The sight of a vintage Funny Car racing down the quarter mile. For those who grew up around drag racing’s golden era, few things stir the soul quite like watching a piece of living history run and win.
At the NHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Canada, July 9-10, 2026, Nathan Sitko piloted the iconic Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car at RAD Torque Raceway to a memorable victory in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series.
The yearlong 75th anniversary of the National Hot Rod Association bridges the past and present with the Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series. The Rocky Mountain Nationals is one of 7 races that make up this points race towards the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Championship.
A Car That Carries History
The Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car isn’t just any drag race car. It’s a time capsule on wheels, a rolling tribute to the era when drag racing was raw, loud, and unapologetically bold.
At the 1979 NHRA U.S. Nationals, Gordie Bonin drove the Bubble Up Funny Car to victory in the Funny Car class. His crew chief Jerry Verheul and none other than Ron Hodgson. Together they brought the Pacemaker Trans Am into Craiger’s exclusive five-second funny car club with a 5.97 ET. Bonin also set a national speed record of 245.90 mph.
Four generations later, Nathan Sitko took the Ron Hodgson backed Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car once again to the winner’s circle.
Nathan Sitko Behind the Wheel
Piloting the iconic Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car, Sitko delivered the kind of performance that makes NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series so compelling.
The Pacemaker Bubble Up team not only scored the win with a 3.874 ET at 198 MPH, but took the honours as #1 Qualifier, Low ET with a 3.767 ET and Top MPH 206.04.
During Friday’s first qualifying session, Sitko posted the best Reaction Time 0.1142 with a 3.9633 ET.
In round two of qualifying the Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car improved their ET running 3.8226 to put them number one. In the final round of qualifying Nathan Sitko moved to the top of the board posting the Low ET 3.7677, Top MPH 206.04 and Best Reaction Time 0.1112.
Going to Victory Lane
Prepared for the final rounds Saturday night, the Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car team entered the staging lanes with confidence and looking for a win plus improve their standing in the championship points race.
In round one of elimination, Sitko (#4) was up against Tim Boychuck (#10). Sitko’s reaction time and 3.8998 ET crossed the finish line first, to Boychucks 6.9499 ET.
The second pair, Mike Peck, (#3) was matched with points leader Shane Westerfield. Peck ran a 3.8281 ET to better Westerfield’s 3.8645 ET. Peck faces Sitko in the finals.
In the final round, it was a drag race to the finish line for the Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car with Nathan Sitko running a 3.8743 ET at 198.24 MPH to Mike Peck’s 4.1888 ET at 135.66 MPH to capture the win and a trip to the winners circle.
With the win, Nathan Sitko now leads in the championship points by 6 points ahead of Mike Peck with 324 points.
His victory at the Rocky Mountain Nationals was about far more than a scorecard result. It was a validation of the countless hours the team poured into keeping the Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car a winner. The enduring connection between past and present keeps the Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car just as relevant today as it was 47 years ago.
Recapturing the Glory
Ron Hodgson, who stood in the winner’s circle with “240 Gordie” back in 1979, is still writing victories. Decades later, he’s doing it all over again with the present-day 4th generation Pacemaker Bubble Up Funny Car, and this past weekend’s win is proof that some legacies never fade.