Last minute details and quick test sessions are being completed as drivers and teams in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx prepare to compete for the crown jewel of drag racing at the MAC Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. With just four races left in the season and four rounds separating the top six drivers, every round will count as drivers jockey for points and position to claim the title of World Champion. Drivers are also trying to qualify for the $35,000 Matco Tools Pro Mod Clash, making the battle for eighth place as fierce as the battle for first.
 
Burton Auxier has led the field with his nitrous-assisted '67 Camaro since winning the race at Bristol in May, swapping places with his Al Anabi-sponsored teammate Mike Castellana who led the standings after winning the first event in Gainesville. The whole team, which also features 2001 Pro Mod World Champion Rickie Smith, is hoping to maintain their stranglehold on the lead heading into the final stretch.
 

Pro Mod Competition Heats up at Indy with International Flair
 

Last minute details and quick test sessions are being completed as drivers and teams in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx prepare to compete for the crown jewel of drag racing at the MAC Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. With just four races left in the season and four rounds separating the top six drivers, every round will count as drivers jockey for points and position to claim the title of World Champion. Drivers are also trying to qualify for the $35,000 Matco Tools Pro Mod Clash, making the battle for eighth place as fierce as the battle for first.
 
Burton Auxier has led the field with his nitrous-assisted '67 Camaro since winning the race at Bristol in May, swapping places with his Al Anabi-sponsored teammate Mike Castellana who led the standings after winning the first event in Gainesville. The whole team, which also features 2001 Pro Mod World Champion Rickie Smith, is hoping to maintain their stranglehold on the lead heading into the final stretch.
 
The series has yielded six winners in the six events thus far, and each of the other winners - Danny Rowe, Tim Tindle, Roger Burgess and Raymond Commisso - is also trying to break into the top spot and win the title.
 
Ohio Crankshaft, the featured Pro Mod sponsor for the event, will be represented by Scott Ray who is coming back to competition after being sidelined by health issues. Also back from the sidelines will be Trane-backed Rick Stivers behind the wheel of an all-new Brad Anderson-tuned Stratus.
 
Other front-runners include series regulars Joe Baker, B&J Transmission's Mike Knowles, Chip King in the Strutmasters.com Dodge Daytona, the fastest man in Pro Mod racing - Brad Personett in his Big 3 Turbo Camaro, and the quickest woman in Pro Mod racing, Melanie Troxel.
 
Boasting a truly international flavor, drivers from the countries of Canada and Sweden will be represented at the event. Hailing from the Great White North are Commisso, Rick DiStefano, Ike Maier, Tony Pontieri and Danny Rowe (by way of California). Adam Flamholc will be representing Sweden, having recently purchased the rolling operation turnkey from series competitor Taylor Lastor.
 
"To be able to come to an event like the U.S. Nationals for us is really a dream come true," said Flamholc, a machine shop owner. "We are a very low budget team, and everybody on the team is doing this just for the fun of it because we love it."
 
A father of three, Flamholc will be joined by some of Lastor's crew for the weekend as well as four of his countrymen in his debut in the Challenge.
 
"This season is my first in Pro Mod, and I ended up number two in the Scandinavian series. I'm really thankful to Taylor Lastor and TRE who builds my motors and MGP who built my car, as well as Amalie oil in Europe, Custom Graphics and YIT, the companies that helps me to make this dream became reality," he said.
 
Also making their first appearances in the Pro Mod Challenge this year will be Tommy D'April, Rick DiStefano, Dennis Radford and John Russo.
 
 
 
ENTRY LIST
Burton Auxier
Joe Baker
Roger Burgess
Mike Castellana
Raymond Commisso
Tommy D'Aprile
Rick DiStefano
Adam Flamholc
Chip King
Mike Knowles
Ike Maier
Jay Payne
Brad Personett
Tony Pontieri
Dennis Radford
Scott Ray
Danny Rowe
John Russo
Rickey Smith
Rick Stivers
Jason Stock
Tim Tindle
Melanie Troxel
Kirk Wilmes
 
CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS (AS OF 8/31/09)
1 Burton Auxier 434
2 Mike Castellana 409
3 Danny Rowe 368
4 Raymond Commisso 365
5 Roger Burgess 354
6 Joe Baker 352
7 Tim Tindle 322
8 Jay Payne 305
9 Brad Personett 258
10 Mike Knowles 231
11 Taylor Lastor 200
11 Rick Stivers 200
13 Harold Laird 155
14 Kenny Lang 140
15 Rickie Smith 125
 
 
PRO MOD CHALLENGE HISTORY AT RACEWAY PARK

O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis Track Record
5.993  Josh Hernandez  2008
 
 
Indy 08 Mike Castellana/ Joshua Hernandez
#1 Hernandez 5.993/ 6.132 bump spot
Low e.t. Hernandez 5.993
Top Speed Hernandez 241.20
 
Indy 07 Harold Laird/ Josh Hernandez
#1 Mike Janis 6.020/ 6.208 bump spot
Low e.t. Janis 6.020
Top Speed Engel 242.15
 
Indy 06 Josh Hernandez/ Raymond Commisso
#1 Commisso 6.016/ 6.182 bump spot
Low e.t. Raymond Commisso 6.016
Top Speed Troy Critchley 239.40
 
Indy 05 Jay Payne/ Joshua Hernandez
#1 Hernandez 6.089/ 6.269 bump spot
Low e.t. Hernandez 6.085
 
Indy 04 Jim Halsey/ Harold Martin
#1 Harold Martin 6.183/ 6.249 bump spot (29 cars)
Low e.t. Harold Martin 6.183
 
Indy 03 Rickie Smith/ Von Smith
#1 Tim McAmis 6.223/ 6.278 bump spot
Low e.t. 6.216 Von Smith
 
Indy 02 Shannon Jenkins/ Troy Critchley
#1 Quain Stott 6.237/ 6.321 bump spot
Low e.t. Quain Stott 6.237
 
Indy 01 Ronnie Hood/ Danny Rowe
#1 Fred Hahn 6.170/ 6.314 bump spot
Low e.t. Fred Hahn 6.170
 
 
AMS 2001 Champ Rickie Smith
AMS 2002 Champ Shannon Jenkins
AMS 2003 Champ Fred Hahn
AMS 2004 Champ Mike Ashley
AMS 2005 Champ Mike Ashley
AMS 2006 Champ Jay Payne
AMS 2007 Champ Josh Hernandez
JEGS 2008 Champ Josh Hernandez

 

 

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