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Commerce, GA - At the third event of the 2007 AMS Staff Leasing Pro Modified Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, the lines have been clearly drawn between teams into a battle pitting the best Pro Mod crew chiefs in the land against each other. Contested at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals this weekend outside of Atlanta, the event marks the first return of the AMS Pro Mods to Atlanta Dragway since 2002.
AMS-Rage crew chief Howard Moon has eclipsed the competition, setting world records for both speed and ET and putting his drivers, Josh Hernandez and Troy Critchley No.'s 1 and 2. Close behind and hailing from the Great White North, tuner Al Billes has pushed Raymond Commisso's 68 Camaro into the No. 3 spot by more than two round wins over his closest competitor.
Rounding out the leaders, tuners Chuck Ford, Jimmy Rector, along with independent teams of Steve Engel and Bryan Seward are fighting to make a move toward the top of the BAE Championship Cup race. Notably absent from the top ten but not to be discounted are the Brad Anderson-tuned cars of Jay and Shelly Payne. Jay is the defending AMS World Champion.
What a difference five years makes. When the supercharged door slammers last graced the quarter-mile at Atlanta Dragway, the low qualifying numbers were run by chassis builder Tommy Mauney, 6.206, 227.84 and the field was capped with a then-unheard of bump on the eight-car field at 6.277. The nitrous-injected '68 Camaro of number-eight qualifier Steve Vick was the eventual winner of the race, having posted a string of 6.20's to take the win.
This weekend, given a cooperative weather forecast in Atlanta, any of the more than 20 drivers entered who post a best of a 6.20-pass will unlikely even make the 16-car field, let alone take home the AMS Eagle. Wildcard turbo-powered car of Troy Coughlin will offer a different combination to the supercharged entries, and, given this as his first event of the season, his performance numbers and impact on the field remains to be seen.
2004 & 2005 World Champion Mike Ashley is slated to make one test-run in the car of Naples, Fla. resident Bryan Seward. Ashley agreed to run as a test for Seward who will be beside his 12-year-old son as he undergoes scheduled corrective surgery. Although Ashley's run will not count for Seward in qualifying, the data gathered from the scheduled half-track pass will help Seward to qualify after his son is safely in recovery.
Seward said, "I checked to see if the rules allowed someone else to drive the car, and, after receiving approval, called the 'Godfather of Pro Mod' himself - Mike Ashley. He's really one of the only ones I trust behind the wheel of my Parker's Partners Mustang - I think he knows how to get a Ford down the track."
Mike Ashley replied, "When Bryan called and explained that he needed to be with his son but wanted to get the data from the run, I absolutely agreed. I love Pro Mods, and it will be fun, for sure - but for me, any time I have the privilege to help out another dad, I will gladly take it.
"It'll only be one run, and it's supposed to be an eighth-mile pass at that - but, for me, I'm glad to help," he said.
Other notable entries making their first appearance in AMS Pro Mod competition this year are Doug Palmer and Quain Stott. Also notable is the announcement of Chuck Ford's agreement to tune the Rick Stivers 63 Corvette beginning this weekend.
Qualifying in the third of ten events in the AMS Pro Mod Challenge is scheduled for 3:15 and 6:15 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and at 11:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Eliminations are scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m. Saturday and conclude on Sunday, April 29.
Atlanta slated to be a Battle of the Tuners for AMS Pro Mods
Commerce, GA - At the third event of the 2007 AMS Staff Leasing Pro Modified Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, the lines have been clearly drawn between teams into a battle pitting the best Pro Mod crew chiefs in the land against each other. Contested at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals this weekend outside of Atlanta, the event marks the first return of the AMS Pro Mods to Atlanta Dragway since 2002.
AMS-Rage crew chief Howard Moon has eclipsed the competition, setting world records for both speed and ET and putting his drivers, Josh Hernandez and Troy Critchley No.'s 1 and 2. Close behind and hailing from the Great White North, tuner Al Billes has pushed Raymond Commisso's 68 Camaro into the No. 3 spot by more than two round wins over his closest competitor.
Rounding out the leaders, tuners Chuck Ford, Jimmy Rector, along with independent teams of Steve Engel and Bryan Seward are fighting to make a move toward the top of the BAE Championship Cup race. Notably absent from the top ten but not to be discounted are the Brad Anderson-tuned cars of Jay and Shelly Payne. Jay is the defending AMS World Champion.
What a difference five years makes. When the supercharged door slammers last graced the quarter-mile at Atlanta Dragway, the low qualifying numbers were run by chassis builder Tommy Mauney, 6.206, 227.84 and the field was capped with a then-unheard of bump on the eight-car field at 6.277. The nitrous-injected '68 Camaro of number-eight qualifier Steve Vick was the eventual winner of the race, having posted a string of 6.20's to take the win.
This weekend, given a cooperative weather forecast in Atlanta, any of the more than 20 drivers entered who post a best of a 6.20-pass will unlikely even make the 16-car field, let alone take home the AMS Eagle. Wildcard turbo-powered car of Troy Coughlin will offer a different combination to the supercharged entries, and, given this as his first event of the season, his performance numbers and impact on the field remains to be seen.
2004 & 2005 World Champion Mike Ashley is slated to make one test-run in the car of Naples, Fla. resident Bryan Seward. Ashley agreed to run as a test for Seward who will be beside his 12-year-old son as he undergoes scheduled corrective surgery. Although Ashley's run will not count for Seward in qualifying, the data gathered from the scheduled half-track pass will help Seward to qualify after his son is safely in recovery.
Seward said, "I checked to see if the rules allowed someone else to drive the car, and, after receiving approval, called the 'Godfather of Pro Mod' himself - Mike Ashley. He's really one of the only ones I trust behind the wheel of my Parker's Partners Mustang - I think he knows how to get a Ford down the track."
Mike Ashley replied, "When Bryan called and explained that he needed to be with his son but wanted to get the data from the run, I absolutely agreed. I love Pro Mods, and it will be fun, for sure - but for me, any time I have the privilege to help out another dad, I will gladly take it.
"It'll only be one run, and it's supposed to be an eighth-mile pass at that - but, for me, I'm glad to help," he said.
Other notable entries making their first appearance in AMS Pro Mod competition this year are Doug Palmer and Quain Stott. Also notable is the announcement of Chuck Ford's agreement to tune the Rick Stivers 63 Corvette beginning this weekend.
Qualifying in the third of ten events in the AMS Pro Mod Challenge is scheduled for 3:15 and 6:15 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and at 11:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Eliminations are scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m. Saturday and conclude on Sunday, April 29.
