(Words by Darr Hawthorne – Photos by Mike Burghardt, Jeff Burghardt and Darr Hawthorne)

Its back to the strip again for the oldest major event in the Pacific Northwest, the 46th edition of the NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor presented by Peterson Chevrolet when it returns to Firebird Raceway on April 29-30, May 1. Taking place in the northwest foothills above Idaho’s capital city of Boise, anticipating nearly 400 racers for the opening stop in the Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Race Series.

The Ignitor also marks the second stop in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series in what has been coined the Stinker Stores Nitro Knockout for the AA/Funny Car class. This year’s nitro funny car field includes the #1, #2, #3, #5, #7 and #10th ranked funny cars in Heritage Series National standings, along with many of premiere teams racing west of the Rockies.

Headlining the open 8-car qualified field will be the #1 Heritage Series ranked Funny Car team – Kris Krabill from Tacoma, Wash, winner of this year’s Good Vibrations March Meet and current national elapsed time record holder. Krabill drives the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter”, Bardahl-backed ’78 Firebird. 2015 Heritage Series national champion Steven Densham, in the Densham family’s “Teacher’s Pet” Camaro, will challenge Krabill again as he did in this year’s March Meet finals.

2014 Heritage Series national champion Dan Horan with his new “Patriot” Camaro from Rancho Cascades, Calif., who recently joined the prestigious Legends of Nitro 260 mile per hour club for funny cars, former Nightfire Nationals winner Tim Boychuk from Edmonton, Alta., piloting his new “Happy Hour” Camaro is also expected.

Don Nelson’s “California Hustler” Firebird (above) was the 2015 Nightfire Nationals runner-up and is now driven by Cory Lee from Oceanside, Calif., and tuned by nitro veteran Ronnie Swearingen.

Winner of Rocky Mountain Raceway’s Heritage Series Wally last season was Richard Townsend with his “Nitroholic” Camaro from Oakdale, Calif. (above)

Other funny car pre-entries include Don Hudson’s Firebird (above) from Atascadero, Calif., Heritage Series mile per hour record holder Ryan Hodgson’s Camaro from Sturgeon County, Alta., Chris Davis’ “Old School Nitro” Plymouth Arrow from Spokane, Wash., Wally Giavia’s “G-Men” Challenger from Klamath Falls, Oregon, Scott Stanger’s “Bad Manners” Cuda from West Points, Utah, and Pocatello, Idaho’s Jon Rice in the Rice Brothers “Nitro Spud” Corvette.

Since 1969, Firebird Raceway has played host to an NHRA Division 6 point’s race. Originally coined the World Championship Series, today’s Lucas Oil Drag Race Series will see a multitude of racers challenging for valuable points in the 2016 championship.

Racers will be competing in Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Sportsman Bike/Bike, Super Pro, Pro and Sportsman throughout the weekend.

Adult pit-side admission is $15 (Friday), $20 (Saturday or Sunday). Kids aged 15 & under will be admitted free of admission.

Funny Car qualifying will kick off on Friday at 4 pm, followed by the final two qualifying runs on Saturday, at 1 and 5:30 pm. The Nitro finals will get underway at 1 pm on Sunday.

For more information, visit the Firebird Raceway website