Mopar’s 7th Annual Canadian Nationals (presented by Castrol) features a record car count, record spectator gate, never-ending track record performances and high emotion in the Torco Pro Nitro winners circle.

New York’s Bobby Lagana Jr., who has been a popular independent racer on the IHRA circuit for years finally had his “ship come in” as he won in Top Fuel for the first time in his career. Lagana Jr., spots defending World Champion Clay Millican an early lead in the Top Fuel final but when both cars develop tire smoke problems it is Bobby who out peddles Clay to the finish line stripe; 5.367 secs 236.59 mph to 6.611 secs 140.05 mph.

Lagana had run his Torco-sponsored car to 4.753 secs to qualify #3 at the event before beating Tony Zizzo and Rick Cooper in earlier competition.

Top Fuel racing attracted 13 entries at the event. Class notables included the very first pole qualifying effort for Rick Cooper who drove his Torco/Mach Series Accelerator sponsored dragster to a career quick 4.646 secs – a new track record for Grand Bend. Cooper’s racing teammate, and overall IHRA eMax points leader Doug Foley, was a shocking DNQ at the event as his 7.505 secs missed the 6.030 cut. Clay Millican’s R/UP performance did include a new track speed record at 320.97.

The first Nitro Funny Car eliminator presented in Canada since Cayuga 1992, featured a popular win for Dale “Peanut” Creasy Jr., driving his Torco-sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo. Creasy won an exciting wire-to-wire final round dash over Bob Gilbertson’s Prestone/Autolite XP Dodge Stratus taking that title 4.999 secs to 5.050 secs.

Creasy’s first ever national event win came from the pole (4.870 secs) which was also a career first. He was also credited with top speed at 306.01 mph.

Funny Car eliminator had seven qualifiers although there was a total of nine machines on the premises. Texan Vicky Fanning and British driver Smax Smith (driving for Canada’s Spiro Kontos) did make some unofficial test runs at the race in preparation for future IHRA event appearances.

Pro Modified class racing attracted a spectacular field as a total of 29 machines made qualifying attempts. Florida’s Tommy D’Aprile bombed the old Grand Bend Motorplex track record for the class (6.179 secs) when he thundered to a 6.084 secs – the quickest PM run ever on Canadian soil.

The Pro Mod final however featured an ultra cool Can-Am pairing of vintage replica Chevrolets with the ’57 Chevy of overall IHRA points leader Glen Kerunsky facing off against the ’62 Chevy of South Carolina’s Al Pittman. Pittman, who won at Grand Bend in PM in 2001 managed to pull off the upset as his 6.243 secs at 227.10 mph beat Kerunsky’s tire-shaking effort.

The runner-up finish for Alberta’s Kerunsky was his third straight IHRA final round this season further strengthening his #1 points standing.

It is also interesting to note that the PM final round featured two 100% Canadian engine building programs with Kerunksy’s Atchison Machine (London ON) Chevrolet versus Pittman’s ERD Hemi (Jordan Station ON).

Pittman’s win was a result of some good driving, good fortune and consistency. He beat pole qualifier Tommy D’Aprile on a first round holeshot (6.293 secs to 6.283 secs) and then benefited from a red-light foul start by Carl Spiering in round two. Pittman delivered a strong .022 RT in the semis and that advanced his 6.307 secs past Quain Stott’s much quicker 6.231 secs.

The Pro Mod racing highlight reel featured numerous impressive performances including a string of “6-teens” and a “final four” finish by Steve Bareman, driving Jim Oddy’s Summit Racing Equipment Stratus.

The event’s highly anticipated Performance Racing News sponsored “Night of Fire” was unfortunately rained out and nixed the event’s third scheduled qualifying session. That did seem to take it’s heaviest toll on the PM class with the normally top running Pro Mod cars campaigned by Rick Distefano, Scott Cannon, Shannon Jenkins and Harold Martin all being left outside the program on Sunday.

Pro Stock racing along the shorelines of Lake Huron at Grand Bend Motorplex has historically always been a quick affair and that trend continued at the ’06 event. The track record going into the race was 6.476 secs but incredibly 15 of the 16 qualifiers bettered that old mark during just two sessions!

Maryland’s Frank Gugliotta produced by far the quickest and fastest Pro Stock run in Canadian history with a spectacular 6.393 secs at 218.39 mph driving Charlie Taylor’s ultra-powerful Ford Escort. Gugliotta, who won at San Antonio earlier this season was however gunned down in round one by recent Rockingham winner Tony Gillig; 6.420 secs to 6.412 secs.

The Pro Stock final boiled down to a classic Ford versus GM match with Robert Patrick’s absolutely unreal new 2006 Ford Shelby facing Pete Berner’s all new GTO. Patrick, who was favored and had lane choice, had a slight wiggle off the starting line and that proved to be the difference as Berner collected his 2nd career IHRA title with a 6.452 secs 216.81 mph to 6.478 secs at 217.49 mph.

Alcohol Funny Car class racing produced the milestone 25th career win for Ohio’s Mark Thomas – a fan favorite with Canadian drag racing fans. Thomas strengthened his overall points lead in the eMax standings when he scored a come-from-behind win over Terry Munroe in an all Chevy Monte Carlo final round pairing – 5.898 secs 243.37 mph to 5.979 secs 235.17 mph.

Thomas had driving his Ethanol Performs sponsored machine to wins over Terry McMillen and Larry Dobbs in earlier competition.

Pre-event hometown favorite Rob Atchison did not have the 2006 Mopar Canadian Nationals event result he was seeking. Rob did reset the track MPH mark for the class at 246.57 while qualifying #3 but then experienced severe tire shake problems in round one while losing out to Fred Tigges.

Ontario’s Kevin Wicke highlighted Canadian Sportsman racing action at the event as he scored his first ever IHRA national event win besting a star-studded Top Sportsman field driving his popular and new look Chrysler LeBaron. Wicke’s win come over a massive 46-car field and included a final round decision over former IHRA World Champion Gary Bingham.

Top Sportsman qualifying did include some interesting jockeying for the pole position courtesy of Ontario drivers Gary Mater and Jerry Bowles. Both drivers had their fan favorite and supercharged machines flying but ultimately it was Mater that prevailed 6.676 secs to 6.680 secs for #1.

The Top Stock title went to another Mopar with Maryland’s Joe Aluise Jr scoring that title driving his high-flying ’63 Belvedere. Aluise won the final over the ’67 Camaro driven by Detroit’s Paul Mercure.

Top Stock racing did include some controversy. Following some spectacular qualifying runs by late model entries (in particular 9.372 secs by Monty Bogan Jr – by far the quickest in history) the self governed group was thrown into temporary shambles with a number of more traditional racers boycotting some scheduled qualifying.

During the event DragRaceCanada did present it’s popular “Swift 16” program in conjunction with co-sponsor Eaton for Pro Stock and Pro Mod racers. Our money and “Nitro Moose” trophies went to John Montecalvo in Pro Stock and to Allan Pittman in Pro Mod. In what could be considered a bit of an omen, the “Swift 16” PM winner went on to win the overall event title! (i.e.: Burton Auxier 2005).