![\"(Mark](\"https:\/\/nitrofccanada.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/NFFC-GB-Mustang.jpg\")
<\/a>(Mark Sanders completed a successful event title defence at IHRA Grand Bend last weekend)<\/p><\/div>\n
He used a final round lap of\u00a05.725 secs to score — when his scheduled finalist and No. 1 qualifier Jason Rupert broke on the starting line and was unable to make the run. \u00a0In fact this year marked the third-consecutive year that Sanders and Rupert met in the Mopar Canadian Nationals final round.<\/p>\n
“The car was right down the boardwalk here at the IHRA Canadian Nationals,” Sanders said. “We made five runs in the 5.70s and never hurt anything. It was a great crowd at a great place and a great win. Our car went down the left lane, but I know everybody was picking the right lane. If they say, ‘what lane do you want?’ I look at the crowd, and I want to be closest to the crowd. That Ford Mustang’s gonna go right down Broadway, and it did this weekend.”<\/p>\n
Sanders (who is based from Maple Valley WA) had defeated the Mopar-bodied cars raced by Greg Jacobsmeyer and Shawn Bowen in rounds one and two after he qualified #2 at 5.725 secs.<\/p>\n
<\/a>(Defending IHRA World Champion Jason Rupert roared to both low ET and top speed)<\/p><\/div>\n
Rupert – racing his cool looking Littlefield & Rupert tribute\/U.S. Thunderbirds themed car — had been the odds on favourite prior to race day before his final round malfunction. \u00a0He had paced the field by over a tenth – hitting a 5.602 secs at 255.82 mph during qualifying which was low ET and top speed of the event.<\/p>\n