Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine

Racer Press Releases
The latest news from the top professionals

Looking to find out how your favorite NHRA POWERade or IHRA Hooter's professional team performed this weekend? Publicists please submit your team's news to CompPlusRacerPR@aol.com.

IHRA Hooters Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified

Richmond - Saturday

They're BAAAAACK! - Mike Janis' Eaton Sponsored Team Takes First Win of '05

DINWIDDIE, Va. -- When defending Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified World Champion, Mike Janis, took delivery of his ’05 Dodge Stratus from Keith Engling’s Skinny Kid’s Race Cars this past winter, Janis knew this car had unlimited potential, but after two DNQ’s to start the season frustration began to mount in the Janis camp.

“We knew we had a good car, we just need to find what it wanted,” said Janis.

“I think in the past two months we’ve done more testing than we had in the last 4 years combined. We would get close then for some reason we would lose ourselves. It got to be very frustrating, but after our last test session we knew we had something.”

Had something they did. Janis and his Eaton sponsored team circled the wagons and laid down a 6.219 at 232.0003 on their first qualifying pass and grabbed hold of the number one spot. On his second run Janis stunned the Virginia crowd with by posting a 6.132 at 233.76. Breaking both ends of the Virginia Motorsports Park Track record and breaking his own IHRA World Speed Record.

After the third and final qualifying session Janis was able to hold on to the number one spot, but his newly established records were in jeopardy as Al Billes, driver of Jim Oddy’s Summit backed team, cranked out an astounding 6.169/234.94 pass. Billes would need to run at least 232.60 during eliminations to steal the record from Janis.

As fate would have it Billes ran in the pair before Janis during round one of eliminations and destroyed the existing speed record by nearly 3 miles per hour with a 6.128 elapsed time at 236.22 MPH in a win over Rick DiStefano. When it was Janis’ turn at his first round opponent Janis made light work of the 16th qualifier, Charles Carpenter, posting a 6.169 at 232.51 to Carpenters much slower 6.759 at 166.39.

In round two Janis defeated Ed Hoover. Hoover couldn’t match the Jan-Cen horsepower from Janis’ Stratus as Janis clocked a 6.256 to Hoover’s 6.295. The win over Hoover put Janis in the semi-finals against Eddie Ware and once again the Jan-Cen horsepower was to much for Janis’ opponent as Janis took the win light with a 6.216 at just under 232 miles per hour to Ware’s 6.278 at just over 224.

With Janis and Billes on opposite sides of the ladder and the two teams trying to out best one another's performance it looked as if the Virginia fans would be treated to a dream final round, but it wasn't meant to be. Billes' Jim Oddy prepared engine ate itself just before the finish line on Billes semi final winning run giving Janis a solo into the winner's circle.

Understandably, Oddy and Billes were disappointed that they could not make the call for the final round, but equally disappointed were Janis and his Eaton team. "You take a win any way you can," said Janis. Jim and Al have a good team over there and they have my respect as racers. They told us at the top end that they wouldn't be back. No games, no nothing. They are straight up racers. They put their best out there and challenge you to beat them. I would've loved to have beaten them on the track, but a win's a win no matter how it happens."

It seems inevitable that these two Titans of Pro Modified will clash this season. The question is will you be there to see it? It may not be an IHRA national event, but you can! On July 1st at IHRA sanctioned Lancaster Motorsports Park these two Western New York based teams will go mono a mono in a best of three-match race in front of the hometown fans. Not since War Admiral and Seabiscut has there been such an anticipated match race.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2004 sales of $9.8 billion. Eaton is a global leader in fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; automotive engine air management systems, powertrain solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety; and intelligent truck drivetrain systems for safety and fuel economy. Eaton has 55,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 125 countries. For more information, visit http://www.eaton.com/.

CARPENTER KEEPS STREAK ALIVE

It came down to being a little too close for comfort, but Charles Carpenter, owner/driver of the Embee Performance “World’s Fastest ’55 Chevy,” qualified for the ACDelco Virginia IHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in the final slot. This means that the team continues its qualifying streak of 11 events, (including both local and national events) going for 2005 - a huge turnaround from the second half of the 2004 season.

“We are nothing short of pleased to qualify for the show, especially when you see who did not make the field,” Carpenter stated. The team got into the show with an elapsed time of 6.327-seconds at a speed of 222.77-mph.

Unfortunately, Carpenter and his legendary car were not able to make it past the first round of eliminations. “I do wish that we had been able to qualify in a stronger position. The 16th spot is always tough because that means you go up against the number one qualifier in the first round,” he explained.

That number one qualifier was none other than 2004 Pro Modified Champion, Mike Janis, who came to town with a mission. For the first two events of the IHRA season, he failed to qualify and that did not set well. Carpenter was just the first “victim” as Janis went on to win the event.

Carpenter added, “We are disappointed with our performance at this race. We really couldn’t get a handle on the problem until it was too late. As we were driving home, we realized that there is a problem with our clutch. Nothing too serious, but it definitely hurt us.”

