IHRA: Boychuk hoping for home field advantage

It's 2,830 miles from the site of the IHRA season opener in Orlando, Fla,, to the site of the series' next race in Edmonton, Alberta, but for one competitor, it's just up the road.

Tim Boychuk is the only Canadian driver who competes full-time on the IHRA circuit, and after four far-flung races for Boychuk – even the other Canadian race, in Grand Bend, Ontario, is more than a 2,000-mile tow for the AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car racer – he's ready to sleep in his own bed after a race.

"It's fun racing in Canada," Boychuk said. "It's always great being surrounded by fans."

It wasn't that much fan at the Mopar Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, though – Boychuk's car broke in the first round of eliminations – there was a crack in a header, and some fuel on the starting line after burnouts – so the Happy Hour Chevrolet Camaro never really got a chance to compete, despite a solid 5.830 run at 248mph in qualifying.

It was a letdown for the team after winning the IHRA President's Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, but that victory was a way to pay back sponsors – such as MHK Insurance, Ted Wiens Tire and Auto, Edmonton Kenworth, Edmonton Paclease, Rosenau Transport, Inline Industries, Makloc Construction, and NAIT – that make it possible for a team like Boychuk's to take it on the road. Boychuk took out Mike McIntire in the finals with a hole shot, running a 5.728 at 254.09mph to McIntire's 5.711 at 256.41 mph.