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Although COVID-19 affected many summer events in 2020, the virus didn’t shut the car races down over in Edmonton, with the Spider Electric NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Drag Racing Series ripping and zooming along at the Castrol Raceway from August 8-9.

Sheldon Erfle – a former resident of Assiniboia, as well as a Junior B Rebel hockey player in days past – was a standout racer in Edmonton this summer, going undefeated in this NHRA race series. This summer, Erfle raced his GT-classed Oldsmobile Achieva with exceptional precision in Edmonton, once more proving his reputation as one of Western Canada’s top-rated stock car racers.     

The Spider Electric NHRA races held at the raceway south of Edmonton were created by Medicine Hat-based businessman, Mark Simmons (owner of Spider Electric) and NHRA’s Division 6. The races were designed to assist Canadian racers who were isolated by the pandemic – the event in Leduc County brought stock and drag racers together at this well-attended racing competition in August 2020.

Erfle triumphed over Norm Lapointe’s Chevy on Saturday, August 8 at the track. The next day, Erfle beat Darcy Clarke’s Mopar in Sunday’s final.

Erfle – now a resident of Saskatoon – stood unbeaten in the circuit for the 2020 season, with four-for-four event wins this summer in Spider Electric’s overall Stock/SS points title.

In other racing news, Calgary’s Dwaine Ringguth earned 12 straight wins, driving his dragster in the Top Sportsman/Top Dragster 1/8^th mile shootout competition. Dwaine won the race in the dragster category on Saturday, August 8, besting Will Yakimetz’s T.S. Camaro. The next day, Ringguth outraced Eddie Radjo’s dragster.

The NHRA index class car winners list for Saturday’s race included Ken Mostowich (Super Comp 9.10), Dave Archambault (Super Gas 10.10) and James Pahl (Super Street 11.10).

ET Bracket titles went to Shawn Loblick (Super Pro), Bill Shade (Pro).

Junior Dragster winners included Faith Loblick (Jr. Thunder) and Kaelie Morton (Jr. Lightning). Edmontonian Kyle Robb won in the young racer development Street Sportsman class.