Paton Runs Career-Best In Qualifying
November 12, 2011 - Paton Racing

Todd Paton and his family's Tim Horton's-backed dragster turned in a great performance at this weekend's season-ending Auto Club Finals.

Todd entered the event with a career-best 4.00, with his sights set on qualifying for the tough 16-car field and getting that elusive 3-second time slip.

On his first attempt Thursday, Paton slowed early to a 4.27 and only 204 mph. "That was a bit of driver error there," Paton remarked after the run. "Jimbo [crew chief Jimbo Ermalovich] said to grab the brake if I felt the car needed it, and obviously it didn't need it. The additional load caused the motor to work too hard and it puched a head gasket out about 2 seconds into the run, resulting in a small fire."

On Friday, the team came back strong, and Todd turned in a respectable 3.949 at 294 mph, accomplishing one of his goals. The run left the team in 17th position going into Saturday's final qualifying session.

On that third attempt, the car again launched hard with the wheels in the air, but began to shake violently as the engine "dropped" a cylinder just past the starting line. This left the team with one final session to get in the field. With threatening skies, the team prepared the car for the fourth and final session, but it was not to be. As the team sat in the staging lanes, mere minutes away from making their run, the rain began to fall, cancelling the final session, and setting the field for Sunday's eliminations.

"I really feel bad for the crew and my dad. I got to drive a very fast race car because of them this weekend, and despite their best efforts, we missed the show," a slightly dejected Paton said upon returning to the pit area. "Still, we have nothing to hang our heads about. The car ran well, I got to feel what a 3-second run is really like and I know we could've run well enough to get in the show if we'd had the opportunity to make that last run.

Back In The Saddle Again
November 7, 2011 - Text and photo courtesy of DragRaceCanada.com

NHRA’s upcoming and season-ending event in Pomona will mark the return for Todd Paton to NHRA Top Fuel in well over a year. His family-owned and Tim Horton’s-backed Top Fuel Dragster has competed at many national events this year with the capable Ike Maier performing the driving duties including the Big O Tires Nationals in Las Vegas last month.

Under the guidance of Barry Paton and his tuner Jimbo Ermalovich. Ike scored three consecutive 3-second passes all at over 300 mph, before having a fuel fitting come loose on his final qualifying attempt which end in a cloud of tire smoke. With 27 dragsters on the grounds, the team's 3.96/305 mph best effort left them just on the outside of one of the sport's quickest fields in history.

For Todd Paton, who is now the Pro Systems Manager for Racepak/Competition Systems (based from Orange County California) – the Pomona race will be his 9th start in NHRA Top Fuel racing.

“I have many NHRA events in both alcohol and nitro funny cars – but up to this point most of my races in the dragster were in IHRA,” Todd confirmed.

“Ike is doing a great job behind the wheel of our Tim Horton’s-backed Top Fuel Dragster and I really appreciate him letting me ‘sub’ for him at Pomona. I promised that I would take good care of the car if he would let me back in it for the weekend. I’ve only driven within NHRA’s 1000 foot format a couple of times so I will be seeking my first 3-second time slip. So far my best run (to 1000 ft) was 4.03 secs at 285 back in 2009.”

The Paton Racing team was quick to credit John Hoey who owns and operates some Tim Horton’s franchises in and around the GTA (Mississauga and Oakville) for the opportunity to run these two events. Hoey has backed the team ever since they made the switch to Top Fuel dragsters back in 2003.

“I hadn’t originally planned on running Pomona,” Todd added. “But since my NHRA Top Fuel license is coming up for renewal at the end of this year, John suggested running the car at the NHRA Auto Club Finals and provided the extra funding.”

Todd has enjoyed some great historical success at the Pomona facility – when driving in TAFC he went to consecutive NHRA World Finals championship rounds in both 1996 and 1997, winning the latter race.

Todd’s Weekend Off (!?)
July 19, 2010 - Courtesy of DragRaceCanada.com

A rare weekend off for Canadian Todd Paton saw him show up at – you guessed it – the drag races!   The now resident of California, who is employed as a skilled technician for Racepak, was in fact a late driver addition to the last weekend’s IHRA Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam at Grand Bend Motorplex.  That proved to be very positive destiny.

Todd earned his much anticipated first ever Top Fuel class win when he prevailed during (Part 2) of the Nitro Jam program on Sunday.   Todd defeated former IHRA Top Fuel World Champion Bruce Litton in the final – capping off a remarkable effort by his team over the weekend.   Paton did spot Litton a starting line advantage but ultimately his time of 4.812 secs at 304.39 mph ran Bruce down to earn him a first career IHRA Ironman in Top Fuel.  Litton, from Indiana, who had won (Part 1) of the T/F show on Saturday, ran a losing 4.869 secs at 261.52 mph.

Paton’s win was certainly one that was filled with toil.  During Saturday’s action the very expensive carbon fiber body of the Tim Horton’s sponsored dragster was shredded into many pieces when it exited the car at speed.  Speculation was that chassis flex caused the body mounts to break away.   That did require an “all-nighter” for the team who gathered up the car’s previous body (from the shop in Paris ON) and remounted it on the chassis.

