Nitro! Nitro! Nitro!
Ontario fans will witness over two dozen nitro burning machines July 16-18
GRAND BEND, Ontario (July 8, 2010) – From Nitro Harleys to Top Fuel Dragsters to Prostalgia Nitro Funny Cars, fans of nitro won’t be disappointed when the Nitro Jam tour brings its strongest lineup of nitro vehicles ever to the shores of Grand Bend, Ontario for the 11th annual MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex July 16-18.
Over two dozen race machines in four different classes will make up the nitro ranks at the annual event, in addition to other volatile classes including Alcohol Funny Cars, Pro Modifieds and more. In exhibition action race fans will also enjoy one of the greatest spectacles in all of motorsports as the Shockwave jet semi takes on the Super Shockwave in a battle of 60,000 horsepower machines.
Steve Nichols (above) currently holds the lead in the Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car championship battle
But the real highlight of the weekend will be the incredible nitro showdown between many of the east coast’s top nitro teams.
Headlining that showdown are the stars of Nitro Jam’s quickest and fastest class – Top Fuel Dragsters. New York native Bobby Lagana enters the Grand Bend event with the hot hands having won three events in a row and an impressive seven of his last eight rounds of competition. Thanks to that streak Lagana has overtaken 2007 champion Bruce Litton at the top of the standings, eight markers ahead of the veteran.
Litton, a four time winner this season, will try to get back on track after having had a less than stellar outing in Edmonton last month. Defending world champion and ’09 MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals winner Del Cox Jr. is third and Spencer Massey is fourth.
Top Fuel will light up the night sky at one of the Nitro Jam’s biggest races
For Cox the Grand Bend event marked the turnaround he needed to win the ’09 championship as his victory in Ontario set off a string of four consecutive wins that allowed the then rookie to claim his first Nitro Jam title. Cox will be looking to repeat that magic next week.
Two new classes will also be a part of the weekend long festivities as the all-nitro Pro Fuel Dragster class puts on a show similar to Top Fuel and the brand new Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car field continues to provide some of the best racing anywhere in the country.
Beginning with Pro Fuel, veteran racer Jeff Hamelink, of Minneapolis, is coming off of his first win of the season in Edmonton vaulting him all the way to second in points. Two-time race winner Michael Manners continues to lead the class by a narrow one point margin.
Jeff Hamelink (above) finally found his grove in the new Pro Fuel class in Edmonton
Bill Evans, Robin Samsel and Johnny Ahten round out the Pro Fuel top five. Evans, the class leader in wins this year, and Samuel will rejoin the tour in Grand Bend after sitting out the western swing. Manners will also join back up with his companions after sitting out at Edmonton. Three-time final round participant Manners currently holds both ends of the class record at 5.323 seconds at 267.69 miles-per-hour set at Rockingham Dragway earlier this year.
Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car will also see a number of east coast teams return to the fold as class win leader Peter Gallen and a number of others return next weekend. Despite the return of some heavy hitters, the real champion over the past two months has been Steve Nichols who has vaulted from third place to the head of the pack, 64 points ahead of Gallen.
Bobby Lagana (above) enters Grand Bend with three straight victories and seven straight round wins
Greg Jacobsmeyer, Mike McIntire and Edmonton winner Tim Boychuk round out the top five. While on the west coast a collection of west coast race teams gained major footing in the class as Boychuk and “Mr. Explosive” Mark Sanders rocketed up the charts with two wins apiece, but back east many of the regular competitors look to retake their spots at the top.
One thing that will be tough to overcome is Boychuk’s new class record set at Edmonton a few weeks ago. Boychuk flew down the quarter-mile in 5.810 seconds at 247.38 miles-per-hour setting a new standard for the class.
Wrapping up the nitro action will be a collection of local Nitro Harley racers that will put on a show with passes in excess of 200 mph, all on two wheels.
The 11th annual MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals will get underway Friday, July 16 and run through Sunday, July 18 with one of the biggest shows ever run at the Grand Bend facility.
