After a one-year absence due to the pandemic — NHRA returns a National Open to New Brunswick…..

Super scenic Miramichi Dragway welcomed the return of a marquee annual attraction when NHRA’s Northeast Division One presented a 5th edition PC Richard & Sons National Open event.

The 3-day affair, which was held July 16-18th, was an all Canadian racer event (due to ongoing USA/Canada boundary restrictions) — that was well attended by Maritimes based drivers as well as entries from Quebec and Ontario.

Friday and Saturday’s schedule highlighted some NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series class car racing — with 5 eliminators run off.

David Anthony (from Mount Pearl NL) was dominating with this Dan Page-built dragster winning both days for the Top Dragster/Top Sportsman Combo.  Anthony, who is no stranger to victory lane at these events, topped Doug Wrathall’s T/D on Friday and then Lorne Buchanan’s T/D in the Saturday conclusion.

David Anthony was dominant in his Newfoundland-based T/D — winning both Combo titles!

Friday’s class car racing featured a win by Quebec’s Louis Gill who rolled the “LaFontaine-Gill-Perigny” ’92 Cavalier to victory over a good field of cars.  Gill beat the defending ACSSA series champion Mike Ingram in Friday’s trophy dash.

Quebec’s Louis Gill scored the Stock/SS Combo event on Friday.
Jack Kierstead (far lane) topped Mike Ingram for Saturday’s Stock/SS Combo title.

The NHRA index titles for Friday were claimed by Peter Carpenter (Super Comp 8.90), Vito Bosca (Super Gas 9.90) and John Rankin (Super Street 10.90)

Saturday’s NHRA class racing produced wins for Jack Kierstead with his Nova Scotia based machine in the Stock/SS Combo.  Kierstead beat repeating finalist Mike Ingram in the all Chevy brand finale.

Nova Scotia’s John Rankin rolled his Mustang to a S/ST 10.90 class win.

Index wins went to Trevor Cowie (Super Comp), Darren Poole (Super Gas) and Brett Ramsey (S/ST).

ET class car racing was featured over the weekend with titles going to M. Corneau (Box ET), Brett Ramsey (No Box) and to Colton Howes (Junior Dragster).

Posted with files by Bruce Biegler & Jeff Kempton

Photos courtesy of Chris O’Neil