Carpenter vowed that the issue would be resolved before the next stop on the IHRA circuit, the Mopar Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend Motorplex, in Ontario, Canada. This event is schedule for June 10–12.

Richmond - Friday

Janis is top Torco Pro Modified Shootout point earner in Richmond

PETERSBURG, V.A. – It has taken him three races to get his new ’05 Stratus figured out, but for reigning world champion, Mike Janis, his no. 1 qualifying spot (6.132,233.76) at the AC Delco Nationals was the product of a lot of hard work.

“The last two months have been pretty tough,” Janis said. “We ran in Cayuga last weekend and we stayed on Sunday and made about 6 runs, and the very last run we made some changes and we got down on the last run. Today, I am just going to try to drive the car, which I haven’t been really trying to do, because I’ve been to worried about the car getting down the track.”

Former world champion, Shannon Jenkins posted a 6.161,228.15 lap to land in the No. 2 spot, while Spring Nationals champ, Al Billes laid claim to the No. 3 slot. With his qualifying effort, Jenkins assumed the lead for the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Showdown points. Previous leader Quain Stott failed to qualify.

John Russo of Middleton, Mass., surprised the field and took the fourth position, while Mike Castellana joined teammate Jenkins to cap the top five.

The unofficial Top 8 in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout stand as:

1. Shannon Jenkins
2. Ed Hoover
3. Dennis Radford
4. Quain Stott
5. Jim Halsey
6. John Russo
7. Eddie Ware
8. Mike Castellana

The next opportunity for drivers in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified to obtain points towards the shootout will be at the Mopar Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada.

Richmond - Pre-race

Stott heads to Virginia with Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout Lead

Quain Stott’s willpower and determination have propelled him to the top of the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout. It will be his relentless attitude and commitment to excellence that ensures he keeps it.

Only three races into the season, the Lee Boy Paving driver finds himself atop the race for the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout’s top berth. With 20 points separating Stott from current second place driver, Shannon Jenkins, there’s no room for error when qualifying begins for this weekend’s IHRA ACDelco Nationals hosted by Virginia Motorsports Park located outside of Petersburg.

Stott entered the 2005 season with a heavy heart and a mission to complete. He is currently the lone representative of the racing Stott family in Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified after the loss of family patriarch Bob Stott, who passed away earlier this year. Normally, Stott’s younger sibling Mitch would be a friendly rival, but due to lack of major sponsorship he is on hiatus from competition. Stott is indeed a man on a mission and won’t stop until he attains it.

Just two races into the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing season, he’s well on his way.

In what is gearing up to be a battle of epic proportions, Stott has his sights set on the final $20,000 prize in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout. In order to do that, he must hold off the advances of a determined field. Right now, he’s happy to have commandeered the provisional pole position for this special race-within-a-race which will be held during the Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals in mid-August.

As if holding onto the No. 1 spot isn’t enough pressure, Stott is also waving the flag for the supercharged camp. The stage has been set for the unavoidable duel between blown vs. nitrous entries, and it is shaping up to be a shootout that won’t soon be forgotten.

The top ten point earners headed into this weekend’s Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout qualifying are as follows:
Quain Stott
Shannon Jenkins
Ed Hoover
Harold Martin
Dennis Radford
Jim Halsey
Eddie Ware
John Russo
Mike Castellana
Mike Lockwood

The AC Delco Nationals are slated to kick off on Thursday, May 26th at Virginia Motorsports Park.

For more information on Torco Race Fuels or the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout, please contact Torco Race Fuels Competitionplus.com via Paula Motolik at (440) 221-9164.

Qualifying for Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified begins at 2 PM, EST., on Friday May 27th with a second session at 8 PM. The third and final qualifying session is slated for at 11 AM on Saturday. Final eliminations begin Saturday at 4 PM.

Harold Martin Is Ready to Park his New Car in the ACDelco Nationals Winner’s Circle

Harold Martin had the most successful season of his Pro Modified career in 2004, winning his first national event and finishing third in the Hooters Drag Racing Series Championship Standings. Energized by his second consecutive Top Five finish, this second-generation racer geared up for another title fight in 2005 by purchasing a new ACDelco Pontiac Pro Mod.

As to be expected from a competitor who specializes in the latest in automotive technology, this most recent addition to the Martin Motorsports arsenal features an evolutionary design, incorporating lessons the team learned during the three years with their previous race car. After determining its performance envelope during successful off-season testing and the first two races of the season, the “EFI Wizard” feels his new ride is ready to shine at this weekend’s ACDelco Nationals in Richmond, VA.

“It is always a benefit to surround yourself with new tubing,” said Martin. “With the stress loads that our powertrain puts out, it definitely puts a great demand on the chassis. Therefore, any time you can upgrade and overcome some of the losses it has seen during its life cycle is an asset.

“In addition, we are constantly challenged to come up with incremental design changes to help us harness the acceleration and wheel speed that our race program develops. Therefore, we have incorporated several features in this new race car pertaining to the weight percentage and structural design of the chassis to help improve our performance.

“What this new car has allowed us to realize is the numerous enhancements we had installed in the old car. It was quite interesting to lay out our history with the previous edition, and decide what we wanted to carry through to the new ACDelco Pontiac.

