The field was full of excitement and competition was sizzling in the heartland as the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx raced the quarter-mile Saturday in the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka. At the end of qualifying, Matco Tools driver Joe Baker was on top and a model of consistency, advancing to the second round of eliminations, having a bye in round one.
 
"I'm just thanking the Good Lord that we're doing so well here this weekend. With all the changes we've made on this car, I'm really excited to be running so consistently and quickly. We knew we had the car, but just couldn't get it dialed in - and now we're right where we knew we should be," Baker said.
 
Also advancing into the second round was No. 2 qualifier Mike Castellana who dispatched a struggling turbo-powered Brad Personett 6.087/234.53 to 6.714/177.81. Baker's dozen down to seven as Pro Mods sizzle in Topeka
 
The field was full of excitement and competition was sizzling in the heartland as the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx raced the quarter-mile Saturday in the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka. At the end of qualifying, Matco Tools driver Joe Baker was on top and a model of consistency, advancing to the second round of eliminations, having a bye in round one.
 
"I'm just thanking the Good Lord that we're doing so well here this weekend. With all the changes we've made on this car, I'm really excited to be running so consistently and quickly. We knew we had the car, but just couldn't get it dialed in - and now we're right where we knew we should be," Baker said.
 
Also advancing into the second round was No. 2 qualifier Mike Castellana who dispatched a struggling turbo-powered Brad Personett 6.087/234.53 to 6.714/177.81.
 
Personett said, "We had to make some big moves with the setup because we weren't having a lot of luck with what we were doing, and I guess we just found out what not to do next time. I'm not discouraged, though, we have a great car, and we've really got a lot of things working together well."
 
Castellana will have a bye round two and advance to the semi-finals.
 
Number three qualifier Roger Burgess' 67 Camaro took a hop and a jump when he faced off against points-leader Burton Auxier, landing Burgess on the trailer early and giving the leader an easy lap.
 
Auxier said, "We've been having a little trouble since we won Bristol, and I'm just starting to get things figured back out. These nitrous cars are touchy, and I think we've got things set for tomorrow. We dodged a bullet on that round, because I'm not sure what we would have run if Roger hadn't lifted, but a 'W' is a 'W' and we'll take it however it comes."
 
Knowles Enterprises and B&J Transmissions-backed Mike Knowles dropped a close race to former World Champion Jay Payne, giving up the win at the starting line despite having the quicker time. After qualifying No. 9, Knowles ran a 6.167/236.22 to Payne's slightly slower 6.169 235.97 but gave up almost six hundredths of a second in reaction time, .141 to Payne's .085.
 
R2B2 Racing-backed Raymond Commisso had a psychic .013-second reaction to slap a holeshot win on Taylor Lastor, 6.142/238.13 to the quicker-but-losing 6.080/237.21.
 
Lastor said, "You can't win when you give up almost a tenth on the tree. I can usually cut a really good light, but I must have gotten distracted or been sleeping, and he just had an amazing light."
 
Also advancing into round two were Tim Tindle who had a single run when Chip King failed to make the call due to a broken linkage, and Danny Rowe who took out rookie Kirk Wilmes, 6.100/238.72 to 6.257/230.45.
 
Eliminations will conclude Sunday beginning with round two action where Baker will take on Commisso, Rowe will face Tindle, and Auxier will meet Payne.

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