Shane Reykdal

Sunday’s biggest surprise winner was Shane Reykdal from Edmonton in Rocky Mountain Nostalgia Funny Car. Reykdal qualified 13th on the ladder and provided four upset wins on Sunday on his way to picking up his first career Ironman in one of the most unique classes on the Nitro Jam tour found only in Edmonton.

Reykdal had wins over Arvid Fonstad and Ron Sekura in the 6.99 index class before meeting top qualifier David Brant in the semifinals as Brant broke out by a few thousandths at the line. In the final Troy Sitko got off the line first with the Ace-sponsored ’37 Chevy, but Reykdal ran closer to the numbers in his ’79 Omni with a 7.074/180.07 to Sitko’s 7.167/191.62 to pick up the win.

“We struggled like crazy with the tune-up this weekend, but we kept picking at it and we finally got it working the way we wanted,” Reykdal said. “My crew did one heck of a job with the quick turnaround and the hot weather and we finally figured it out for the final. We had some lucky rounds, but sometimes luck is the way you have to go.”

Scott Palmer

In regular Nitro Jam competition Missouri’s Scott Palmer picked up his first ever victory in Nitro Jam competition in Top Fuel, beating Bruce Litton in round one and getting a freebie in the final when Kyle Wurtzel’s “High Yield” Top Fuel Dragster failed to make the call.

Despite the final result, Palmer and Litton matched up in the final pass of the weekend in professional competition as a salute to the fans and Litton smoked his opponent with low elapsed time of the weekend on the tricky track with a 5.097/280.14. Litton, the very first ever winner in Top Fuel at Castrol Raceway, won on Friday night.

Bobby Lagana Jr. won the consolation round on a bye.

Tom Padilla wrapped up the professional competition at Canada’s biggest drag race with a win in Nostalgia Fuel Altered behind the wheel of the famous “Nasty Benjamin” machine. Padilla had low E.T. in round one with a 6.530/217.81 to give him lane choice, but that mattered little as his final round opponent Kyle Hough’s “Nanook” altered developed a leak on the line, allowing Padilla to have a nice leisurely Sunday drive to pick up the win.

In the consolation round Saturday night winner Randy Bradford defeated Ron Hope.