2011 NHRA SRE NATIONALS - GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD NOTEBOOK
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SUNDAY FINAL - CASTELLANA RACES TO SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON DURING GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES RACE
Mike Castellana raced to his second win of the season during the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series event that took place during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals on Sunday. In the finals he was pitted against No. 1 qualifier Mike Rowe, who was in his third consecutive finals.
Castellana had a .066 reaction time to a .073 for Rowe and was able to use that to his advantage and posted a winning pass of 5.869 seconds at 243.24 miles per hour to the losing effort of Rowe’s at 5.960 seconds at 244.78 mile per hour.
Khalid Balooshi, who was defeated in the second round, retains the series points lead by 23 points over Rowe and with the win Castellana holds down the fifth place position in the points.
The Get Screened America Pro Mod Series returns to action during the 57th annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on Aug. 31 – Sept. 5th.
Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series final round-by-round results from the Fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the seventh of ten events.
ROUND ONE -- Mike Knowles, Chevy Camaro, 5.986, 240.29 def. Raymond Commisso, Camaro, broke; Donald Martin, Camaro, 5.997, 244.07 def. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.121, 245.23; Jay Payne, Camaro, 5.986, 240.77 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, DQ; Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 5.974, 236.96 def. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 6.096, 240.38; Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 5.942, 240.64 def. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.098, 223.43; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.900, 239.19 def. Chuck Cheeseman, Chevy Corvette, 6.051, 234.00; Rickie Jones, Camaro, 5.912, 240.55 def. Pete Farber, Daytona, broke; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.904, 246.57 def. Mike Janis, Ford Mustang, 32.558, 62.17;
QUARTERFINALS -- Radford, 6.051, 235.43 def. Balooshi, 6.086, 238.60; Jones, 5.944, 239.23 def. D. Martin, 7.970, 118.44; Rowe, 5.949, 245.94 def. Knowles, 7.552, 138.02; Castellana, 5.997, 238.34 def. Payne, 6.049, 239.36;
SEMIFINALS -- Rowe, 5.955, 244.65 def. Radford, broke; Castellana, 6.019, 235.02 def. Jones, 6.347, 214.35;
FINAL -- Castellana, 5.896, 243.24 def. Rowe, 5.960, 244.78.
Point standings (top 10) for Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series following the Fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the seventh of ten events.
1. Khalid Balooshi, 508; 2. Danny Rowe, 485; 3. Ed Hoover, 359; 4. Kenny Lang, 355; 5. Mike Castellana, 351; 6. Roger Burgess, 342; 7. Raymond Commisso, 325; 8. Rickie Smith, 317; 9. Mike Janis, 298; 10. Melanie Troxel, 291.
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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - ROWE TOP QUALIFIER; ADVANCES TO SECOND ROUND
Rain kept the racers of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series off the track on Friday but it was worth the wait for Danny Rowe who powered to the top of the field for the No. 1 qualifying position. Rowe, who is second in the season long point’s standings, posted a run of 5.863 seconds at 246.93mph to take the No. 1 qualifying position in his Sterling Bridge ’68 Camaro. This comes after his recent win at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park and his runner-up finish at the last event in Bristol.
First round of eliminations were also held during the day and Rowe was able to use his No. 1 qualifying spot to his advantage as he defeated Mike Janis to secure a first round win. He posted a winning pass of 5.904 seconds at 246.57 to the losing run of 32.558 seconds at 62.17mph by Janis. Rowe will face Mike Knowles when eliminations continue on Sunday.
Other first round winners include point’s leader Khalid Balooshi, Dennis Radford, Rickie Jones, Donald Martin, Mike Castellana, and Jay Payne.
Eliminations will continue on Sunday during the running of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.
First round of Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series eliminations from the Fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the seventh of 10 events.
