Jim Laurita used a holeshot start to upset No. 1 qualifier Steven Whiteley in Saturday’s first round of eliminations for the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
 
Laurita used a reaction time advantage and powered his vintage nitrous-injected Switzer Dynamics Camaro to a winning performance of 5.927 seconds at 240.17 mph to defeat Whiteley’s quicker Y-Not Racing ’68 Camaro, which finished in 5.907 at 245.85.

  Steven Whiteley was the top Pro Mod qualifier at Charlotte. He earned his first career pole on the strength of a 5.875-second pass at 246.26 mph. Jim Laurita used a holeshot start to upset No. 1 qualifier Steven Whiteley in Saturday’s first round of eliminations for the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
 
Laurita used a reaction time advantage and powered his vintage nitrous-injected Switzer Dynamics Camaro to a winning performance of 5.927 seconds at 240.17 mph to defeat Whiteley’s quicker Y-Not Racing ’68 Camaro, which finished in 5.907 at 245.85.
 
Prior to the first round of eliminations, Whiteley earned his first career No. 1 qualifying position with a performance of 5.875 seconds at 246.26 mph.

In another first round upset, Von Smith defeated series points leader Rickie Smith. Von also used a reaction time advantage to take the win over the local fan-favorite. Von’s supercharged ’68 Al-Anabi Racing Camaro left first and finished in 5.963 at 239.65, while the defending world champion from nearby King, N.C. posted a quicker, but losing 5.929 at 244.38 in his nitrous-injected ’68 IDG Camaro.
 
Other first round winners included Mike Janis, Bill Glidden, Danny Rowe, Steve Matusek, Don Walsh and Troy Coughlin.
 
Second round pairings include Laurita vs. Janis; Glidden vs. Matusek; Rowe vs. V. Smith and Walsh vs. Coughlin.
 
Pro Mod Series eliminations are scheduled to continue Sunday at approximately 2 p.m.
 
First round results from the seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the eighth of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
 
ROUND ONE -- Mike Janis, Chevy Camaro, 5.921, 244.12 def. Dan Stevenson, Camaro, 5.955, 242.06; Von Smith, Camaro, 5.963, 239.65 def. Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.929, 244.38; Steve Matusek, Camaro, 5.973, 245.58 def. Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 9.652, 93.18; Troy Coughlin, Chevy Corvette, 5.935, 246.84 def. Kevin Fiscus, Ford Mustang, 5.980, 245.54; Bill Glidden, Mustang, 5.952, 238.30 def. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 5.981, 240.17; Don Walsh, Camaro, 5.935, 246.80 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.022, 242.10; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.907, 245.76 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, 14.245, 61.31; Jim Laurita, Camaro, 5.927, 240.17 def. Steven Whiteley, Camaro, 5.907, 245.85.
 
Final order after 3 rounds of qualifying in Pro Modified at the Seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals, the eighth of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
 
Psn---Num-Driver, Home Town, Car Type---------------Qual-ET--Qual-Spd-Top Spd
 
  1 5200 Steven Whiteley, Grand Junction CO, '68 Camaro 5.875  246.26  246.26
  2    6 Danny Rowe, Laguna Hills CA, '68 Camaro        5.894  246.08  246.08
  3 3382 Don Walsh, Wixom MI, '14 Camaro                5.913  245.23  249.35
  4  324 Bill Glidden, Whiteland IN, '10 Mustang        5.939  239.61  239.61
  5 5450 Steve Matusek, Olathe KS, '68 Camaro           5.941  245.05  246.17
  6 220F Kevin Fiscus, Jacksonville FL, '12 Mustang     5.943  247.16  247.16
  7    1 Rickie Smith, King NC, '69 Camaro              5.947  244.56  245.00
  8  303 Dan Stevenson, Bolingbrook IL, '13 Camaro      5.947  242.36  242.36
  9 1456 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, '13 Camaro           5.979  242.89  242.89
10 2377 Von Smith, Oak Ridge TN, '69 Camaro            5.983  238.68  239.10
11    2 Troy Coughlin, Delaware OH, '12 Corvette       5.986  246.89  246.89
12    8 Pete Farber, Baldwinville MA, '69 Daytona      5.996  240.94  240.94
13 5011 Mike Knowles, Grand Junction CO, '68 Camaro    6.000  238.64  238.64
14 1938 Eric Latino, Whitby ON, '69 Camaro             6.003  241.76  241.76
15    7 Kenny Lang, Grande Pointe MB, '13 Camaro       6.027  238.30  238.30
16 1087 Jim Laurita, Morgantown WV, '68 Camaro         6.031  230.76  230.76
 
       ------------ Not Qualified ------------
 
17 367J Jason Hamstra, Demotte IN, '10 Mustang         6.045  238.89  238.89
18  210 Jay Payne, Claremont CA, '12 Camaro            6.049  236.46  236.46
19 1109 Gerry Capano, Greenville DE, '63 Corvette      6.050  236.22  236.22
20  360 Bob Rahaim, Grosse Pointe MI, '69 Camaro       6.061  238.26  238.26
21  318 Michael Biehle, North Vernon IN, '13 Mustang   6.065  244.07  244.07
22 5087 Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction CO, '53 Corvette  6.072  235.27  235.27
23 6967 Jim Bell, Edmonton AB, '69 Camaro              6.087  218.37  218.37
24    3 Mike Castellana, Muttontown NY, '69 Camaro     6.097  234.66  234.66
25    9 Chip King, Semora NC, '69 Daytona              6.106  243.72  244.43
26  377 Harold Martin, New Hudson MI, '14 Corvette     6.111  212.29  212.29
27  567 Chris Juliano, Iberia MO, '67 Mustang          6.165  229.31  229.51
28 2105 Doug Winters, Pleasant Garden NC, '57 Bel Air  6.264  214.76  214.76