The oldest major event in the Pacific Northwest, the NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor Opener returns to Boise, Idaho this weekend, May 5-7. This year’s Ignitor commemorates 50 years of racing at Firebird Raceway.
Taking place in the northwest foothills above Idaho’s capital city, nearly 400 racers are anticipated for the opening stop in the Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Race Series. The Ignitor also marks the second stop for nitro funny cars in the NHRA Heritage Series in it’s own feature, the Stinker Stores Nitro Knockout for AA/Funny Cars.
Newly licensed funny car driver Bobby Cottrell (above) headed to Idaho for his competition debut in the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter” ’69 Camaro. After five passes last weekend at Auto Club Famoso Raceway testing, Cottrell earned his license running 5.97/172 mph to 1,000 feet and a final early shut off 5.83/223 run on Sunday morning.
After his final run, Cottrell said of the experience, “This is a lot better than my 7.0 Pro car, oh man, that’s a ride and not for the faint of heart, (laughing) yeah, I think I want to be a funny car driver!”
Cottrell began his drag racing career in Nostalgia Eliminator classes, first in NE2 then up to NE1 then onto the quick 7.0 Pro class winning two championships. He then moved to the Heritage Series A/Fuel class where he raced with a blown alcohol car and developed a friendship with fellow A/Fuel driver Drew Austin, son of Pat Austin and his grandpa is drag racing legend Walt Austin.
It was this side of the Austin family who pitched the idea of Bobby Cottrell to Bucky Austin when he decided to make a driver change after a huge, top end March Meet fire in his AA/Funny Car in the final round.
Cottrell made a Thursday afternoon test run for this weekend’s 49th Annual Firebird Raceway Ignitor. He ran a soft 6.01/218.15 dropping cylinders against Michael Peck (above) driving Don Nelson’s “California Hustler” Firebird, who ran 5.90/232.31.
This will be a tough nitro funny car field for the second stop of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series during the Stinker Stores Nitro Knockout for AA/Funny Cars, along with nearly 400 racers anticipated for the opening stop in the Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Race Series.
In addition to Cottrell, racers pre-entered into this year’s opener are: March Meet winner Ryan Hodgson (above) in the “Pacemaker” Camaro,
3-time NHRA Heritage Series and 3-time IHRA Champion Jason Rupert’s “Rolling Thunder” Camaro is a crowd favorite.
Longtime match racers Wally Giavia’s “G-Men” Dodge.
Newcomer Bill Windham in his “Shakedown” ’69 Camaro.
Others who should be there in Boise are the “Patriot” Camaro of Dan Horan Jr., Cameron Ferre driving Tim Boychuk’s “Happy Hour” Camaro, Marc Meadors in his “Fuel Curve” Camaro, Chris Davis’ “Old School Nitro” Arrow and Jon Rice in his “Nitro Spud” Corvette.
Funny Car qualifying is Friday at 4 pm, followed by the final two qualifying runs on Saturday, at 2:30 and 5 pm. The Nitro finals will get underway at high noon on Sunday for the oldest major event in the Pacific Northwest.
We’ll have more coverage of the NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor.
Is that the same car they burned up earlier this year at Famosa?
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