Dirt
MID-WEST PRO MOD SERIES |
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racing ,” Haney says . “ All the Midwest guys are driving over to the East Coast to go racing , and it costs a lot of money to get there . We decided we ’ re going to do a series close to home .”
Mid-West Pro Mod Series rules were designed to allow racers who use almost any power adder – Roots-type blowers , screw-type superchargers , turbochargers , ProChargers , and nitrous – to race together in one unified class .
“ They can all run together , we just had to come up with a common rule . So I got together with Wes Buck , Jeff Pierce , Billy Stocklin , Jim Sackuvich , Brandon Pesz , Todd Martin – a whole group of guys – and asked what we can do to bring them all together , and this is what we came up with . Since then , we ’ ve had three races . We ’ ve had full fields at almost all of the races , and the fields are full of color . You ’ ll have a Jim Sackuvich running an Eddie Rogers . Now everybody ’ s together .
“ The fans in the stands , in my opinion , they don ’ t know the difference between a nitrous car and a screw car , other than one has a hood scoop and the other has a ( injector ) hat sticking out . All they care about at the end of the day is close racing ,” Haney continues .
Mid-West Pro Mod Series events are actually races within a race . Promoters and tracks looking for a thrilling Pro Mod show to join established events , such as PSCA ’ s Heads-Up Hootenanny and San Antonio ’ s Night of Fire , can book in the Mid-West Pro Mod Series to compete at their events . The unique format is an added benefit for MWPMS racers , as the guaranteed run schedule is tighter than most other series .
“ It ’ s a day-and-a-half show ,” Haney says . “ You go to a race in most sanctioning bodies – and it doesn ’ t matter if it ’ s PDRA , NHRA or IHRA – the shows are four days long . The guys have to be off on Wednesday to get to the track on Thursday , then they ’ re not traveling home until Sunday after the race . Well , with us , we want to do the show in a day and a half . Friday night , qualifying starts
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at five or six o ’ clock . You get two ( sessions ) then , one on Saturday morning , you go racing Saturday evening . We ’ re the main show , so you go racing Saturday evening , you ’ re done at 10 or 11 , then you ’ re driving home . We only race within bigger events , but we ask that they start us at a certain time and we try to end at a certain time .”
As the co-owner of Tulsa Raceway Park , Haney took into consideration the track owner and promoter viewpoints when he was developing the MWPMS format . With multiple 2018 races already booked at St . Louis and Tulsa , as well as ongoing negotiations with four other tracks , Haney ’ s plan to make the series attractive to race venues seems to be working .
“ We have tracks from all over calling us because we actually take nothing from the gate , nothing from the concessions – we want nothing – and we ’ re bringing money . The tracks just need to guarantee a purse . We bring in cash sponsorship
money , that way the tracks don ’ t have to go find it . We make it so the tracks can make money . That ’ s all we care about – we want the race tracks to make money and for us to have a great , safe place to race ,” Haney says .
Haney ’ s unique perspective as a racer , business owner and track owner have guided him throughout the development of the Mid-West Pro Mod Series . Along with his passion and the support from race teams , tracks and sponsors , it ’ s that perspective that will likely ensure the success of the series . For Haney , it just makes too much sense .
“ I think this is what should happen with racing ,” Haney states . “ If they ’ ve already got an established event at a race track , why wouldn ’ t you want to be in that event ? Like San Antonio , I ’ m excited about going there . None of us have raced Pro Mod there . We ’ re going to be a part of their Night of Fire , which is their biggest race of the year . They ’ re going to have people in the stands , which will make our sponsors happy . The track is going to be happy . They ’ re adding another show into their show . We ’ re partnering with these tracks . We ’ re giving them a live feed and a tech guy . We give them $ 5,000 this year , but it will be $ 6,500 next year . They get all the entry fees , crew pass fees , spectator fees , concessions – what track wouldn ’ t want that ? We do ( at Tulsa ), and that ’ s why we have two races here . It makes it where you can cover your expenses , the tracks get to make a little money , and guess what ? They ’ re begging you to come back next year .” DI
PHOTOS : JOE MCHUGH , JAMES SISK
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24 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 124