BUDDS CREEK, Md. — Last season, Funny Car driver Dale Creasy, Jr. was a regular visitor to the winner’s circle at IHRA Nitro Jam events, winning six times and easily cruising to his second-consecutive world title.
This season, things have not come quite as easily for the Beecher, Ill., resident. Through three national events heading into the President’s Cup Nationals, Creasy failed to find his way into the winner’s circle. That all changed when he knocked off Todd Simpson in the final round to claim the Ironman Sunday at Maryland Int’l Raceway.
“Today was a day we have been looking for,” Creasy said. “This morning, I was wondering if this was going to be a ‘go fast’ kind of race track or if it was going to be tricky. Either way, we thought we had something for everyone else. It worked out well. We have a tune-up we run at Grand Bend for a hot race track that we’ve been working on for two years. All the tracks are good until it gets this hot. You can’t do anything with a 140-degree race track.”
Creasy’s ’08 Impala was the strongest car all weekend. He qualified on top of the qualifying sheet before marching through the rounds of eliminations. He defeated Mike Smith in the first round when Smith rolled through the beams and posted a -.217 red-light. Creasy then knocked off Andy Kelley in the semifinals with a 5.118/293.73 pass to Kelley’s 5.323/280.14. He then marched past Todd Simpson in the final round, posting a 5.080 at 294.95 mph while Simpson shook the tires in the other lane.
Bobby Lagana, Jr. also found the winner’s circle for the first time this season, defeating defending World Champion Bruce Litton to take home the Torco Pro Nitro Top Fuel Ironman. The victory was Lagana’s fourth-career national event win. The win was special for Lagana because his father, Bobby Sr., was at MIR with him and his brother Domenick was tuning his car for the first time. Lagana clocked a 4.869/306.40 pass in the final to top Litton’s 4.998/225.82.
“I have absolutely the best deal in life,” Lagana said. “My family is great, I have an awesome girlfriend, my brother is unbelievable. Dom is the most incredible person in my entire life. I told him he was tuning the car this weekend and we never missed a beat. I have everything I could possibly want.”
Mike Castellana proved the nitrous Pro Modifieds are back with a vengeance. Castellana knocked off Ed Hoover in the final round by clocking a 6.097 at 238.93 mph. Earlier in the weekend, he posted the fastest speed by a nitrous Pro Modified car in IHRA history, posting a 239.14 mph pass.
Castellana knocked off Pat Stoken, Kenny Lang and Mike Janis to reach the finals.
Laurie Cannister continued her dominance in the Alcohol Funny Car class, winning for the third time in four national events. Cannister defeated Paul Noakes in the final round to repeat at MIR.
Frank Gugliotta was able to find the winner’s circle for the first time this year, defeating Jason Collins in the Torco Pro Stock final for a victory at Gugliotta’s home track.
The results:
Top Fuel — Bobby Lagana, Jr., 4.869 seconds, 306.40 mph def. Bruce Litton, 4.998 seconds, 225.82 mph. 
Nitro Funny Car — Dale Creasy, Jr., Chevy Impala, 5.080, 294.95  def. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 6.214, 159.99. 
Pro Modified — Mike Castellana, Pontiac Firebird, 6.097, 238.93  def. Ed Hoover, Chevy Camaro, 6.102, 232.31. 
Alcohol Funny Car — Laurie Cannister, Chevy Camaro, 5.780, 246.57  def. Paul Noakes, Dodge Avenger, 6.015, 238.17.
Pro Stock — Frank Gugliotta, Ford Mustang, 6.417, 219.86 def. Jason Collins, Chevy Cobalt, 6.431, 219.83. 
Top Sportsman — Sandy Wilkins, Chevy Cavalier, 7.319, 164.17  def. Wayne Woodard, Cavalier, 7.401, 162.37. 
Top Dragster — Gary Koebbe, Dragster, 7.075, 185.74  def. Steve Furr, Dragster, foul. 
Super Stock — Craig Marshall, Pontiac Grand Am, 8.970, 145.02  def. Monty Bogan, Jr., Pontiac Firebird, 9.588, 139.10. 
Stock — Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.592, 113.74  def. Wayne Totard, Pontiac Grand Am, 10.720, 126.45. 
Quick Rod — Danny Waters, Jr., Dragster, 9.020, 155.79  def. Kathy Fisher, Dragster, 9.067, 158.45. 
Super Rod — Cameron Manuel, Chevy Corvette, 9.890, 142.66 def. Steve Furr, Chevy Camaro, 9.889, 155.42. 
Hot Rod — Chris Carpenter, Chevy Vega, 10.867, 132.32  def. Chris Nyerges, Chevy Camaro, 10.858, 136.19.