Drag Illustrated Issue 136, September 2018 | Page 98

20 REASONS
No.
NHRA PRO MOD IS HOT LIKE FIRE
N
o matter the angle you take,
NHRA Pro Mod is the place to be in
2018. No other class has grown like
this one, and the increase in interest –
both from fans and drivers – has been
just as massive.
It’s this simple: Pro Mod has never been as
big as it is right now. That means the amount
of talent showing up at each race has never
been better, the performance of the cars and
drivers has never been more awe-inspiring (or
back-breaking) and the options for racers and
fans is beyond measure.
Truthfully, speaking of the current talent
level, well, it’s astronomical, and say what you
want about the 40-plus cars that might have
shown up for a Pro Mod race in years gone by,
but the modern-day version is unbelievable. At
any given NHRA national event that features
Pro Mod this year there are almost always 30
legitimate hot rods on the property.
Just qualifying for the show is a big deal these
days, and it’s been more than one hero driver,
famed tuner and championship-caliber team
that’s been on the outside looking in recently.
Over halfway through the season, it’s safe to say
that the non-qualifiers at the first six events
would make an absolute barn burner of a drag
race in its own right.
Yes, the NHRA Pro Mod class is that stacked.
Pro Mod racing has never been as good as it
is now and none – absolutely none – of that is
hyperbole. The field separation is miniscule,
there’s success from every type of power adder
and you also have some great personalities in
the class. From “Stevie Fast” Jackson, to the
quiet, throwback nature of a newcomer like
Jeremy Ray, to the veterans like Rickie Smith,
who keeps staying a step ahead of everyone,
this class has a little something for everyone.
Those three names are just the tip of the
iceberg, too. You’ve had first-time winners
like Jose Gonzalez, as smooth as they come
behind the wheel; Mike Janis making another
championship push; crossover stars like Erica
Enders making their debuts and a bevy of new
faces like Chad Green who have made the class
even better. Heck, even last year’s champ, Troy
Coughlin, couldn’t stay away more than a few
months. He retired at the end of the 2017 sea-
son, but had ended that by June – a retirement
that barely lasted six months – making it the
latest sign that this class is a can’t-miss affair.
Could you imagine the likes of Jason Scruggs
joining the mix in 2019? It’s as good as a guar-
antee at this point, and he’s only one of a few
heavy hitters headed NHRA’s way in the very
near future – just a couple further reminders
that NHRA Pro Mod and the Danny Rowe,
Steve Matusek, and John Waldie-led Real Pro
Mod Association aren’t slowing down anytime
soon. - JOSH HACHAT
No.2
98 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
ove it or hate it, the No -Prep
movement – popularized by the stars of
STREET OUTLAWS - isn’t going away
anytime soon. Not only are unaffiliated race
promoters and events like Shannon “The
Queen of No-Prep” Morgan and Chicagoland’s
King of the Streets seeing continued success in
2018 with points-earning race series and a safe
haven for many a current or reformed street
racer, Discovery is seeing serious success with
a spin-off of their uber-popular illegal street
racing show featuring big-money, invite-only
shootouts at unprepped drag strips around
the country.
The shows’ ratings are hitting the mark
and the buzz across social media is palpable.
It appears the No Prep Kings program is pro-
ducing new street race superstars in James
“Birdman” Finney and Ryan “Fireball” Mar-
tin, specifically. The show is even serving as a
new home for HOT ROD Drag Week legend
Larry Larson and his infamous twin-tur-
bocharged Chevy S10. Even at events that
aren’t part of the reality television landscape,
No-Prep and its unique classes, rules and
format, as well as the ultimate leveler-of-
the-playing-field that is an untouched racing
surface, are making an infinitely positive
impact on the sport of drag racing. - WES BUCK
CARS, STARS & CUT THROAT COMPETITION:
3
L
NO-PREP GOES
PRIMETIME
Issue 136