It was a big weekend for the Whitteker team, as they put the finishing touches on their rookie season at their home tracks of Edelweiss Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway. Edelweiss hosted a 100-lap feature for the Canadian Super Challenge Series while Cornwall was back in action after three consecutive rainouts. 

The Whitteker Motorsports team traveled to Edelweiss Speedway for the final time in 2010 on Friday night. Edelweiss was hosting a 100 Lap Canadian Super Challenge Series event to conclude the season for the Modified division. After a fourth place finish in his qualifying heat, Whitteker took to the track in the 100 lap main event from the 14th starting position. Whitteker was making progress, but when a fellow competitor spun out in front of Whitteker, he had nowhere to go and heavy contact was made. Whitteker was unable to continue and finished the event in 23rd place.

“Our car was really good tonight, but unfortunately we got caught up in a wreck and were unable to continue”, says Whitteker.

Cornwall Speedway was finally able to get back to racing on Sunday after three consecutive rainouts. Whitteker began the night with a second place run in his qualifying heat, after starting fourth. In the 30 lap Modified feature, Whitteker rolled off the starting grid from the eighth position in his Rust Check, Coldwell Banker, Steve Summers Coburn Realty, Jim’s Performance Plus, Parcoll Products/Napa Auto Parts, Quaker State, Riverside Pontiac, Toy Storage, Wells and Son Construction, ERD Engine Research and Development, and Finish Line Web Design sponsored Bicknell car. At the checkered flag, Whitteker finished in the same eighth place position, and will concluded the season at Cornwall in fifth place in points, and 2010 Cornwall Speedway Rookie of the Year. Next week’s season finale at Cornwall doesn’t count toward the championship, with the exception that all teams get the same amount of points just for being at the track.

“It was a struggle tonight, as it was for everyone. It was hard to pass on the outside lane of the track, and that is pretty much why we finished where we started. All in all, we have had a good season here at Cornwall, so we will take this, and hope for a nice run to finish out the year next Sunday for the Mr. DIRTcar race”, says Whitteker.

While the early weekend plans remain unclear at this point for this coming week, Whitteker will be back to conclude the season at Cornwall for their 100 lap Mr. DIRTcar Series race for the 358 Modifieds. Following that, the Whitteker team will look to do some traveling with the same DIRTcar 358 Modified Series as they hit Autodrome Granby and Autodrome Drummond the following weekend, before visiting the Mohawk Raceway for their series event on September 17th.

For more information on Luke Whitteker and the Whitteker Motorsports team, please visit our website, www.lukewhitteker.com. 

JORDAN STATION, ONTARIO (May 1, 2010)

The former Pro Modified driver will be behind the scenes in 2010, directing his attention on his engine-building business and other racing related projects, as well as providing tuning assistance to many of his ERD customers.

“Our focus right now is on engine building and track support,” said Spiering. With his Jordan Station, Ontario-based Engine Research & Development (ERD) facility, Spiering and his staff will continue to develop, build, and provide support in the performance engine arena. Along with engines for drag racing, ERD provides powerplants for dirt oval track, Sprint Car, tractor pull, and road racing applications.

Carl along with his team Terry Vince and Rob Becker have spent the winter focusing on the screw charger program for PMRA customers as well as competitive engines that will be running on unleaded fuel. Spiering said he will be concentrating on research and development for unleaded gas engines within the ERD shops.

After competing in the Pro Modified ranks in the IHRA (International Hot Rod Association), NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), and the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), Spiering turned his attention to the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, and drove a Chevy Cobalt in the series’ Top Sportsman class. He placed third in 2009 Championship Point Award Series the first year of the Quick 32 Sportsman Series.

Both of Carl’s daughters have competed at the drag strip as well. Lisa, 19, graduated from driving a Junior Dragster to a Top Dragster, and raced the powerful car in 2009, while 16-year old Monica raced in the Junior Dragster ranks. Lisa and Monica will not be racing this year, concentrating on their other passions.

Spiering noted he has enjoyed his time behind the wheel of a race car, but needed to step back.

“After 12 years of professional racing in the IHRA I have no regrets,” he said. “But I couldn’t think of a better time to take a break. Our engine business has grown significantly, and we’re going to be doing some serious R&D for unleaded fuel programs.”

ERD, www.erdengines.com are focused on research and development as well as on-track support for its customer base and will be at all the PMRA and Quick 32 Sportsman Series events as well as scheduled testing.

