Words and photos by Larry Crum

Once a year the IHRA Nitro Jam series travels to Alberta’s capital city to put on the biggest drag race in all of Canada.

And once a year a dozen or so drivers get a chance to make their hometown fans proud with a shot at glory at Castrol Raceway.

For the second year in a row, that is person is Tim Boychuk.

For the second consecutive year Boychuk dominated at his home track of Castrol Raceway with a huge victory in the biggest Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car competition in western Canada, edging fellow Edmontonian Mike Grekul to take the crown at the Mopar Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam Nationals Sunday in Edmonton. Boychuk ran a 3.831 elapsed time at 198.85 miles per hour in the eighth-mile final to defeat Grekul and continue his reign of terror at Castrol Raceway.

“I am speechless, I get choked up just thinking about what this means,” said Boychuk, driver of the “Troy Lee Designs” backed Pontiac Funny Car. “It was such a crazy weekend with the rain and so many great competitors gunning for us that my emotions are just up and down right now.

“The only thing I do know is that I have a great, consistent crew that gets me down the track and I am thrilled to come away a winner once again.”

Joining Boychuk in taking home Ironman trophies on championship Sunday at Castrol Raceway were Bobby Lagana Jr. (Top Fuel), Jay Turner (Nitro Harley), Wayne Hofer (Pro Modified) and Ron Maroney (Nostalgia Fuel Altered).

Sportsman winners from Sunday’s Mopar Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam Nationals were Darryn O’Conner (Top Sportsman), Scott Hearn (Top Dragster), Mike Pople (Quick Rod), Chad Barclay (Super Rod), Tony Osredkar (Hot Rod), Sheldon Erfle (Super Stock), Mark Faul (Stock), Dan Coss (No Box), John Melnyk (Box) and Kaitlyn Crooks (Junior Dragster).

But by far Sunday’s biggest winner was Boychuk.

After sweeping the Mopar Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam Nationals in 2010, Boychuk hoped to continue that streak at Castrol Raceway with another strong outing and did just that by dominating the Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car class.