“Our experience exemplifies the tremendous amount of technological advances that have been made in racing over the last few years. Years ago, the challenges were within the tuning side of the chassis. You would work tirelessly on the four-link, the shocks and other suspension components. Today, those efforts are joined by similar work in the area of structural design, with as many changes there as we see in the four-link bars.

“We have been very impressed by the fact that many of the things we were trying to achieve with this new car showed up in its very first outing. Although we realize it will not fix everything on our to do list, it has definitely stepped up our performance. We are also constantly challenged to determine this new Pontiac’s tuning window under the various conditions we will encounter throughout the year.

“If there is one thing that has stayed consistent in both cars, as well as all the cars in our stable, it is the utilization of proven ACDelco parts. One of our strategies is to bridge proven technology, so while we expanded the design envelope in this new race car, we have also included components that have historically been up to the task, many of which are ACDelco.

“So far, it has shown itself to be a good race car, with the potential to be even better. It’s up to us to continue racing, learning what it needs as we go along, and fine-tune it as necessary. That limited experience is one of the liabilities of a new race car. Fortunately, we have extensive notes for all the tracks we will race on, and in fact, we limited the number of changes in the new car to make sure we could rely on our old data to keep us near the top of the page.

Boosted by the additional knowledge provided on every run, our performance continues to improve, and we are looking for good things this weekend in Richmond.”

Rockingham - Post-Race

Martin Surges to Second Round in Rockingham

ROCKINGHAM, NC. - Sunday’s final eliminations of the IHRA Spring Nationals, ACDelco Pontiac Pro Mod pilot Harold Martin looked to turn his fourth starting position into his first win at Rockingham Dragway. However, the Martin’s team first assignment was to come up with the proper tune-up to conquer the dramatically cooler temperatures that greeted competitors on race morning.

Things went according to plan in the first round, when the “EFI Wizard” opened with a solid 6.251-second, 223.65 mph pass in the first round to trailer No. 13 qualifier Steve Vick. This set the stage for a second-round encounter with veteran Rickie Smith.

Launching in close proximity, the two racers surged down the quarter-mile in a virtual dead heat. However, just as it seemed Martin would pull away for the win, smoke billowed from his race car, with the mechanical troubles slowing him to a 6.526-second elapsed time and cutting his day short, as his opponent posted a 6.298-second run to advance.

“I just recapped the weekend with my guys, and commended them for doing a great job,” said Martin. “Many times in a journey, you have to look within to see the things that are positive as well as possible areas of improvement. As a reflection back on last season, our program struggled in cooler ambient conditions such as we encountered here.

“I believe our efforts this weekend showed that our efforts during the winter were directionally correct, and we’re finally starting to make progress in the cooler air, and giving us the confidence that we can go from A to B in these conditions.

“It’s unfortunate that we had a problem with our engine on that last run. We knew it in the round before, but just didn’t feel like we had the time to change it, so we crossed our fingers and hoped we could get some help from Lady Luck in the second round, and then fix it in time for the semifinals. I clearly had passed him (Smith) on the track and was ready to make a move when I felt the engine surge and that was it.

“We’ll go home and analyze what happened with the engine and get it turned around. We will then couple it with the new information we have and look to get this ACDelco Pontiac in the winner’s circle very soon.”

Stott Stuns Field While Moving Into The Shootout Lead

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Hometown favorite, Quain Stott, sent shockwaves through the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified field, when he laid down a 6.161, 229.98 run that earned him the No. 1 qualifying spot.

Not only will he be leading the pack into eliminations on Sunday, but Stott was able to take over the lead in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout as well.

"This year we never intended to go for number one all the time, we just wanted to be consistent," Stott continued. "As it turned out we have been consistently quick. I could have probably gone quicker but I just wasn't in a gambling mood."

'The Iceman", also known as Shannon Jenkins found his way into the No. 2 spot with a 6.196, 225.07 pass, followed by relatively unknown driver, John Russo (6.205, 226.54) in the No. 3 slot.

Harold Martin and Rickie Smith rounded out the top five qualifiers with a 6.220, 224.06 and 6.226, 221.20 respectively.

Torco Race Fuels presented a total bonus of $1,000 to the top four qualifiers in the Pro Modified Shootout. Based on final qualifying position the No. 1 qualifier received $400 followed by $300 for No. 2, $200 for No. 3, and $100 for No. 4.

The unofficial top 10 in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout stand as:

1. Quain Stott
2. Shannon Jenkins
3. Ed Hoover
4. Harold Martin
5. Dennis Radford
6. Jim Halsey
7. Eddie Ware
8. John Russo
9. Mike Castellana
10. Mike Lockwood

The next opportunity for drivers in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified to obtain points towards the shootout will be at the AC Delco Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va.

The Torco Race Fuels Pro Modified Shootout will be contested in Martin, Mich., during the Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals.

The winner of the shootout will receive $20,000, while the runner-up is set to obtain $9,000. Semi-finalists will pocket $2,500 and the quarter-finalists will net $1,500 each.

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Click to visit our sponsor's website

Return to Contents