Photo Credit: Bruce Biegler – www.DragRaceCanada.com and Mike Goodwin – www.mgdigital.ca

WATERLOO, ONTARIO (March 1, 2010) – Al Hinds Motorsports is very excited to announce its return to Pro Modified Racing Association competition for the 2010 season with major backing from Wakefield Canada, under the Castrol SLX banner.

Everything is new on the 2004 Corvette Pro Modified for the new season, from the paint by Scott Jahren, graphics by JD Graphics, and a new engine program from Terry Vince and Carl Spiering at ERD (Engine Research & Development).

New sponsors to the team this year include Castrol SLX, JD Graphics of Waterloo, and Big Rock Brewery of Calgary, Alberta.

Back with the team are long-time partners NGK Spark Plugs, Robert’s Boxed Meats, Diversified Transportation Inc., Performance World Custom Car Show and Lowdown Hot Rods.

The Corvette features an ERD (Engine Research & Development) 526-cubic inch Alan Johnson Supercharged TFX engine in the Lowdown Hot Rods chassis and behind that is a Lenco three-speed. The PSI supercharger is fed from an ERD fuel system.

The team will remain the same for this season. Returning with car owner Al Hinds are Gary Irving and Tom VanDerGeld as co-crew chiefs, along with Mike Wagg and Al Heaney.

This season, Al Hinds Motorsports will concentrate on the PMRA Series and possibly enter select NHRA events.

The official unveiling of the car will take place at Performance World Custom Car Show in Toronto, Ontario on March 12-14, 2010

And that’s not just because the Owen Sound, Ontario native is ready to hop into his Corvette to race in the upcoming Quick 32 Sportsman Series, he said he is looking forward to being with his fellow racers.

“This program (the Quick 32 Sportsman Series) will be great, from what I saw last year,” he mentioned. “I thought the racers would all be quiet and reserved, but just the opposite is true. There is a great camaraderie with the group, and I would like to be a part of it.”

Keeling started racing with a Top ET Camaro only three years ago, but was able to help and observe in the pits working on the Sportsman cars while learning how to drive and tune his 572-cubic inch Corvette last season.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Carl (Spiering),” said Keeling. “He took me under his wing, and I worked on the high-end stuff. I learned a lot and found out I enjoyed this.”

Keeling realized he was enjoying himself so much, his Tim McAmis 1963 Corvette Split Window now has a 762-cubic inch ERD (Engine and Research Development) Chevy engine with a nitrous system under its skin, along with a Magna Fuel Products fuel system, and the engine is coupled to a Abruzzi Racing “Mack Daddy” two-speed Powerglide transmission.

The car was new last year, and Keeling said his plan was to get some seat time in the car, eventually putting some more power under the hood for the upcoming 2010 season.

“So I decided I would give it a shot,” and is ready to take to the track. The Keeling Motorsports team is comprised of Keeling and his wife Carolyn, who has been a big part of the effort, said Keeling. “I owe her a special thanks, I couldn’t be doing this without her.”

The Corvette is sponsored by W.D. Keeling Printers of Owen Sound, Ontario, and at present the team consists of driver Dave and Crew Chief Carolyn.

For more information contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher at Bruce@Quick32.ca

About the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts:
The Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, www.Quick32.ca, of drag racing was started early in 2009 as an alternative for high-horsepower Sportsman-class teams to compete on a regular basis, and will continue in 2010 for its second full season.

In 2010 the Quick 32 Sportsman Series will compete at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario and the South-western Ontario track of the Grand Bend Motorplex.

With 32-car qualified fields comprised of the 16 quickest open wheeled cars (Top Dragster) and the 16 quickest door cars (Top Sportsman), the Quick 32 Sportsman Series featured the best in ET-style, dial-in drag racing, competing on a Sportsman ladder and pit door-slammers against dragsters in every race day final.

Competitors in this Ontario-based Series must comply with the IHRA Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Safety rules and regulations, and the maximum dial-in will be 7.95 seconds for the quarter-mile.

This new venture provided $3000 to win for each event and $5000 for the annual Championship Point Award Series Champion, payouts very popular with competitors and will provide large fields of race cars.

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series is committed in providing a professional atmosphere for its teams. It will also provide solid media and logistic support to ensure it becomes one of the most popular drag race series running Top Sportsman and Top Dragster race cars.

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts competes several times with the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), www.PMRA.ca, as well as selected special events, offering fans a great show of drag racing.

Photo Credit: Bruce Biegler – www.DragraceCanada.com

STRATFORD, ONTARIO (January 20, 2010)

Hyde, former driver of the Hyde Racing Top Dragster, will be piloting a 2007 Cobalt in the Top Sportsman division of the Series.

