Second Helping of the East Coast Drag-N-Drive Finds Expanded Classes, Weather Battles, and Dan Dinan Scoring Top Spot with New Car as Miramichi Dragway Park in New Brunswick, Canada Hosts the Action!
After Jason Richardson successfully hosted his first drag and drive event, the East Coast Drag-N-Drive, in New Brunswick, Canada in 2025, the three-day event based around Miramichi Dragway Park would return in late June 2026 for a second helping.
Using the track as the starting point, competitors would be tasked with a trio of time slips (one per day), then a different drive each day after racing was complete. Complete it all, tally the averages, and crown the winners.
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For year two, Richardson upped the ante with NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Wally trophies for his returning classes: DYO (Dial Your Own), 9.50-Second Index, 10.50-Second Index, and the 11.50-Second Class. The winner of the new Unlimited Class would also receive a Wally.
Richardson also added two new classes to bring the choices to seven, as a Truck Class and a Stick Shift Class were added to the roster for 2026. Richardson reported participants from Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine showed up.
Day one on Friday, June 26th was due to be a drag race, then drive, day. But weather would prevent the racing, but competitors still suited up for the full drive route. To make up the difference, competitors would turn in a pair of time slip Saturday, June 27th, which found the weather taking a turn for the better.
The Saturday drive, followed with final racing action on Sunday, June 28th, went off in good conditions, and seven champions were crowned at Miramichi Dragway Park to cap off the event.
Leading the way in the Unlimited class was familiar drag and drive runner Dan Dinan, who debuted his new Chevrolet Monte Carlo build. Although a freshly completed ride with just six miles before rolling in the gates on Friday, Dinan put together the best average to defeat Wender Gomes for the top spot and the Wally trophy.
The 9.50 Class would have a new name in the winner’s spot, as Darrell Turple came out with the trophy in hand. Second would go to Frank Perkins, and Ivan Crewdson rounded out the top three.
The 10.50 Class had defending champ Frank Viel scoring his second-straight top three finish, but the victor for 2026 was Jake House. Remi Hebert grabbed the second spot, and Viel settled for the third slot.
The 11.50 Class would be one where the defending champ would go back-to-back, as 2025 king Gerald Sauliner did the deed for the hardware and the top spot once again. Benjamin Desjardins scooped up the second spot, while third place went to Vincent Vienneau.
The DYO (Dial Your Own) Class also gave us the closest results, with just a narrow 0.0003 of-a-second separating the top two spots! Dave Forsyth had the math fall his way, scoring the win and the coveted Wally trophy, while Patti Meehan would land in the second spot. Gerald Saulnier rounded out the top three.
While the Truck Class was a new addition to the East Coast Drag-N-Drive line-up, the name at the top of the standings was a familiar one. 2025 DYO champion Jacques Hebert scored his second East Coast Drag-N-Drive class victory in as many years, with Cory Sprague in second and Andrew Heckbert earning the third place spot.
The Stick Shift Class, the third and final new class to the line up for 2026, had Adam Simon leading the manual transmission field for the win. Second was awarded to Justin Fullarton, and Samuel Grondin picked up third.
Richardson also added additional awards for the Quickest Stick Shift Average (Matthew Cyr), the Quickest Naturally Aspirated Average (Frank Perkins), and the always popular trailer burnouts got an award as well, with Vincent Vienneau getting the accolades.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of East Coast Drag-N-Drive and Fastlane Media.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com