IHRA
Northern Nitro Jam to feature championship battles in four nitro classes
Courtesy of IHRA
MARTIN, MI – In addition to an already historical weekend of racing on tap for the upcoming Northern Nitro Jam at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, championships will be awarded in all four nitro classes on the property as the Nitro Jam
professional drag racing series wraps up its season at Michigan’s fastest track the weekend of August 12-13.
And of the nitro classes handing out hardware, two drivers have already sealed up a Nitro Jam championship entering Martin. Peter Gallen, driver of the “Poverty Stricken” 1974 Vega Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car, and Steve Dorn in Nitro Harley, will be able to rest easy as both have already clinched the title in their respective categories and both will essentially be making victory laps in front of the anticipated capacity crowd in Michigan later this year.
Boychuk splits Funny Car battle at Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals
Courtesy of IHRA
GRAND BEND, ON – Call it a draw. Call it a split. But whatever you call it, don’t think this battle is over just yet.
In a battle of two of the fastest nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars in world, Pennsylvania’s Peter Gallen claimed round one on Saturday while Alberta’s Tim Boychuk proved top dog on Sunday, splitting the much anticipated matchup between the
two during the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex in Ontario.
Peter is a pretty tough opponent to go against so we were thrilled to get the win this afternoon,” Boychuk said. “It is nice to split with him. They have a great car and a great team and they know how to put the numbers down so anytime you can beat a team like that it is really special.”
Gallen set a blistering pace to open the weekend, temporarily setting a new world record in the process, but Boychuk was able to battle back and pick up his own Ironman trophy on Sunday with the two quickest laps of the afternoon to split the weekend and leave the title of nostalgia racings fastest driver unanswered – for now.
Wild evening of racing greets fans at Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals
Courtesy of IHRA
GRAND BEND, ON – Peter Gallen 1, Tim Boychuk 0. In a showdown that was billed as a battle of the fastest between Pennsylvania’s Peter Gallen and Alberta’s Tim Boychuk, it was all Gallen on Saturday as the driver of the “Poverty
Stricken” 1974 Vega Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car blasted to a potential world record and a win in front of a capacity crowd at the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex in Ontario.
Gallen put a blistering 5.707 elapsed time on the charts at 247.25 miles per hour to pick up the win, his sixth of the season to wrap up a wild and crazy evening of racing in front of one of the biggest crowds in recent Grand Bend history.
“We felt like we had something to prove. We wanted to go out there and win this thing,” Gallen said. “To do that, we knew we had to run some pretty quick numbers and thankfully we were able to do that. The last time I raced Tim we didn’t get to race him in the final and we really wanted to go up against that team with a win on the line.
Turner returns to ‘The Bend’ 11 years after inaugural victory
Curtesy of IHRA
GRAND BEND, ON – Do you remember what you were doing exactly 11 years ago? Jay Turner does. He was visiting 
victory lane atop his noble steed – a nitro-gulping, 2,000 horsepower Nitro Harley Davidson.
“It was a rainy weekend,” recalls Jay Turner of the first Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals ever held at the Grand Bend Motorplex in Ontario back in 2000. “But nothing could slow us down. We were determined to win that thing and sure enough we came away with the win.”
And that wasn’t all. “I remember the enthusiasm of the fans. The crowd there was nuts,” Turner said. “I remember that the weather was bad almost all weekend, but the fans kept coming in. We packed the place. There was nothing that could deter those fans.”
Top Fuel battle reaches fevered pitch in Grand Bend
Courtesy of IHRA
GRAND BEND, ON – Exactly one year ago at the annual summer spectacular known as the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex in Ontario, Canadian owner/driver Todd Paton piloted his Tim Horton’s backed Top Fuel
dragster to a victory over former champion Bruce Litton to claim the very first Top Fuel victory by a Canadian at an IHRA Canadian event.
Next week, Paton hopes history will repeat itself once again.
With the 11th annual Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals just a few days away, Paton will be back in action at Grand Bend this weekend looking to once again put his familiar red and black nitro machine in victory lane against a trio of very tough Top Fuel opponents at one of Canada’s premier drag racing events.
