GRAND BEND, Ontario — Terry McMillen and Paul Noakes had starring roles in what turned out to be the end of a dream weekend Sunday for Hoosier Thunder Motorsports during the IHRA’s Mopar Canadian Nationals.
Noakes claimed the Alcohol Funny Car championship with a finals win over Larry Dobbs, and McMillen followed that performance with a finals victory over Spencer Massey for the Pro Nitro Top Fuel Ironman.
“My hat is off to Les Mellows, Paul’s crew chief, and his entire crew for what they were able to accomplish this weekend,” McMillen said. “I also have to give the credit to my team here and the entire gang at the shop back home. (Crew chief) Doug Kuch gave us the power and all my guys busted their butts and they never gave up their faith in this team. And here we are. They deserve all the credit. I’m just the nut behind the wheel.”
McMillen, who broke Clay Millican’s two-year-old track- speed record in his first elimination round against Kevin Jones, ran a 4.867e.t. at 278.52 mph in the final to top Massey’s tire-spinning 5.393/201.43 pass. His first-round 322.42 pass set the new Grand Bend Motorplex speed standard.
Terry Haddock won his second-career national event Ironman when he stopped Steven Macklyn in the Torco Pro Nitro Funny Car final. Haddock’s other win also came in Canada, as he won the Rocky Mountain Nationals championship in Edmonton last season.
It was a long time between wins for Canadian Nationals champion Ed Hoover. He last claimed an Ironman last season in Edmonton, but was able to snap his dry spell in Grand Bend where he edged Tommy D’Aprile to win the Torco Pro Modified title.
Frank Gugliotta ended up in the winner’s circle for the second time this season when he stopped Pete Berner in the Torco Pro Stock final. It wasn’t easy as the final round was the closest Pro Stock race of the weekend, with Gugliotta lighting the win light by a mere .004 second.