Some Added Star Power! « DragRaceCanada.com

Some Added Star Power!

by editor on Jul.23, 2017, under ACE MFG Northern Exposure

Grand Bend Motorplex’s upcoming Mopar Canadian Nationals will feature an all-star caliber international driver…..

The 2017 Mopar Canadian Nationals event “fight card” got even more interesting with the confirmation that reputed Top Fuel dragster racer Larry Dixon will be included.

Dixon, who is now an independent racer based from Indianapolis will bring his now self-funded Top Fuel dragster operation to the event program (August 4-6th).

Larry Dixon was a 3X NHRA Top Fuel World Champion while driving for Don “Snake” Prudhomme’s race team and his career accomplishments are pretty staggering within drag racing’s ultimate category, Top Fuel class racing.

One of drag racing’s all time most skilled racers – Larry Dixon – will be a top attraction for the upcoming Mopar Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend.

From 1995 forward his name is included within the top five lists for event wins (62), low qualifiers (51X), low ET of the meet (46X) and top speed (33X). In recent years Dixon has taken his driving talents internationally too. The skilled driver has been a frequent runner in Australia where he has driven for and won events for Santo Rapisarda’s very formidable multi-car Top Fuel dragster team.

For Dixon, this upcoming appearance at Grand Bend Motorplex will in fact be his first ever driving stint in Canada however he is for sure not unfamiliar with the Canadian drag racing scene.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to come to Canada and to race,” Dixon affirmed. “I was first up there in the mid and later 1970’s when I toured out West racing with my father (Larry Dixon Sr). We went racing at places like Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon. Then later in my career when I was on Don Prudhomme’s pit crew I went to Sanair a few times. I was always left with a definite impression about how passionate Canadian fans are about drag racing and motorsports. So to actually now be able to come up and compete in Canada with my own car — is pretty special.”

For Dixon, the upcoming appearance will be only his second time in his race car this season. He did enter it at the NHRA Gatornationals in Florida last March.

Larry Dixon’s now independent TF dragster shown in action at NHRA Gainesville last March

“Now that I’m a team owner my drag racing has a bit of a different mindset,” he confided. “We are developing a new team from scratch without a big budget. In drag racing there are a lot of broken business models that end up in short careers for some drivers and teams. I’ve learned that you need to be realistic and race with what you have. So we’re pretty calculated about what we are doing and we are going to use our opportunity at Grand Bend Motorplex to step forward with our program.”

Larry Dixon will be part of a 4-car exhibition eliminator that will also include the dragsters of Canadian-based drivers Ike Maier, Smax Smith and Jeff Veale.

The 2017 Mopar Canadian Nationals, which thanks to primary sponsor Mopar Canada, has become an iconic season highlight event in Eastern Canada since the year 2000. It was formally presented by the IHRA, but this continuation will be for the first time as an independent presented by Grand Bend Motorplex itself.

The event will be anchored by season round #4 for the Napa Ultimate Showdowns Drag Racing Series which features top level racing in Pro Mod, Alcohol Funny Car, Outlaw 10.5, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes.

The NAPA Ultimate Showdown Drag Racing Series class cars will help anchor the 2017 Mopar Canadian Nationals

Grand Bend Motorplex Track Manager Paul Spriet has also booked in an impressive variety and field of supplemental machines including some nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars, Nitro Harleys, a Jet-powered truck as well as AA Gasser & Nostalgia Hemi Super Stock circuits. Eastern Canada’s marquee and always entertaining Can-Am Stock/Super Stock series and a full range of ET Bracket car racing will also be presented.