Drag Illustrated Issue 132, May 2018 | Page 34

Dirt I mean, come on. Read that list again. If you had a 19-car Pro Mod field that included those names, you don’t have one disappointed fan. That’s going to be a heck of a show and, yet, af- ter four rounds of qualifying – and, yes, that’s another awesome sign of progress for the class in NHRA – they were done. Smith, speaking on Wes Buck’s live Facebook show, also suggests the number of participants, and talented drivers at that, could grow even higher if it were possible. “The car count doesn’t surprise me,” Smith said. “We could have 60 cars there if they let us.” That means who did qualify in Gainesville put on a marvelous show. Maybe one day we’ll look at this golden age of NHRA Pro Mod racing and point to this event as a key launching point. But you had Mike Castellana and crew chief Frank Manzo qualifying No. 1 with a 5.750 at 253.56. He was followed closely by “Stevie Fast” Jackson, whose dynamic personality fits perfectly and brings even more life to the class. Jackson, who won two races in his first year in NHRA Pro Mod, went 5.754 at 250.60 mph before being ousted by 2018 newcomer Chad Green, who was outstanding in his debut before hitting the wall in the semifinals. But Green, under the tutelage of Pat Musi, went 5.79 on his first-ever NHRA Pro Mod run, instantly making him a player. Just the fact he already bought a new car and had it ready weeks later for the race in Houston should tell you all you need to know about how this class is viewed. It’s red hot and every- one wants to be part of it. Steven and Jim Whiteley were again impressive and con- tinue to be key cogs in the class, while other heavy-hitters that did qualify featured the likes of Todd Tutterow, who ran 5.70s right off the bat running an Al Billes blower to show he’ll be a threat all year; Khalid alBalooshi, a former NHRA Pro Mod world champ; Bob Rahaim; Jeremy Ray, who made his NHRA Pro Mod debut after winning the warm-up race earlier this year in Orlando; and Shane Molinari, who made a big splash last year and qualified No. 3 with a 5.771 with crew chief Brad Personett. It also included Jose Gonzalez, who won a PDRA Pro Boost title in 2017, and his contingent of noted crew chiefs Steve Petty and Eric Dillard, furthering a theme of marquee and superstar crew chiefs working with incredible drivers. What we have is a who’s-who list driving the car and an absolute star-studded cast of names making the calls. If you don’t think that’s taking the class to new levels, you’re nuts. But it all led to the final round between Smith, who beat Cas- tellana in the semifinals, and Janis, with Smith’s 5.794 taking the win. Janis, after a great deal of success over the win- ter racing in Qatar, will be a force to be reckoned with in 2018, but Smith continues to stay at the top of the mountain in the loaded class, still ea- ger to trade haymakers with the Pro Mod elite. His reaction times of .035, .044, .037 and .025 during eliminations were awe-inspiring, giving Smith hope he can compete for a fourth world title in the class. But he’s also well-aware of what can happen when you bring that much talent en masse to a race. “We had 16 cars that could have won that race,” Smith said. “This deal, if you qualify, you’re going to have a chance to win. I think this year you could see any of the top guys not qualify (at a race). It’s going to be interesting.” Could it get better? There’s no reason to think why it won’t, especially as full-time racers in pro classes start dipping their toes in the NHRA Pro Mod water. Two-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders made her NHRA Pro Mod debut in Houston, defending Pro Stock world champ Bo Butner teased also driving Pro Mod in 2019, while Smith hinted at bringing out someone “who will be good for the class” at a handful of races this season. By most accounts, the class has reached the perfect number of races with 12, while adding a fourth qualifying session and racing on Sunday with the rest of the pro classes added to the big- time feel. Will the racing all year match what took place in Gainesville? That will be difficult, but it should, and Smith predicted it will take running 5.75-5.78 to win races. That means wild racing, edge of your seat driving and, oh yeah, several reminders of what makes NHRA Pro Mod cars so appealing. “They’re badass cars. They’re mean cars,” Smith said. “They are wild and unpredictable.” DI DI DI DI DI DI DI 34 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com DI DI I s DI s u e 132 NHRA PRO MOD