“Our team always does seem to have a flair for the dramatic,” Todd Paton admitted.  “But that Saturday deal was strange.  I raced Funny Cars for 15 years and I never lost a body – but somehow I managed to do it in a Top Fuel car.” 

“In the final, Bruce had me off the tree but it was a good race all the way,” he continued.  “I was behind about 90% of the time but thankfully Jimbo and Dad gave me the power to make up the deficit.  They really had a heck of a tune-up in the car.   We had our career best 60 foot time here: .850 secs.”

Coming back to race is Canada has always been a motivator for Paton.  Although now rare, whenever he can return he and his team are clear cut favorites with a partisan Canadian racing public.  Being the only Top Fuel car based in Canada is something that Canadian fans truly recognize, appreciate and take to heart.

“I always want to represent my country and we really wanted to win one back on our home turf,” Todd added.  “My last win in IHRA was about 15 years ago – I think at a 1/8th mile track in South Carolina – racing Alcohol Funny Cars.”

For team owner Barry Paton – the win on Sunday was pretty much what the Doctor ordered.   “The Captain” looked a bit down following Saturday’s expensive incident.  But he then watched as his team responded with great resilience.  That including swapping motors before the final round.

“Immediately (after losing the body) I thought I was done for the season,” Barry confided.  “But it turns out it wasn’t even 24 hours.  When it was over Paul Smith came by and paid me a big compliment.  He told me that many other teams out there would not have overcome what we did this weekend.  I’m very proud of my guys.”

 Barry was also very happy to check the first Top Fuel win for his son off his list of career objectives.

“It really turned out great,” he winked.  “We had won a few with Tim (Boychuk) in the car and Todd had come very close before.  But for my son to win in front of our home crowd – it’s all pretty special for obvious reasons.”

(Bruce Biegler Photos)

Canadian Nitro Nationals to Feature Can-Am Showdowns
July 1, 2010 - Courtesy of DragRaceCanada.com

Eastern Canada’s drag racing fans are in for a very special treat this coming July 2-4th, when Cayuga Dragway at Toronto Motorsports Park presents it’s most aggressive independent drag racing event ever.

 The Inaugural Canadian Nitro Nationals will headline both Nitro Funny Cars and Top Fuel dragsters, exhibition Jet cars, as well as the best in Pro Modified and Sportsman class drag racing.

 At front and center the event will present a special series of match-ups featuring both Canadian and U.S. drivers in head-to-head competition.  Mitch King’s very formidable  Texas-based two car Top Fuel dragster team, which features up-and-coming star drivers Del Cox Jr. and Spencer Massey, will challenge wily Canadian born drivers Todd Paton and Fred Farndon for supremacy.

 Feature race action will kickoff on Friday July 2nd with the first PMRA qualifying round at 8:00 PM.  Saturday’s show schedule will see all the Nitro and feature cars running twice at 7:00 and 9:00 PM.   Sunday’s final rounds, again including all the Nitro cars, will begin at 1:00 PM. 

The weekend event will also include after hours entertainment in the campgrounds and a huge fireworks display.

 For tickets and more information visit:  www.torontomotorsportspark.com or Call 866-824-RACE.

Patons Prime for March Madness
March 10, 2010 - Courtesy of DragRaceCanada.com

Gainesville, Florida - Canada's premier Top Fuel racing team, Paris, Ontario-based Paton Racing, are vaulting back into action this month.   The popular team has announced scheduled appearances for both NHRA Full Throttle National events during March, at Gainesville Florida and also at Charlotte NC.

The team which enjoyed a very successful 2009 racing season that included event wins on the IHRA tour and which also included three different drivers (Tim Boychuck, Todd Paton and Stig Neergaard) behind the wheel, are arming themselves again for a season assault which will see them run select NHRA Full Throttle Series event races.

At Gainesville's Gatornationals this weekend, Todd Paton will be at the controls for the Tim Horton's sponsored dragster.   It will be first app earance in the car since the IHRA season closing event last October.

"I am certainly excited to get back behind the wheel," said Todd.  "The last time I drove, which was at Rockingham last fall, we were the low qualifier and runner-up at the event. I know it may seem a bit unusual for someone who works nearly every weekend at a race track to spend an off weekend at the track, but what can I say? It's in my blood. My family and I have been attending the Gatornationals for over 25 years, and we've had some decent success.  We want to continue that tradition."

The team will also be in action at the highly anticipated first ever "4-Wide" Nationals event at ZMax Raceway near Charlotte two weeks after Gainesville. At that event however, California's Ron August is scheduled to drive the car, as part of an initial one-race lease agreement.

"We are also excited about the Charlotte event," Todd added.  "Getting to participate in the Inaugural 4 Wide with Ron August signed on to be the driver is going to be very cool.  I will be attending the event too for Racepak, taking care of our trackside support of our full series of data loggers. Ron did well last year in Mitch King's car, so I have the utmost confidence in him doing a great job for our team in Charlotte."

The team will announce the rest of it's 2010 racing schedule at a later date this spring.

Photo by: Bruce Biegler, DragRaceCanada.com