Version 4.0 of the ACDelco Canadian Nationals is a rousing success story. A single day Canadian event record for drag racing crowd (on Saturday) witnesses some tremendous action that included track, Canadian and IHRA national record breaking performances.

Ontario racers Robbie Atchison and Carl Spiering steal the event spotlight as they both win big in front of a partisan home crowd.

Atchison puts a “sleeper hold” on a third straight IHRA Alcohol Funny Car points crown when he wins for the 5th time this season driving the Erickson Manufacturing Pontiac Firebird. Robbie scores a “natural hat trick” when he outperforms New York’s Jim Sickles in the final round to win his 3rd straight IHRA national event. Atchison leaves first (.030 RT) and never looks back to win at 5.890 secs 240.85 mph.

Robbie Atchison had paced the quick field (5.930 secs bump) with a superb 5.760 secs which stood up for low ET of the meet. He beat Larry Dobbs and Fred Tigges in earlier competition.

Crew Chief Tom Anderson propelled class R/UP Sickles to an outstanding 246.57 mph run during qualifying. Not only was that effort, for the Meyers RV Superstore Chevy Monte Carlo, top speed of the meet – it was a new IHRA national mph record.

The victory by Carl “Big Dog” Spiering in Pro Modified was about as timely as any win could be. Spiering was a picture of power and consistency while winning driving the suddenly “red hot” Eaton Cutler-Hammer-sponsored ‘63 Corvette. Carl’s win came not only just a few miles from his home base (Jordan Station ON) it also came in front of all his family, friends and a very special “cheering section” of some 900+ Eaton Cutler Hammer event guests.

Spiering left only crumbs on the table as he hammered out both low ET (6.151 secs) and top speed (232.91 mph) while dissecting the field. After winning round one at 6.167 secs, Spiering’s talented team, led by crew chief Terry Vince, choreographed consecutive laps of 6.222 secs, 6.222 secs and 6.220 secs to take the title. Spiering beat Pro Mod class star Shannon Jenkins in a lop-sided final round.

PM racing at TMP surprisingly attracted only 15 cars for competition. Carl Spiering was in fact the only Canadian machine entered -- a direct consequence of the unfortunate recent incidents that ended the 2005 racing seasons for local racers like Al Billes, Tony Pontieri and Raymond Commisso.

New York’s Mike Castellana notched himself a little bit of PM history at the event. Driving his Western Beef-sponsored Chevy Cavalier, Castellana recorded the first ever 230+ mph run using nitrous-oxide injection. Mike hit a 230.45 mph terminal speed during his 6.206 secs qualifier.

Illinois-based racer Steve Spiess rocked the Pro Stock class racing world as he took full advantage of the premium track surface preparation to bomb both ends of the IHRA national record. Speiss just missed a barrier breaking (first ever 6.3 secs run!) with a spectacular 6.400 secs to take the pole on Saturday night. He also devastated the IHRA speed mark throughout the event which ended up at 217.98 mph -- !

Spiess, driving his Chevy Colbalt, was also an absolute picture of speedy consistency during the event. On Sunday he delivered consecutive runs of 6.459, 6.456, 6.457 and 6.437 secs to win in a romp. Steve shutdown the Ford Cobra of defending event champion Robert Patrick in the final, to claim the championship. Patrick aborted with mechanical problems.

Pro Stock class racing included numerous inspired performances. Canadian Larry O’Brien recorded his career best ET and speed (6.490 secs and 215.27 mph) and won in round one driving his Windsor-based Bears Performance Dodge Stratus. O’Brien’s speed was the fastest run ever by a Canadian in the category.

Doug Foley won his first race of the year and also successfully defending his 2004 ACDelco Canadian Nationals Top Fuel crown. The New Jersey-based driver of the Torco Race Fuels entry won the event from the pole after he hit an outstanding 4.640 secs during qualifying. Foley won the event when he carded a final round 4.795 secs at 299.13 mph to defeat Indiana’s Bruce Litton’s who had an early shut off effort.

Round one of Top Fuel included a monster upset as independent Roger Dean defeated pre-race favorite and defending World Champion Clay Millican. Roger ran 4.963 secs at 291.01 mph to beat Millican’s tire-spinning 5.068 secs at 272.94 mph.

Millican’s event effort at Toronto was his first race back following his unreal “blowover” at Milan Dragway two weeks earlier. Not surprisingly that incident seems to have an effect as Millican in fact aborted two of three qualifying runs – a true rarity for the talented Werner Enterprises team. Clay did however qualify #2 with a rather conservative 4.651 secs at 315.56 mph.

Top Dragster and Top Sportsman racing at TMP attracted great fields with 41 and 45 cars entered respectively. The TD final was a Can-Am affair with Ohio’s Dave Elrod beating Ontario’s Ian St. Pierre. The TS class produced a first time winner with local racer Vito Antonicelli (from Lancaster NY) winning driving his show-stopping ’63 Corvette. Antonicelli beat the Dodge driven by North Carolina’s Frank Teague in the final round.

Ohio’s Russ Wheeler paced the TD program with a low ET run of 6.440 secs. Lady racer Candyce Marsh (from North Carolina) earned the pole in TS with a strong 6.719 secs run driving her ’01 Firebird.

A hard fought Super Stock eliminator title was won by another local – Sportsman superstar Dan Fletcher – who scored driving his Summit Racing Equipment SS/EA ’69 Camaro. Fletcher beat the Chevy S-10 SS/TA driven by Canadian Gene Emes in the final round. Emes R/UP was his best finish yet in IHRA event competition.

The ACDelco Canadian Nationals included a few extras. Saturday’s schedule included exhibition runs by 8-cars representing the popular Supercharged Thunder circuit who thrilled the capacity crowd with some great burnouts and close racing. The event also included the first ever Pro Stock Sled demonstration eliminator for IHRA. That 8-sled shootout was won by Jeff Cullen (from Maine) who set both low ET (8.649 secs) and top speed (152.66 mph).

DragRaceCanada and co-sponsor Eaton Electrical concluded it’s 2005 “Swift 16 Lotto” program at the TMP event. Pro Stock racer Brian Gahm and Pro Mod racer Charles Carpenter each collected $500.00 and a special edition Moose sculpture.

Other event special awards included:

Roy Wasko (N. Royalton, OH) – Best Appearing Pro Crew
John Russo (Middleton, MS) – Best Engineered Pro Car
Mike Bruno (Frankfort, IL) – Best Appearing Pro Car
Jeff Brown (Marysville, OH) – Best Engineered Sportsman Car
Louis Pitzonka (West Seneca NY) – Best Appearing Sportsman Car
Melanie Simmons (Orillia, ON) – Best Appearing Sportsman Crew
David Opie (St. Catherines, ON) – DRM Editors Choice