Doug Foley owns a two-car
team that competes on the IHRA Knoll Gas Nitro Jam tour. A recent incident has
him concerned following the IHRA Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, Ont., and he
wants to give his fellow racers a heads up. The source of his concern is a
possible change in border-crossing procedure.
Nothing appears on the
IHRA website announcing a change in policy.
“Our drivers were told
that from now on we were going to have to be bonded,” Foley said. “We were told
that a broker was going to be necessary for the paperwork required. You will
need to be bonded and all of that will need to be done before you get to Canada. We are
going to have to do that and it is certain to be costly to the teams.”
The IHRA’s Skooter Peaco
confirmed that a few teams and racers had been stopped before and after the
Grand Bend event. He even added he was one of them.
Foley, who owns the
dragster driven by Terry McMillen, said the IHRA always provided the teams with
a letter that was intended to make the border crossing as easy as possible.
“It was the understanding
that we were coming in to put on a show and once we were done, we were
leaving,” Foley said. ‘We could get out without paperwork or permits or any of
that. They told us that was no longer allowed.”