“We decided we wanted to go into a nitrous program, and wanted to jump into a door car,” explained Hyde, who placed eighth in the NAPA Auto Parts Quick 32 Sportsman Series Championship Point Award Series in 2009 with the team’s supercharged dragster.

The new Hyde car will be the ex-Carl Spiering Cobalt, a car built for and raced in the Series by Spiering. The Jerry Bickel Race Cars machine features a 737-cubic inch nitrous-fed engine built and tuned by ERD (Engine Research and Development) from the Spiering shops in Jordan Station, Ontario.

While Hyde mentioned he had some time behind the wheel of a fendered race car, his experience was with a 10-second door-car on the quarter-mile, while the Cobalt should be capable of sub-seven-second times. The majority of his racing has been with Junior Dragsters before stepping into the speedy Top Dragster in 2009.

Hyde mentioned that the success of the team’s dragster program was due to crew chiefs Jim McCann and Rich Ingram.

“We want to thank Jim and Rich for all their help and guidance with the blower car,” Hyde said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them. We relied on them constantly, and you can expect to see Jim and Rich around the Hyde pits again this year.”

The team is gearing up for the new ride, and is looking forward to getting into the Cobalt.

“I can’t wait,” said Hyde, a graduate of the Frank Hawley School of Drag Racing. “It is certainly going to be different.”

He added the team is planning to go south in the next couple of months for some initial laps with the new car, and Spiering will be involved for this testing session.

“We’ll start with the eighth-mile. We’re going to start easy and work our way up.”

Hyde also mentioned his sister Sydnie, who has been driving a Junior Dragster the past several seasons, will step into the Top Dragster eventually.

The Cobalt will remain in its red livery at the present, and will sport the Hyde Racing team sponsorship of NAPA Auto Parts, Ideal Supply, Hyde Construction, Transit Petroleum, Hyde Electric, Dordan Mechanical Contractors, DuPont, Samson, Ronnoco, Budweiser, Art & Function, Fastpixs Digital Media, N A Engineering, Wilhelm Concrete, Steve Smith Construction, Sutton Group (Paul Graham) and Orr Insurance.

About the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts:

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, www.Quick32.ca, of drag racing was started early in 2009 as an alternative for high-horsepower Sportsman-class teams to compete on a regular basis, and will continue in 2010 for its second full season.

In 2010 the Quick 32 Sportsman Series will compete at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario and the South-western Ontario track of the Grand Bend Motorplex.

With 32-car qualified fields comprised of the 16 quickest open wheeled cars (Top Dragster) and the 16 quickest door cars (Top Sportsman), the Quick 32 Sportsman Series featured the best in ET-style, dial-in drag racing, competing on a Sportsman ladder and pit door-slammers against dragsters in every race day final.

Competitors in this Ontario-based Series must comply with the IHRA Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Safety rules and regulations, and the maximum dial-in will be 7.95 seconds for the quarter-mile.

This new venture provided $3000 to win for each event and $5000 for the annual Championship Point Award Series Champion, payouts very popular with competitors and will provide large fields of race cars.

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series is committed in providing a professional atmosphere for its teams. It will also provide solid media and logistic support to ensure it becomes one of the most popular drag race series running Top Sportsman and Top Dragster race cars.

The Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts competes several times with the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), www.PMRA.ca, as well as selected special events, offering fans a great show of drag racing.

Photo Credit: Bill Mehlenbacher Photography – www.nxphoto.com and Mike Goodwin – www.mgdigital.ca

“I know we finished second,” said Nielsen, of Brantford. “But I don’t think we did that great ourselves. We didn’t get enough clear runs.”

Driving the G-Force Race Cars 1969 Yenko Camaro Pro Modified, Nielsen’s best showings in the six-race series was a runner-up at the June 14 running of the PMRA Challenge at Cayuga Dragway, and a runner-up for the final September 20 event, also at Cayuga.

Nielsen also qualified the Camaro number one at this last PMRA race with a 6.148-second posting at 233.03 mph, but lost in the final.

“We’re looking to improve next year,” Nielsen stated. “We plan to make changes to the car. I think we have to be more consistent.”

One way the crew thinks they can improve their consistency is with a Bruno automatic drive to replace the present Lenco clutch setup in the car, but that is still in the thinking process.

Powered by a ERD (Engine Research & Development) 526-cubic inch Brad Anderson (BAE) Supercharged Hemi with a PSI/ERD Stage One supercharger and ERD fuel system, the Camaro is staffed by Randy Gronlund, Richard Ruysseveldt, Les Mellows, Dave Ross, Natalia Kalivodova and Rachel Ross and will travel to selected IHRA and other sanctioned events around the PMRA schedule.

