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BRISTOL, Tenn. - On a weekend ripe with options for Pro Mod racers nationwide, the quickest and fastest Pro Mod cars in the world are converging on Bristol, Tenn. for a classic match up. On the heels of a shakeup in the winner's circle in AMS Pro Mod Challenge competition at Englishtown, N.J., competitors in the elite racing series are vying to gain ground on points leader Josh Hernandez heading into the rescheduled O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals this weekend at Bristol Dragway.
At the last event, four-event winner Josh Hernandez was dislodged from the throne and replaced by series sponsor Tim Tindle and his Chuck Ford-Tuned 67 Mustang GTO. With five events remaining in the series, Tindle, Hernandez and the rest of the competitors all know that every round counts toward the $50,000 BAE Championship Crown.
"The car was consistent all weekend, and Chuck Ford and the guys did a great job getting her down the track. You can't ask for anything better than that. We just stayed focused and gave it our best and were really fortunate to come out with the win," Tindle said.
In 2006, eventual series Championship winner Jay Payne won the Thunder Valley Nationals, and the reigning champ is hoping to repeat last year's performance and get a win in this year's Challenge. Canadian Raymond Commisso and his Al Billes-tuned 67 Camaro is still vying for his first AMS win, as is his R2B2 Motors/ProCare Rx stable teammate Doug Palmer.
Hernandez said, "Losing in Englishtown was more of an emotional disappointment for us - we always want to win when we come to the line, and, when it didn't happen, it kind of threw us for a loop. I think, though, it will work to our advantage, because we're all more focused on getting the win this weekend.
"I love racing at Bristol, it's an amazing facility, and I'm sure they got the launch pad issues worked out and things will be totally up to par for all of the NHRA tracks we race at," he said.
Scheduled to compete in this weekend's race with Hernandez, Jay Payne and Tindle are Rick Stivers, Shelly Payne, Bryan Seward, Scott Ray, Harold Laird, Steve Engel, John Russo, Troy Coughlin, Raymond Commisso, Doug Palmer, Tony Pontieri, Joel Bayless, Mike Janis, Andy McCoy, and Tommy Grey.
This weekend's race was originally scheduled for early June, but track safety concerns forced repair of the track and rescheduling of the event. Qualifying in the sixth of ten AMS Pro Mod Challenge events begins Friday July 6, and continues Saturday, July 7, with the first round of eliminations scheduled for Saturday evening. Eliminations are scheduled to be completed Sunday.
Track records:
6.063: Jay Payne, 2006
235.72: Jay Payne, 2006
Winners:
2002: Thomas Patterson
2003: Fred Hahn
2004: Al Billes
2005: Mike Ashley
2006: Jay Payne
Classic Battle in store at Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. - On a weekend ripe with options for Pro Mod racers nationwide, the quickest and fastest Pro Mod cars in the world are converging on Bristol, Tenn. for a classic match up. On the heels of a shakeup in the winner's circle in AMS Pro Mod Challenge competition at Englishtown, N.J., competitors in the elite racing series are vying to gain ground on points leader Josh Hernandez heading into the rescheduled O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals this weekend at Bristol Dragway.
At the last event, four-event winner Josh Hernandez was dislodged from the throne and replaced by series sponsor Tim Tindle and his Chuck Ford-Tuned 67 Mustang GTO. With five events remaining in the series, Tindle, Hernandez and the rest of the competitors all know that every round counts toward the $50,000 BAE Championship Crown.
"The car was consistent all weekend, and Chuck Ford and the guys did a great job getting her down the track. You can't ask for anything better than that. We just stayed focused and gave it our best and were really fortunate to come out with the win," Tindle said.
In 2006, eventual series Championship winner Jay Payne won the Thunder Valley Nationals, and the reigning champ is hoping to repeat last year's performance and get a win in this year's Challenge. Canadian Raymond Commisso and his Al Billes-tuned 67 Camaro is still vying for his first AMS win, as is his R2B2 Motors/ProCare Rx stable teammate Doug Palmer.
Hernandez said, "Losing in Englishtown was more of an emotional disappointment for us - we always want to win when we come to the line, and, when it didn't happen, it kind of threw us for a loop. I think, though, it will work to our advantage, because we're all more focused on getting the win this weekend.
"I love racing at Bristol, it's an amazing facility, and I'm sure they got the launch pad issues worked out and things will be totally up to par for all of the NHRA tracks we race at," he said.
Scheduled to compete in this weekend's race with Hernandez, Jay Payne and Tindle are Rick Stivers, Shelly Payne, Bryan Seward, Scott Ray, Harold Laird, Steve Engel, John Russo, Troy Coughlin, Raymond Commisso, Doug Palmer, Tony Pontieri, Joel Bayless, Mike Janis, Andy McCoy, and Tommy Grey.
This weekend's race was originally scheduled for early June, but track safety concerns forced repair of the track and rescheduling of the event. Qualifying in the sixth of ten AMS Pro Mod Challenge events begins Friday July 6, and continues Saturday, July 7, with the first round of eliminations scheduled for Saturday evening. Eliminations are scheduled to be completed Sunday.
Track records:
6.063: Jay Payne, 2006
235.72: Jay Payne, 2006
Winners:
2002: Thomas Patterson
2003: Fred Hahn
2004: Al Billes
2005: Mike Ashley
2006: Jay Payne
