRA National Open event for 2024, over the recent Labour Day long weekend. Along with numerous NHRA class car eliminators, the event included some great competition and exhibitions including Gassers, Funny Cars, and Jet Cars.
A very strong field count of 62 Stock and Super Stock cars made Saturday’s first round along with 8 Nostalgia Super Stocks.
After 6 rounds Dom Desjardins (from Quebec) relayed a better reaction time to down Willie Box’s long roof Chevy.
It was “Hall of Famer” Bill Shepard and local boy Trevor Edmond making the semis.
Dom Desjardins defeated a 62-car field to win the Stock/Super Stock Combo event on Saturday with is AA/SA Camaro.
Nostalgia Super Stock was a sea of Hemi-powered cars with one big block Chevelle and a Wedge. Mike Gould wheeled his ’68 Cuda to victory over the “5 and 50” Hemi of Chris Leader. Mike’s car is the original “Happiness Is” built by Frank Elliott.
The NHRA Super index classes were not combined this year and that made for some great racing.
Saturday’s Super Street final revealed a double breakout sprint for Kirk Parry’s Pinto and the Malibu of Jamie Champ. The race was already decided by Parry’s red light giving the win to Champ.
Next up was the popular 9.90 Super Gas class and the “NHRA Wally” went back to Mirimachi NB and in the possession of veteran racer James Cowie who won it with his topless Corvette. His final round opponent was Cayuga regular Joe Ferrari in his show quality roadster.
New Brunwick’s James Cowie scored a NHRA Wally with his “Lobo” Corvette Super Gasser.
Super Comp was a preview of things to come. 3rd generation racer Brooklyn Noakes proved the transition from Jr Dragster to the big car is complete, taking her Engineered Racing dragster to the title over another rising star, Blake Sutton.
Top Sportsman and Dragster combined to produce a pair of out-of-province finalists. Sebastien Levesque from Quebec and Brian Tombs fresh from an 1800 kilometer journey in from PEI, met for the Wally and the points. Tombs went red and Levesque ran right on to take the that title.
A bracket program was run but the day grew long and only Bike/Sled and Jr. Dragster was completed on Saturday. Big Dan Earl on his trusty Polaris snow skeeter tracked his way to the money over Rob Rock out of St. Thomas. In the hotly contested Jr. Dragster portion of the Labour Day Classic, Conner RIddler in the Nitro Monkey stopped Carter Daniels in the final.
The next day (Sunday) dawned with many tents and awnings blown around the pits and campgrounds following a violet overnight storm. After a clean up and dry out, the final day of the NHRA Division One event took place.
Slightly less Super Stocks and Stocks made the first round call as breakage took out a few hitters. Still some of the best of the breed duked it out until darkness fell.
The final round saw Dean Moggach (from Dundas Ontario) turn on the red bulb to give the win and “the Wally” to Brian Clayton in a battle of Camaros. It was Trevor Edmond and Sandro Delplaugnano placing in the S/SS semis.
Brian Clayton was the Stock/SS winner on Sunday with his Camaro.
Old time racer Lloyd Booker finally got the Wally he’s been chasing for years. He took his 10-secs ’65 Plymouth Belvedere to the top by downing the ’70 Cuda of Harry Shillings.
Lloyd Booker won his first NHRA Wally racing his classic ’65 Plymouth Nostalgia Super Stocker.
Also of note — was a NHRA G/S record set by Tony Valerio — Lori and Lawrence Roy being recipients of the “Best Appearing” award with their Mopar stocker and Ryan Sammut taking the event’s “Best Engineered” with his insane turbo Toyota Supra. (Ryan, from Port Colborne, competed in event’s Pro Modified show).
Welland’s Tony Valerio set a new NHRA national record for G/Stock.
Ryan Sammut’s unreal Supra was deservingly announced as the NHRA National Open event’s Best Engineered car.
NHRA index racing for Sunday saw Kevin Orr a winner for the first time with his ’67 Corvette. Kevin topped the super cool Vega Panel of Danny Danjou who was R/UP. Joe and Robin Ferrari put their 27 Ford in the winner’s circle in 9.90 over Branchvilla NJ resident Bill Trum — it was their first NHRA Wally win. And in a case of role reversal, Saturday’s two S/C finalists, Blake Sutton took out Brooklyn Noakes or the 8.90 crown.
Blake Sutton (top) and Brooklyn Noakes matched in both Super Comp final rounds at Cayuga’s NHRA National open – with each collecting a win.
The Top Dragster/ Sportsman final saw a double breakout affair with Sebastien Levesque completing an impressive unbeaten weekend — sealing that deal over Peter Carpenter out of Belleville NB.
Quebec’s Sebastien Levesque had a totally impressive weekend — winning the TD/TS Combo eliminator – both days!
If you like Gassers then Cayuga was the place to be over the Labour Day weekend! To help further celebrate the 70th anniversary of the track, the True North Gassers put on an incredible show with wheelstands, healthy burnouts, close racing, and a variety of body styles to bring back the old days in drag racing.
Dan Rice ripped his ’38 Dodge with Ford 429 power over the uber cool 55 Chevy of Dave Grant for the title. Dave and Wanda Neal’s 52 Chevy was the lone semi finalist.
Next up was the big boys, the Nostalgia AA/Gassers! Sporting blowers these cars really rock the place. 6 cars showed including a couple from the Gasser hot bed of Ohio state. John and Aaron Reid took the race with their dead nuts correct 33 Willys over the immaculate Anglia of Brian Spots.
A full bracket program was run Sunday with Vinni Bombini in his Riding High Chevelle nailing the Mod Title over the phony pony Mustang of Dustin Taylor. KC “Killer” Kovacs along with dad Les did the deed in Super Pro over perennial final round player Drew Buckner. Street found DJ Raiser crossing the border with his Mustang long enough to take the goodies back to WNY. DJ bested Bill “The Thrill” Thompson with his “Japanese Challenger” for the title.
Bike and Sled found Brandon Satchell ending Jason Stewart’s hopes. Brandon is the NHRA Champion in Bike/Sled for 2024. Lindsey Caldwell aka “Blondzilla” put Carter Daniels in the runner up position for the second race in a row.
The wheelstanding Studebaker “Pick Up Firetruck” of Rick Ream put on his usual crowd pleasing show as did the “Northern Warrior” Jet dragster of Neale Armstrong who thrilled the faithful with another fiery blast down Cayuga’s historic 1/4 mile.
Rick Ream’s “Pick Up Firetruck”
A very healthy Pro Mod field also attended the Labour Day Classic event weekend. DragRaceCanada will feature those results posted to our next scheduled “Pro Mod Portal” subsection report – coming soon.
Posted by Rob Potter
Photos Courtesy of John S. Brown