ROUND ONE -- Mike Knowles, Chevy Camaro, 5.986, 240.29 def. Raymond Commisso, Camaro, broke; Donald Martin, Camaro, 5.997, 244.07 def. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.121, 245.23; Jay Payne, Camaro, 5.986, 240.77 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, DQ; Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 5.974, 236.96 def. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 6.096, 240.38; Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 5.942, 240.64 def. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.098, 223.43; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.900, 239.19 def. Chuck Cheeseman, Chevy Corvette, 6.051, 234.00; Rickie Jones, Camaro, 5.912, 240.55 def. Pete Farber, Daytona, broke; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.904, 246.57 def. Mike Janis, Ford Mustang, 32.558, 62.17;
Saturday's final qualifying order for Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series for the Fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, the seventh of10 events.
1. Danny Rowe, Chevy Camaro, 5.863, 246.93; 2. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 5.868, 241.93; 3. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.871, 241.93; 4. Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 5.879, 241.97; 5. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 5.913, 238.93; 6. Kenny Lang, Camaro, 5.937, 246.26; 7. Donald Martin, Camaro, 5.938, 245.00; 8. Raymond Commisso, Camaro, 5.947, 246.66; 9. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 5.953, 240.81; 10. Chip King, Daytona, 5.968, 253.28; 11. Jay Payne, Camaro, 5.988, 241.93; 12. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 5.990, 247.97; 13. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.021, 239.06; 14. Chuck Cheeseman, Chevy Corvette, 6.072, 235.97; 15. Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 6.079, 238.09; 16. Mike Janis, Ford Mustang, 6.130, 238.93;
Did Not Qualify: 17. Steve Matusek, 6.275, 230.84; 18. Melanie Troxel, 6.419, 230.61; 19. Ike Maier, 6.956, 182.35; 20. Harold Martin, 7.363, 142.10; 21. Brad Personett, 9.063, 116.26; 22. Roger Burgess, 9.449, 111.63; 23. Scott Ray, 13.890, 55.96.
ROSTER SHIFT - Some last minute changes at R2B2 Racing have necessitated some musical chairs in the team’s Get Screened America Pro Mod Series pit at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals this weekend.
Team owner/driver Roger Burgess, who was left without a car following a crash in Bristol, is third in series points and it was decided on Thursday he couldn’t afford to take the race off.
Burgess will return to the silver turbocharged ProCare Rx1953 Corvette that was the winning car last week in Bristol with Melanie Troxel behind the wheel.
Troxel moves into the Roadrage.com Camaro for rookie Leah Pruett-LeDuc. Troxel has worked her way to seventh in points. Pruett-LeDuc will sit Norwalk out.
Things are expected to return to normal following the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series’ mid-summer break.
MCAMIS SIGHTING - Tim McAmis, the recognized leader of the doorslammer-themed American Drag Racing League was in Norwalk but not as in his executive capacity. He was; however, helping out Pro Mod racer Mike Knowles.
IT'S A VETTE, REALLY - After proclaiming his unique M-4 brand, Harold Martin is racing this weekend with a more recognized car. Well. kinda-sorta. The M-4 has been graphically enhanced to carry the Corvette moniker.
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - MOTHER NATURE GETS TOP SPOT
NO RACING TODAY - Peristent rain showers forced race officials at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals to cancel Friday's qualifying.
Rain began falling early morning on Summit Racing Equipment Raceway Park in Norwalk, Ohio, and despite repeated attempts to dry the racing surface by the Safety Safari, finally pulled the plug at 6:30 PM.
Saturday and Sunday’s weather forecast appears perfect for racing.
NHRA officials plan to get in two professional qualifying sessions, including Pro Modified, and complete the unfinished sportsman qualifying. In addition, the K&N Filters Horsepower Showdown will run.
First round eliminations for both Top Alcohol divisions, as well as Pro Modified, have been pushed over to Sunday.
First round of qualified sportsman fields begin at 8 AM.
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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - TROXEL READY TO WIN AGAIN
For many motorsports fans, nothing is better in this world than getting a new car. The new smells, sounds and feelings that are associated with receiving a new
ride are some of the most exciting ever felt.Pro Mod driver Melanie Troxel feels just the same. But one big difference between Troxel and the average motorsports fan is that she has those experiences at more than 250 mph.