“We were a late addition to the show last year and we surprised even ourselves by coming out on top and finally getting a win in this thing,” Paton said. “Hopefully we will have the same kind of success in Grand Bend and win another Ironman for Canada.”
Winners crowned on championship Sunday at inaugural Summit Racing Sportsman Spectacular
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – Over the past 40 years thousands of different drivers from all corners of North America have h
oisted trophies and celebrated victory with the International Hot Rod Association.
None, however, have done it more than Anthony Bertozzi.
Bertozzi, a native of the small town of Ashland located in the heart of Virginia, has compiled an impressive resume during his lengthy drag racing career that includes a record 16 IHRA championships and over 60 national event victories, all of which sweeter than the last.
So when the IHRA decided to celebrate the past four decades with a special race held over the weekend in southern Maryland featuring a record payout and other prizes just a few hours from Bertozzi’s home, it was only fitting that the winningest driver in IHRA history participate.
And even more fitting, win. Bertozzi was one of nearly half a dozen winners from the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular held at Maryland International Raceway over the weekend, winning the Super Stock class and pocketing a cool $5,000 in the process awarded to class winners at MIR.
Fields set following huge opening day at Summit Racing Sportsman Spectacular
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – It was billed as the biggest and grandest sportsman drag race in the 40 year history of the International Hot Rod Association.
And so far, after just one day of competition, it looks like the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular is living up to that hype.
A massive contingent of championship race teams filled the grounds at Maryland International Raceway on Saturday as the opening rounds of qualifying and first round of eliminations wrapped up day one at the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular at MIR.
In addition to the $5,000 awaiting class winners on Sunday, Summit Racing Equipment also added a $100 bonus to top qualifiers on Saturday leading to some fierce competition to grab the top spot in each class. And leading their respective fields after a busy Saturday at MIR are Alan O’Brien (Top Dragster), Todd Fontana (Top Sportsman), Roy Hill (Super Stock), Jim Marshall (Stock), Mike Daymude (Quick Rod), Jay Bradford (Super Rod) and Matthew Robinson (Hot Rod).
Winners to take home $5,000, special Ironman and more at IHRA’s sportsman event
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – Racers fortunate enough to visit victory lane at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment 
Sportsman Spectacular at Maryland International Raceway will walk away with a special edition Ironman made specifically for this race honoring the 40 year history of the International Hot Rod Association.
Oh, and winners will also pocket a cool $5,000 for a win in each IHRA class.
Racing will be contested in IHRA’s regular Summit Pro-Am touring classes of Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod and Hot Rod, along with competition in Top ET, Mod ET and Junior Dragster. The race is open to all racers regardless of affiliation with $5,000 going to class winners, along with the special edition Ironman, national event contingency and a spot in the year-end Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions for IHRA members.
Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals to feature huge nostalgia Nitro Funny Car competition
Courtesy of IHRA
GRAND BEND, ON – One is the quickest and fastest nostalgia Funny Car pilot on the east coast. The other, the best of the best in the west.
And next weekend in Ontario race fans will get a rare chance to see the two drivers go head-to-head to find out who truly is the fastest Funny Car driver in drag racing today.
“We had a great weekend in Edmonton last month winning in front of our hometown fans for the second year in a row and we look forward to bringing that momentum to Grand Bend,” said Tim Boychuk, driver of the “Troy Lee Designs” Pontiac Funny Car. “This will be the first time we have taken the Funny Car to Grand Bend with the IHRA and we look forward to going up against Peter Gallen and many of the other great competitors that will be in Ontario next week. We know we have a fast car so we will have a big target on our backs. I just hope we can put it all together and win another one for Canada.”
Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular this Weekend at MIR
Courtesy of IHRA
BUDDS CREEK, MD – It is the biggest sportsman drag race in IHRA history. And the racing world is starting to take notice.
“This is going to be a great event. It has a very good schedule, a very good format and the purse is just great. The IHRA did a wonderful job with this event,” said 16-time IHRA World Champion Anthony Bertozzi. “I think there will be a ton of cars out this weekend and I look forward to going up against some of the best out there.”
Many of the best drivers from across North America will be making the pilgrimage to Budds Creek, Md. this weekend for the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Spectacular at Maryland International Raceway for the biggest sportsman class race in the 40 year history of the International Hot Rod Association.
