Once a year the International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) visits the shores of Lake Huron for three full days of drag racing action. And for that one weekend, the fans of Grand Bend, Ontario pack the house for an event unlike any other as the IHRA and Grand Bend Motorplex celebrate all things speed and excitement at the annual IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals.

Beautiful weather and an already packed house are the story of the day here in Ontario as the IHRA and Grand Bend Motorplex celebrate one of Canada's biggest drag races here at the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals.

An exciting night of qualifying Friday night gave way to a busy Saturday highlighted by the return of drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits to the IHRA stage. Garlits will greets the fans and sign autographs throughout the weekend as the official Grand Marshal representing longtime partner Mopar. Check out the highlights so far and click on the link below for our complete gallery from Grand Bend, Ontario.

GRAND BEND PHOTO GALLERY

One bad race was more than enough for Nitro Funny Car racer Jason Rupert.

After failing to qualify at the previous IHRA race in Budds Creek, Maryland, Jason Rupert, the current IHRA points leader in the nitro-powered Funny Car class, was determined not to let that bad luck continue. On Friday in Grand Bend, Ontario, Rupert got back on track with a chart-topping lap to get the festivities underway at one of Canada’s biggest motorsports events, the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex.

 It is one of the oldest, most prestigious events in the history of the International Hot Rod Association and now the IHRA is returning with one of its biggest events in years as the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series returns to Castrol Raceway July 4-6 for the IHRA Mopar Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam Nationals presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports and Parts Canada.

Already filled with great racing across five incredible classes, the International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) will be raising the bar even higher this weekend for one of its biggest events of the year with the addition of Top Fuel Dragster and Pro Modified to the lineup for the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Grand Bend Motorplex.

GRAND BEND, Ontario – The International Hot Rod Association’s (IHRA) Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series returns to the Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario on June 20-22 for the IHRA Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals.

It was a busy weekend on the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL as racers in Divisions 1 and 4 hit the track for four big races over the weekend as the seasons in each begin to wind down.

2014 has not been kind to John Hale.

A perennial favorite in the nostalgia Nitro Funny Car class for some time, Hale came into the season looking to seriously contend in the IHRA’s all-new Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series championship program and instead, Hale found himself in a situation very unfamiliar to him and his crew. DNQs, oil downs and an overall lack of consistency left Hale without even a single round win through four races and a disappointing sixth place in the championship standings.

But on Saturday night, that all changed.

With rain washing out Friday qualifying at the IHRA Nitro Jam President’s Cup Nationals, the entire Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series program was pushed to Saturday with qualifying during the day and eliminations taking place Saturday night. Below are the complete qualifying results from the IHRA President’s Cup Nationals with eliminations set to get underway at 7 p.m.

Following a successful return to competition with the International Hot Rod Association™ (IHRA) in 2014, the IHRA and IRG Sports + Entertainment™ are thrilled to announce that the Mountain Motor Pro Stock division will once again return to the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series in 2015 as one of its core classes.