Nathan Sitko wins 53rd Ignitor in record blasting fashion at Firebird

The 53rd edition of the NAPA Ignitor presented by The Blower Shop featured the second stop in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series for the AA/Funny Car division at Firebird Raceway.

After three rounds of qualifying (from a field of 14 cars), the quickest eight were: 1. James Day (5.56), 2. Nathan Sitko (5.63), 3. Kris Krabill (5.66), 4. Derrick Moreira (5.69), 5. Bobby Cottrell (5.70), 6. Mike Peck Sr. (5.70), 7. Jeff Arend (5.73) and 8. Tony Jurado (5.75). Non-qualifiers included: Jerry Espeseth (5.76), Kamaka Pocock (5.78), Tom Boychuk (5.83), Drew Austin (5.87), Don Knoblauch (6.05) and Tim Eickstadt (6.62).

In the opening round, contested in mineshaft air (400 feet below sea level), Sitko record the quickest and fastest performance in track history at 5.51-262.69 to beat Arend. Day posted a 5.67-257.14 to easily cover Tony Jurado. Krabill then unleashed a 5.65-245.32 to stop Peck. And Cottrell soloed when Moreira could not make the first-round bell.

The semifinals saw Cottrell post a 5.68-253.47 to best Day, and Sitko cruised to another fine 5.60-253.99 to dispense of Krabill.

In the championship final, Sitko was well behind at the start, .153 to a .065 by Cottrell. But by the finish stripe the Hodgson Racing – Bubble Up Firebird carded the win at 5.55-256.94 to upend the Austin & O’Brien Camaro, which finished at 5.68-253.33. It was the first time since 2019 that Cottrell was not the winner of the Ignitor/Nightfire Firebird events.