Major Upgrade for Canada’s Nitro Express Team
The Canadian-based Nitro Express Top Fuel Team owned by John LaPorte has made a rather significant upgrade to their racing program for the 2012 season….
The aspiring race team, which is based from Bowmanville Ontario, will field a new race car this season after acquiring the Brad Hadman-built dragster that Antron Brown raced during the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle campaign.
LaPorte, who is the owner/operator of the Fabricating Technics Company, took delivery of that car from Schumacher Racing in Indianapolis between Christmas and New Years and then got busy with assembly.
“We had to make the move (to a newer car) after the end of last year to address NHRA’s new front wing rules,” said John LaPorte. “And we did have issues keeping the front wheels down on our older car – so it all just made sense.”
LaPorte’s team will transfer their existing drive train into the new chassis. The team, which will again employ skilled Jimbo Ermalovich as it’s crew chief for 2012, has also ordered additional engine blocks, crankshafts and a spare supercharger for the upcoming campaign.
“It is for sure a proven car and that should help our team to run more competitively,” LaPorte added. “Our old car went 4.05 secs but we are going to be looking to put our driver Fred Farndon in the 3.9 seconds zone this season.”
The team has current plans to attend a number of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events in 2012 – likely beginning at Topeka in May. Five or six more events after that are on the radar including a likely appearance at the Canadian Nitro Nationals in June at Cayuga.
Canadian drag racing fans will however be afforded an exclusive season preview this coming weekend. The new “Nitro Express” car will be part of DragRaceCanada’s Quarter-Mile Corral display during the Canadian Motorsports Expo at Toronto’s International Centre (Feb. 10-12).
Posted by: Bruce Biegler