Nielsen presently holds the quarter-mile speed record in PMRA competition with a 237.30-mph run in 2008, and won the 2006 PMRA Challenge at Cayuga Dragway.
But for 2010, he believes more stability is needed.

“Bruce (Boland, 2009 PMRA Champion) was always able to be there,” Nielsen remarked about Boland winning races. “He won on consistency, and that’s the name of the game.”

The PMRA and Quick 32 Sportsman Series Championship Point Award Series winners will be honored at the Champions Banquet on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at The Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel in the Oak Room in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

For more information contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher at Bruce@PMRA.ca

Photo Credit: Bill Mehlenbacher Photography – www.nxphoto.com and Mike Goodwin – www.mgdigital.ca

The drag racing endeavors for Canada’s Carl “Big Dog” Spiering during 2009 might have been a more scaled down version then in previous seasons but don’t let that be a deception.

Following a shift in sponsorship commitment and in personal priorities, Spiering’s racing has evolved to a different and more local focus. Instead of remaining heavily involved within the Pro Modified class ranks as a team owner and driver, where he raced for some 12 seasons, Spiering instead has grabbed the reigns of one of the most talked about machines in Canadian drag racing last summer, a nitrous-injected Chevy Cobalt Top Sportsman car.

After acquiring the car from Rickie Smith, Spiering worked hard on the car applying much of his own unique technology and vision. The car which saw action primarily within the NAPA Parts Quick 32 action within southern Ontario, acts also a test bed for Spiering’s ongoing ERD engine development process.

“This is the Pro Stock car that Rickie Smith raced during 2007,” Carl confirmed. “It is unique in fact it has been run in NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock and also as a Pro Mod car. This is the only car that Jerry Bickel ever built that was designed specifically to do that type of swapping of engines – everything just snaps in and out.”

Carl raced the car very successfully during the 2009 season finishing a strong third in final points within the NAPA Quick 32 Sportsman Series. Using nitrous injection and one of his own 737 CID engines, the car ran very regularly within the 6.5 to 6.6-second zone.

The shift to the Cobalt racing program included both practical and business reasons.

“It’s fun to dabble with nitrous oxide again, I haven’t done that since 1998,” Carl continued. “Running this car with big cubic inches and a powerglide has proven to be a lot more user friendly. For our racing team (which includes dragsters for Carl’s girls; Lisa (18) and soon Monica (16)) the decision was made for ease of maintenance reasons. Eventually all three cars will run similar engines.”

Carl’s ERD engine facility will also benefit from the program. While a high priority of ERD remains with supercharged power plants, Spiering is striving to offer his potential customers even more engine options.

“The developmental work required with all of that necessitated that I step back,” he added. “Our blower programs will continue on but there has been a bit of a shift towards normally aspirated motors. Our customer base in Sportsman categories is growing — that will be my new priority.”

An invading Pro Mod team from Canada rudely scored one of the most prestigious independent event wins of the season yesterday.

Owned by Rob Sporring and driven by Tony Pontieri, the Quality Plus Compressors Chevy Camaro stopped all challengers within the marquee Pro Outlaw Blown category during the 7th Annual Shakedown at E-Town event held in New Jersey. That race, which was this season presented by Al-Anabi, is advertised and now widely regarded as the sport’s premier “Outlaw” racing event.

Pontieri’s victory was a truly impressive one — the team was simply dominating.

They qualified #1 over 22 other competitors with a 5.906 secs and then rattled off both low ET (5.895 secs) and top speed (246.39 mph) during Sunday’s final eliminations. They recorded the quickest ET during each and every round of competition, reeling off consecutive laps of 5.938 secs, 5.922 secs, 5.895 secs and 5.914 secs to defeat (in order) Kevin Vanderback, Benny Alfonso, Larry Plummer and then finally Kevin McCurdy.

Pontieri (who is from Bolton) and his team, who have been only sporadic with their event appearances this season after completing construction of their new car, picked up a lucrative payment of $20,000 for their very solid weekend effort.

The Shakedown event also included a strong finish for another Canadian driver, John Carinci (from Woodbridge). Carinci placed runner-up in the event’s Outlaw Heavy Street class driving his nitrous-injected ’70 Barracuda. Carinci had a boundary violation in the final round which gave the automatic win to opponent Mitch George. George’s victory was however very bittersweet as he went for a very nasty spill past the finish line which destroyed his car.

(Photos by: “Diamond Dave” DeAngelis)