Western Canada’s NHRA Sportsman racers infultrate Medicine Hat….
The NHRA’s Northwest Division Canadian National Open series, now including for the first time the 2025 John Scotti Canadian Championship Series, held it’s second race weekend of the season at M.H.D.R.A Dragstrip (July 5-6).
The 1/8th mile format “double header” event drew in both the very best area ET bracket racers as well as NHRA class cars for competion in eight categories.
The Top Comp eliminator featured wins by two very formidable Edmonton-area Top Dragster racers Jenna Michard and Stan Essery — both who play intricate parts within RAD Torque Raceway’s Top Eliminator program.
Jenna topped Essery in the Saturday class finale while Essery defeated Dale Bristow for the Sunday title.
Stan Essery wheeled the Ebertz Racing/AFD dragster to two final round appearances at Medicine Hat’s NHRA Open.
Stock/Super Stock Combo racing included a second John Scotti Canadian Championship Series win for Edmonton’s Clarence Bidniak in his B/SA ’70 Plymouth Roadrunner. Bidniak, who had a win at the Mission Raceway NHRA National Open a couple weeks prior, stopped Daryl Hoffos in his final round on Sunday.
After winning at Mission Raceway in June – Clarence Bidniak – found victory lane again at MHDRA.
Regina’s Grant Singer also collected a NHRA Stock/SS Combo title.
On Saturday, it was Regina Saskatchewan’s Grant Singer taking the title with his high-flying SS/BS ’98 Camaro. Grant, who is a former NHRA national event winner (@Las Vegas 2024) topped Doug Mitchell’s ’69 Nova which had a red-light foul in the final round.
NHRA index class car winners also included Robert Schultz (Super Comp) Rory Moser (Super Gas) and Gerry Brown (Super Street) – on Saturday. On Sunday those titles went to Isaac Stettner (Super Comp), Bill Cawsey (Super Gas) and Gerry Brown (Super Street).
ET Bracket car racing did feature an impressive weekend for local track hitter Ray Gaetz in his Miller-chassied dragster. Gaetz (from Medicine Hat) won both days for the Super Pro tournament, beating final round opponent Larry Peters on Saturday and then Mark Simmons on Sunday.
Ray Gaetz dominated Super Pro racing — winning titles both Saturday & Sunday.
Paxton Frey (from Medicine Hat) went undefeated for Junior Thunder class racing.
Other ET eliminator titles went to (Saturday) Monty Beagle (Pro), Kathie Archambault (Sportsman) and Steve Campbell (Bikes & Sleds). Junior dragsters class wins went to Paxton Frey (Thunder) and Gray Schann (Lightning) and Junior Street saw a win for John Nastiuk from Calgary. Sunday’s racing saw Tyler Zeller (Pro), Austin Markusson (Sportsman) & Adam Hettler (Bike & Sled) emerge on top. Junior (Thunder) racing saw Paxton Frey win again and Cole Caron take the Junior (Lightning). Ryder Harrison was the Junior Street class winner.
The event’s very popular concluding feature — “King of the Hill” — saw the Saturday’s Bike & Sled class champ — Steve Campbell — hold off Ray Gaetz’s dragster for that overall honour.
Steve Campbell was spot on the mark with his motorcycle winning both class and “King of the Hill” titles.
The final season round for the Canadian National Open/John Scotti Canadian Championship Series series goes down this coming weekend at RAD Torque Raceway in Edmonton as part of the Rocky Mountain Nationals.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos courtesy of Bernie Frey
