Editor's Extra

Wily Roger Bateman from Calgary was the quickest TAFC car at Seattle last weekend.  Roger anchored the category during qualifying for the NHRA Northwest Nationals. 

Roger drove the Y-Not Racing Mustang (which is now owned by Colorado's Jim Whitely) to a solid 5.578 secs to pace the field.  Bateman did however bow out in round two of competition at the event which was ultimately won by Alexis DeJoria. 

Photo by:  Gerry Frechette

Despite some rather valient tries by a number of people and organizations over the last few seasons -- Race City in Calgary is about to be no more.

Here is a very sad photo of the beginning of track's demolition.   Lets just hope that things can begin progressing at a faster pace north for a replacement drag strip at Rimbey AB?

A deserving "shout Out" goes to Bob Park from Dundas Ontario who won his first career LODRS event over the July long weekend.

Park prevailed in Super Stock eliminator driving his GT/EA '86 model during the Division One event held at Lebanon Valley NY. Bob outran (NHRA Super Nationals winner) Joe Santagelo in the final round running a winning 10.183 secs at 127.69 mph.

(Photos by:  Phil Hutchison)

Scott McVey (Winnipeg MB) was a big winner during the NHRA LODRS event held at Brainerd International Raceway last weekend..  The Canadian TAFC racer defeated current West Central Division Champion Kirk Williams in the final with a lap of 5.673 seconds, 254.09 mph to Williams’ 5.929, 242.02 mph. 

McVey’s  terrific looking ’06 Monte Carlo (formally raced by Ontario's Spiro Kontos) went quicker during each round of competition; beating Bruce Carlson, and Kris Hool.  

(Photo courtesy of:  Barry Bergeron - Eagle Eye Photography)

Here is a quick pre-season look at the spectacular new Chevy TAFC which will be campaigned by John and Ruth Evanchuk this coming season!  The car made it's public debut during the recent Edmonton New Dealers Car Show.  DragRaceCanada will have additional details about the car and upcoming season for Rush Hour Racing ... coming soon the main site.

Photo Courtesy of:  Nathan Sitko

Ontario's Mark Martino entered NHRA Pro Stock competition for the 4th time in his career during last weekend's 4-Wide Nationals down in Charlotte NC.

With an all new engine program for 2011 -- Martino did run well -- carving out a best run of 6.681 secs which was 20th of 22 cars entered.  That run was promising but did fall short of the 6.640 secs bump.

Photo By:  Dave DeAngelis

Edmonton-based 2nd generation racer Casey Plaizer had a simply outstanding run during the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas.

Plaizier had his best finish yet in NHRA national event racing -- taking Ken Reich's B/SMA classed Chevy Cavalier to the semi final round in Competition eliminator.  After qualifying with a .539 under the index 8.221 secs - Casey won three rounds of competition before falling to the tough A/A of Alan Ellis in round #4.

(Bruce Biegler Photo)

One of the interesting sidelights in the sport of drag racing is always the development of relationships.

Fast forward for highly popular North Carolinian Pro Mod racer Chip King -- who during July 2010 tied the knot with a very beautiful Canadian, Lori Wilson (who is from London Ontario area).

As Chip (who is a long time and great friend to DragRaceCanada.com) put so very elegantly:

"Over the years I had watched a lot of Canadian Pro Mod racers come down here, win races, qualify #1 and set records -- so I felt it was time to get some revenge," Chip joked. 

"Lori is a great girl and very supportive of my racing program.  She is a great find for a good old boy from NC."

A very cool story and congratulations to both Lori & Chip!

(Lori and Chip King) 

Congratulations to aspiring driver Cassie Simonton who wheeled Spiro Kontos' Chevy TAFC to career quick and fast times during the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Florida.

With a reconfigured car and reputed Randy Anderson now at the tuning helm -- the potential ridden Can-Am racing team hit a career best 5.561 secs at 260.91 mph during the event.  

Cassie (who is from Ohio) also won her first round ever in national event competition -- taking out fellow Ohioan Tony Bogolo during round one.

Bruce Biegler Photos

Kingston Ontario's Jason Kenny, arguably the premier Sportsman racer from anywhere in Canada came, very close to winning the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals at Reading PA.   Driving his ultra-consistent Dan Page built Super Comp dragster, Jason placed runner-up to Joe Cambria during Sunday's championship final rounds.

Kenny, who qualified #4 for eliminations ran just slightly too quick at 8.890 secs at 156.53 mph (8.90 index) -- which gave Cambria's 8.925 secs the title.

Photo courtesy of Phil Hutchison

During last weekend's NHRA O'Reilly Carolina Nationals another Canadian-based Top Fuel dragster operation made it's Full Throttle Series circuit debut. 

Driven by Fred Farndon (who lives in Oklahoma but was born in Toronto) the "Nitro Express" dragster, which is now owned by Oshawa Ontario’s John Laporte, tried it's luck at the Concord NC event.

Now tuned by John (Bodie) Smith, who is son of legendary famed tuner Paul Smith, the car did not qualify this time out but the group will try again during the upcoming Toyo Tires Nationals at Reading PA (Oct. 7-10th).

Photo by Dave DeAngelis

Driver Ken Webster and car owner Geoff Goodwin made their furthest trek East ever to go drag racing last weekend.

The Red Deer Alberta based TAFC team was entered in competition at ZMax Dragway in Concord NC for the NHRA O'Reilly Carolina Nationals.

Webster qualified Goodwin's Synoil Fluids Monte Carlo #8 with a 5.682 secs effort at 252.80 mph and then ran a quicker 5.675 secs to beat John Anderika in round one.

Webster unfortunately felt the wrath of TAFC powerhouse and eventual event winner Frank Manzo in the next round however.  Ken did his job by jumping out to an early lead (.022 RT) however Manzo's far superior 5.562 secs was ultimately too much to cover.

The team did come away with a prestigous award too -- their great looking crew was selected overall as "Best Appearing".

(Ken Webster at NHRA Concord -- Photo by David Smith)

It's happy birthday to one of our own (Sep. 19th)!   Valued Western Canadian contributor to DragRaceCanada "DJ Keeling" turns 49 (again!) today ... and we wish him all the best. 

Awww Yeaaahhh!

New Brunswick's Wendall Howes ran very well during the 10th Anniversary Mopar Hemi Challenge held during the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

Wendall went three rounds in competition and recordied what was reported to be his career best time of 8.561 seconds, driving his ’68 Hemi Barracuda.  For Howes, the finish was the best ever by a Canadian-based driver in the ten years of Mopar Hemi Challenge history. 

Photo by: Bruce Biegler

Photo by:  "Auntie" Sheryl Ogonoski