Drag Illustrated Issue 125, September 2017 | Page 73

WORLD SERIES OF PRO MOD
WHEEL
MAN
NORTH VERNON, INDIANA’S Michael
Biehle launches off the temperature con-
trolled starting line of Bandimere Speedway
in his Jamie Miller-tuned 1967 Ford Mustang.
Beihle and company were quietly confident
throughout WSOPM Race Week, acknowl-
edging, but not admitting the team’s Ford
likely had what it would take to seal the deal.
MOMENTUM BUILDING
BEHIND THE WHEEL of the
Aeromotive Fuel Systems-spon-
sored ’68 Chevy Camaro tuned by
Jimmy Rector, part of the two-car
Pro Mod team of Danny Rowe
Racing, Steve Matusek came into
the World Series of Pro Mod as a
bit of an unknown commodity. The
team had performed exceptionally
well on the NHRA Pro Mod Drag
Racing Series tour throughout ear-
ly 2017, scoring their first victory
back in March in Houston, Texas,
September 2017
but had an unfortunate run-in with
the concrete retaining wall of Sum-
mit Motorsports Park in late June
that, admittedly, tested the team’s
resolve. “We knew it was going to be
a thrash just to make it to the race,”
explained Matusek. “It was really
an incredible effort by our team,
and while we had every intention
of competing to win the World Se-
ries of Pro Mod, I feel like we all
felt a sense of accomplishment just
being there, being a part of it and
making a string of great runs. I have
to admit, though, after we’d made
a few passes, with Jimmy [Rector]
just picking at it and continually im-
proving, we all started to feel a bit
of momentum.” Unfortunately for
the Lenexa, Kansas-based driver, he
found himself on the wrong side of
an extremely close drag race in the
semifinal round and was knocked
out by finalist Steven Whiteley.
DragIllustrated.com
| D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 73