Drag Illustrated Issue 115, November 2016 | Page 137

Modeste Destroys the Outlaw 275 Record by a Quarter-Second !

Although he is still being mourned by the drag racing community , small-tire superstar Mike Modeste smashed one final mark prior to his untimely passing at the Haltech World Cup Finals at Budds Creek ( MD ).

In his infamous 1991 Mustang , complete with revolutionary twin ProCharger centrifugal superchargers atop a 670 cubic-inch Ford powerplant , “ Mustang Mike ” positively wrecked his own two year-old 6.68-second Outlaw 275 World Record with a phenomenal 6.437 at a mere 197.05 mph while winning the $ 10,000 pot posted in the ATI Performance Products Radial Versus Modified Import category .

A six-time NSCA World Champion who was a leader of the 275mm tire revolution at the start of the century , the Brooklyn legend will forever be remembered as the first 275 racer to run under six and a half seconds in a quarter-mile .

Franklin Drops a Bomb on Pro Nitrous Racers !

Sitting atop the Drag Illustrated Pro Nitrous Top 8 since March , 2016 , ( when he posted the first 3.68-second unblown doorslammer

eighth-mile ), Virginian Tommy Franklin closed his PDRA championship-winning season at the association ’ s Brian Olson Memorial World Finals at Dinwiddie ( VA ) with a 3.677 at the second fastest Pro Nitrous clip ever , 204.70 mph , in the final round against rival and fellow PN “ 3.60 Club ” member Stevie “ Fast ” Jackson . New Yorker Chris Rini led qualifying with his 942-inch Charlie Buck-powered ATI-backed ’ 69 Camaro at an amazing 3.694 at only 199.26 mph . Franklin ’ s familiar green-on-black ’ 69 Camaro used 903 cubic inches of Pat Musi Chevrolet to also hit a 3.69 / 204.29 in the semi-finals against Jay Cox , who , three weeks later during an open competition event at GALOT Motorsports Park in Dunn ( NC ), would become the fifth PN driver dip under 3.7 seconds with his own Buck-powered Camaro .

Leggett ’ s Mach I Rockets to a 3.49 !

At the same Mad Mule Pro Mod Shootout at the GALOT track in Dunn , Terry Leggett , who has made a valiant return to Pro Extreme competition after recent health issues , stunned onlookers with an amazing 3.496 at 218.76 from his unique Terry Coyle-tuned 1971 Mustang Mach I . The run made the thirty-year Ford racing veteran only the fourth driver to run below 3.4 seconds in a supercharged passenger car . While the effort was only eleven thousandths of a second slower than the quickest of all time , the terminal velocity earned the North Carolinian the “ bump spot ” in the DI PX Top 8 Speed listing , as well . Rumors abounded Leggett and Coyle were testing in 2017 PDRA trim the rules of which will permit a second “ power adder ” on PX entries .

- BRET KEPNER

OUTLAW DRAG RADIAL ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

OUTLAW DRAG RADIAL ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

X275 ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

X275 ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

PRO EXTREME ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

EXTREME TURBO ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

PRO NITROUS ELIMINATOR QUICKEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

EXTREME PRO STOCK ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

OUTLAW 275 ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

PRO EXTREME ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

EXTREME TURBO ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

PRO NITROUS ELIMINATOR FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )

OUTLAW 10.5 ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS ( quarter-mile )

OUTLAW 10.5 ELIMINATOR QUICKEST & FASTEST DRIVERS ( eighth-mile )