4th Mopar Canadian Nationals
Grand Bend, ON., May 30 - June 1st, 2003
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
4th Annual Mopar Canadian nationals is once again plagued by poor weather. Decent conditions on Friday continually deteriorate producing a down right cold and windy environment for the balance of the weekend. That change does however have both plus and minus points. While fans were left shivering so was IHRA’s record book -- particularly in Pro Stock.
History will show Grand Bend Motorplex as the site of the first ever sub 6.5 secs runs in the Mountain-motor class. Ohio’s Brian Gahm, the defending IHRA World Champion, unloads a stunning 6.485 secs during the 5th pair of cars in round one on Sunday. Gahm then runs an even quicker 6.476 secs in round two driving his Ford Mustang, which is a new national ET record. Two other racers also dip into the “forties” -- Doug Kirk, who had reset that IHRA ET record at 6.501 secs during Saturday’s qualifying (also in a Ford Mustang) cards a 6.498 secs in round two. A couple pairs later it is Carl Baker’s turn, running 6.495 secs driving the Summit Racing Mercury Cougar. Incredibly, despite the quick time Baker still had to give up lane choice to Gahm for the semi finals (!) In that match both cars shake their tires and Baker wins. The Ohio-based driver then takes the final round on a holeshot winning by an eyelash over Kirk : 6.543 secs 211.36 mph to 6.537 secs 211.76 mph.
Top speed of the meet in PS went to Gahm at 213.82 mph -- which was a Canadian speed record for the class. No doubt about it -- Pro Stock racing at Grand Bend rocked!
Rob Atchison delivers big on his home turf and in front of a partisan crowd, winning in Alcohol Funny Car. Atchison, from London, earned his first career title in very dominate fashion. His unique Chevy-powered Pontiac Firebird is the clear performance leader throughout including a low ET of the meet shot of 5.727 secs. In fact Atchison runs nothing but 5.7 secs elapsed times throughout Sunday’s eliminations and was the only class driver capable of running sub 5.8 secs the entire event. Atchison guns down multi-time IHRA World Champion Mark Thomas in the final round.
Canadian Pro Mod powerhouse Al Billes also delivers the goods at Grand Bend winning for the ninth time in his career -- but for the first time on his native soil. Billes is a picture of consistency throughout the race starting from the pole (at 6.194 secs). Billes gives up lane choice to 2001 IHRA World Champion Mike Janis for the final but when Janis shakes his tires Billes clicks a winning 6.248 secs at 225.67 mph. Billes had run back-to-back 6.222 secs elapsed times while winning in rounds one and two.
Tennessee’s Clay Millican successfully defends his 2002 Mopar Canadian Nationals Top Fuel crown as he repeats driving Peter Lehman’s Werner Enterprises car. Millican’s win is however far from dominant this time as the cold track conditions necessitate Millican to use all his driving skills. Millican in fact peddles the car no less then six times while winning with a wild tire smoking run over Jack Ostrander in the semi finals ; 8.077 secs to 8.091 secs. Clay does however pound out low ET of the meet in the final at 4.690 secs to beat surprising first time finalist Grant Flowers. Millican ran 311.20 mph during qualifying, which was top speed of the meet.
Canadian fans had their first home-based Top Fuel dragster to cheer for in eons as Todd Paton made his competition debut in the class. The Paton Family responds well to the new class qualifying fourth at 5.291 secs. Todd jumps out to an early lead over Ostrander in round one however his 5.204 secs at 223.32 mph ultimatley proves to be no match for Ostrander who runs a near career best 4.815 secs in the other lane.
Race fans attending the event get a rare and first time glimpse at some Fuel Altereds, which were part of a demonstration which IHRA hopes will eventually evolve into a full-blown eliminator. (Here-here!) The AA/FAs driven by Ron Hope, Rick Hough and Mitch King make a series of runs with King’s Texas-based nitro-burner being the quickest at 5.935 secs.
Top Sportsman qualifying sees a couple of Canadian’s shine with Joe Boniferro and Kasey Janzen qualifying 1-2 with their supercharged machines. Boniferro, from Niagara Falls is the most impressive running 6.492 secs at 215.00 mph for the pole and then running his Dodge Avenger to an even quicker 6.410 secs during eliminations. That came unfortunately on a breakout (6.45 secs dial in) but was low ET of the event in the class.
Louisiana’s Frank Teuton wins the event’s Top Stock feature driving his ’70 Duster past the field. Teuton qualified on the pole with a run of 10.01 secs but then ran nothing but “nines” during Saturday’s eliminations to take the title. Teuton’s run of 9.887 secs in round three was low ET of the meet. He ran a 9.967 secs in the final round to beat the 10.02 secs effort from Monty Bogan Junior’s ’67 Chevy Camaro.
AFC racing features a strong qualifying effort from class newcomer, Canadian, Scott Wildgust, from Stratford, ON. Wildgust, driving his now Wix-sponsored Pontiac Firebird runs a 5.997 secs at 233.58 mph to make the program in the 7th slot. That was Wildgust’s first career “five”. Wildgust loses however to another Canadian Paul Noakes in round one. Noakes, another London-based racer -- took his flashy new look Ford Mustang to a career best 244.23 mph speed during the winning run (top speed of the meet) Noakes is now receiving tuning assistance from Gord Overbaugh formally with the late-great Herbie Rodgers.