As the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series makes its seventh of 10 stops in 2011 at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, Troxel is just getting a feel for her new ride, a turbocharged ’53 Corvette previously driven by team owner Roger Burgess.
“The starting-line procedure, specifically the way the car launches, is still a little awkward for me,” said Troxel, who made her first start in the new ride at the NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown and guided it to a victory in Bristol, Tenn., last weekend.
After Burgess announced the addition of a new driver to his R2B2 Racing stable, former NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series racer Leah Pruett-LeDuc, Burgess switched a few rides. He gave Pruett-LeDuc the ’68 Camaro that Troxel had driven and relinquished to Troxel his ’53 Corvette, the car in which he had posted the best time of the event at every race to that point in the season and top speed of the event at three of the four first races of the season.
It didn’t take long for Troxel to find the speed in her new car. In just her second qualifying run, Troxel set the national record for time and speed in the category with a blistering performance of 5.772 seconds at 258.71 mph. In Bristol, she drove it four rounds to take her second victory and move into a tie for seventh in the series point standings.
“We knew this combination had incredible potential,” said Troxel. “Roger had set low e.t. of every race this year, so we’ve already seen what the car is capable of. Now we have two cars running this same combination, so we should see some big things from both of us. As we all saw (in Englishtown and Bristol), it’s very, very fast, and that’s what we like.”
With a fast car and the support of her team, Troxel wants to show her support by grabbing a few more Wally trophies in 2011 for R2B2 Racing.
“I really want to win (more races) for Steve Petty, our tuner,” said Troxel. “He’s worked so hard to get this thing working.”
Troxel won’t be the only driver looking to walk away with the Wally in Norwalk. Points leader Khalid Balooshi swept the first two events of the season in his Speedtech ’68 Camaro but hasn’t returned to winner’s circle and is hoping to keep his championship hopes alive, and Englishtown winner and second-place driver Danny Rowe hopes to take the points lead from Balooshi with a Norwalk win. And don’t count out Troxel’s teammate Brad Personett, who is hoping to make a charge up the point standings and race to his first win of 2011.
REACHING THE SUMMIT - For the past two years, second-generation racer and Team Summit member Rickie Jones had been a mainstay in the NHRA’s Pro Stock Car category, with
three final round appearances and a 10th place finish in the 2009 Full Throttle championship standings. In 2011, however, the 24 year-old son of noted race car builder Rick Jones opted to take his career in a different direction, climbing behind the wheel of a 1969 Camaro-bodied Pro Mod, competing in the American Drag Racing League’s Pro Nitrous division.However, at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, Jones will make his debut in the NHRA’s Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, carrying the colors of the Tallmadge-based race and track sponsor on the doors of his 2,400-horsepower hot rod. Naturally, the Galesburg, IL native is looking forward to racing on the quarter-mile, where he will join Summit Racing-sponsored Kenny Lang and the other regulars on the NHRA tour.
“We’re really honored to have Summit Racing Equipment on our car this weekend,” said Jones. “Summit has been a great partner of mine for the last three years, helping my career get started, first in a Pro Stock Car and now with my Pro Mod. Last week at the ADRL race in Topeka, we qualified second and lost by two thousandths in the semifinals, so I think our program is on the right track as we come to our first NHRA race in Pro Mod. However, it’s going to be a challenge, since this will be the first time we run the quarter-mile.
“I haven’t been to an NHRA race since last year’s U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, so I’m really looking forward to getting to the track in Norwalk, not only to race, but also to see everyone, as we have a lot of fans and customers over there. Summit Motorsports Park is a facility that is second to none, and the Bader family does a fantastic job with it. I couldn’t think of a better place to make my NHRA Pro Mod debut, and with Summit on board at the Summit race at the Summit track, hopefully a little magic will rub off and we can win one of those neat pewter Wallys.”
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