Tim Boychuk collected another IHRA Ironman during that organization’s annual President’s Cup Nationals last weekend held at Maryland International Raceway.

The Edmonton-based independent racer wheeled his Happy Hour Racing/NitroMoose.ca Chevy Camaro to a convincing title – using both tuneup consistency and driving prowess to score the win.

With the victory, Boychuk became the third different winning driver within the IHRA’s AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car division’s first three races this season and the Canadian driver will carry some serious momentum into next weekend’s IHRA national event at Grand Bend Motorplex – the Mopar Canadian Nationals.

After qualifying #4 for the event with a 5.714 secs Tim’s team delivered three more consecutive 5.7 elapsed times on Saturday evening while defeating Paul Romine, Steve Nichols and Mike McIntire, Jr.

Tim combined a final round run of 5.728 secs at 254.09 mph with a superior .082 RT to defeat McIntire’s 5.711 secs at 256.41 mph.

This win was his first circuit victory driving his (new for 2016) ’69 Camaro bodied car and his first since winning at IHRA Louisiana in March of 2015.

“This is excellent; we got rid of our old tune-up and put a new tune-up in it,” Boychuk said.  “We tested in Phoenix in February.  The car was running like it was today, but then we changed something.  Now we put it back to the new setup, and the car was like a bracket car today – three 5.71s in a row and a 5.72 in the final round.  The car’s just right on rails and running good so everything’s just perfect.”

The top two drivers in the AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car point standings entering the weekend, Shawn Bowen and Jason Rupert, were defeated in the first round of eliminations.  Rupert had qualified #1 for the 8-car field with a 5.635 secs (low ET of the event).

(Defending IHRA series FC champion Jason Rupert was upset in round #1)

Posted with files by Bruce Biegler and Shayna Keller
Photos by Phil Hutchison & Chris Simmons