Edmonton: Series pre-event notes

July Nitro Jam events packed with extra thrills

As if Top Fuel dragsters, door cars and sportsman racing weren't enough to keep race fans busy, the three Nitro Jam events in July will have a ton of extras thrown in to help add a little more bang for the buck.

As the IHRA Nitro Jam tour shifts its focus to the north with two races in Canada at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta and Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario and one race in Michigan at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, the IHRA has worked with each facility to add a few extra thrills to help create a unique, one-of-a-kind show at each of the three national events held during the month of July.

"We love to entertain and that is exactly what we are going to do in the coming month," said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. "Drag racing is an entertainment business. From the sights, sounds and smells of the nitro-burning Top Fuel dragsters to our always exciting door car classes, we love to keep our fans on the edge of their seat not knowing what they are going to see next."

Beginning with the first trip into Canada, the River Cree Resort and Casino Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Paradise RV will pack nearly every form of drag racing on the planet into a three-day event at Castrol Raceway.

Along with Top Fuel and Pro Modified classes, the Rocky Mountain Nationals will also feature Nitro Funny Cars, Alcohol Funny Cars, Pro Nostalgia, Pro Stock Motorcycles, Nitro Harleys, wheelstanders and the 20,000 horsepower "X-Treme Machine" jet semi.

The IHRA will stay in Canada for race No. 6 of 10 on the 2009 Nitro Jam schedule with a stop at the Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario two weeks later for the annual MOPAR Canadian Nationals.

Pro Stock will return to the fold in Grand Bend, while the field of Pro Modifieds will be one of the biggest of the year. Members of the PMRA will hold an extra race in conjunction with the Canadian Nationals as dozens of the worlds best Pro Mods battle for supremacy on the Canadian quarter mile.

Also featured in Grand Bend will be the "King of Canada" match race between Alcohol Funny Car stars Paul Noakes and Rob Atchison, Top Fuel dragsters, Nitro Harleys, the Ballistic Eagle jet motorcycle and the "X-Treme Machine" jet semi which will close out IHRA's trip through Canada.

Two weeks later the Nitro Jam tour will make a short trip over to U.S . 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. for the annual Northern Nationals.

The Northern Nationals will feature the usual batch of IHRA professional and sportsman racing along with a few Fuel Altereds, the "X-Treme Machine" jet semi and the Moser Axle Mania Sportsman Showdown.

With that much action crammed into one month, fans of drag racing and motorsports entertainment alike should find something to enjoy at one of IHRA's premier Nitro Jam national events.

"The racing on the track is as good as it has ever been and when you throw in extras like jet trucks, jet motorcycles, wheelstanders and some of the other nitro-fueled classes like Nitro Funny Cars and Nitro Harleys you have an event that provides a little something for everyone," Polburn said. "I love drag racing and I love to entertain and to be able to combine the two into one show really is an event that must be seen to be believed."

-credit: ihra