(Photos by Kim Fuller) • While the “Northwest Hitter” nitro funny car won the ARP Quickest Nitro Car at the recent Good Vibrations March Meet, the first three events in 2025 for NHRA Heritage Nitro Funny Cars were not in the cards for the Washington-based team. This year Jon Capps defeated a red-lighting Westerfield at Famoso in the March Meet final, Derrick Moreira defeated Westerfield on a holeshot at the Pomona Winternationals and Ryan Horan beat past world champ Bobby Cottrell at the Arizona Nationals.
Shane Westerfield (above)
The perennial Bardahl green funny car has met the parity of the ultra-competitive Heritage Series Nitro Funny Cars this year. In the Final Round, the Austin & O’Brien Camaro stormed to the low elapsed time of the meet with a 5.546 at 262.44 mph, dethroning reigning Ignitor champ Nathan Sitko in the Ron Hodgson-owned Bubble-Up Firebird tuned by Jim Basko, who clocked a 5.635 at 258.47 mph. Westerfield’s second round 263.46 MPH blast set a new Firebird Raceway track record.
A thrilling conclusion to the funny car class the 54th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor presented by The Blower Shop.
Saturday’s rainout made for just two nitro qualifiers on Friday, Sunday’s quickest AA/Funny Car field in Firebird history, first-round matchups were tough:
#1 Shane Westerfield 5.594/261.52 -vs- #8 Geoff Monise 5.721/252.52
#2 Nathan Sitko 5.602/254.90 -vs- #7 Ryan Horan 5.719/258.47
#4 Jon Capps 5.659/240.98 -vs- #5 Tim Boychuk 5.665/262.59
Jerry Espeseth 5.628/259.66 -vs- Bobby Cottrell 5.677/259.96
DNQ’s included Todd Plate in the “Problem Child” Camaro of Eddie Knox, Hawaiian Derrick Moreira in his “Nitro Junkie” Camaro, Bill Windham in his “Shakedown” Firebird, Todd Miller in Don Nelson’s “California Hustler” Firebird and Kyle Hough in Dave “Nasty” Benjamin’s Firebird.
Check out our Nitro Funny Car Gallery from the 54th NAPA Ignitor at Firebird below
Heritage Series Nitro Funny Car action resumes on July 11-13 at RAD Torque Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. Top Fuel returns on June 12-14 at the Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals in Bowling Green KY.
Other NHRA Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Race Series Sportsman Results at Firebird Raceway.
Comp Eliminator: Jeff Lane .042, 8.55 (9.10 index) 155.36 def. Don Bevers .016, 8.11 (8.62 dial) 167.07.
Super Stock: Jody Lang .015, 11.31 (11.28 dial) 112.68 def. David Kelly .050, 10.37 (10.37 dial) 128.02.
Stock: Chris Hall .011, 10.80 (10.65 dial) 107.16 def. Barry Sheasgreen -.024 foul, 13.04 (9.34 dial) 73.01.
Top Dragster: Casey Plazier .012, 7.95 (7.48 dial) 132.52 def. Ty Gaynor -.006 foul, 7.85 (7.77 dial) 152.33.
Top Sportsman : William King .028, 6.93 (6.92 dial) 195.90 def. Chad Welch .034, 7.88 (7.87 dial) 171.60.
Super Comp: Dylan Hough .002, 9.18 (9.15 dial) 170.56 def. Ryan Hansen .016, 9.20 (9.15 dial) 172.21.
Super Gas : Brian Preszler -.005, 10.13 (10.15 dial) 160.08 def. Kenneth Heard -.007 foul, 10.14 (10.15 dial) 157.34.
Super Street : Joshua Dalrymple .018, 11.19 (11.15 dial) 146.23 def. Steven Reynolds .022, 11.21 (11.15 dial) 130.94.
Sportsman Motorcycle : Jacob Wood .024, 8.85 (8.79 dial) 137.18 def. David Wood .008, 9.23 (8.97 dial) 11.29.
Super Pro: Duston Wurtz .019, 5.20 (5.19 dial) 133.10 def. Ty Sasser .056, 4.88 (4.85 dial) 140.04.
Pro : Sean Clark .013, 10.18 (10.16 dial) 120.49 def. Michael Clement .010, 10.40 (10.41 dial) 123.51.