GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 11, 2009) - The pre-season in Pro Modified once-again lived up to the legacy of last-minute hustles to maintain the fan-favorite exhibition series at NHRA events, but this season's heroes, Roger Burgess and Get Screened America, bring a fresh vision and excitement as well as a long-term promise of stability that has the best door-slammers around jockeying for a spot to race.
This weekend's season-opening event of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. will feature 21 of the very best Pro Mod racers in the world: past champions, up-and-comers, and those anxious to win the first Get Screened America "Warrior" trophy.
Leading the list of contenders is defending event champion Joe Baker and runner-up Raymond Commisso, reigning IHRA champion Kenny Lang, and former Pro Mod Challenge world champions Jay Payne (2006) and Shannon Jenkins (2002).
Commisso is fresh from a stellar final tune-up weekend at the IHRA event in Baton Rouge where he qualified number one, set a speed record and won the event.
"All I can say, is that Roger [Burgess, Commisso's teammate] and I both have incredible hotrods with Al Billes horsepower, and with last weekend as a benchmark, watch out."
Defending event champion Joe Baker met his challenge, saying, "The cars coming to Gainesville this weekend are really the best of the best, and I know that Chuck Ford has been working hard all winter long to assure that we'll have what it takes to get into the winner's circle.
"Everyone is going to have to bring their 'A' game to this race - and all of them this season, because there won't be any easy rounds," Baker said.
Brad Personett will represent the turbo-powered fraternity, and Mike Castellana will head up the nitrous contingent, featuring the formidable Al-Anabi stable including Jenkins, 2001 Gatornationals winner Rickie Smith, and Burton Auxier.
Jay Payne's has delivered two wins at Gainesville Raceway - 2005 and 2006, and the California-based team backed and tuned by legendary racer and engine-builder Brad Anderson will also feature Lexington, Kentucky's Rick Stivers.
Stivers said, "Brad has found a lot of power over the winter on the dyno, and both Jay and I are looking to put the Brad Power to the test. If anyone can build a winning team and run winning cars, I know it's Brad, and he's overdue to get back into the winner's circle."
Notably missing from the line-up are the pair of two-time world champions, Mike Ashley and Josh Hernandez. Ashley is sponsoring Joe Baker from his Lend America/Matco Tools stable, while Hernandez has passed on quarter-mile competition for the season, settling for eighth-mile battles in his National Guard livery.
Qualifying in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx is scheduled to begin Friday with sessions at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., and conclude at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled begin at 4:30 Saturday evening and conclude Sunday.
NOTABLE:
Track Record:
5.912 Josh Hernandez 2007
247.34 Raymond Commisso 2008
2008 Results:
Joe Baker over Raymond Commisso
#1 qualifier Mike Ashley 5.945/ 6.243
Low e.t. Commisso 5.935
Top Speed Commisso 247.34
This weekend's season-opening event of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. will feature 21 of the very best Pro Mod racers in the world: past champions, up-and-comers, and those anxious to win the first Get Screened America "Warrior" trophy.
Leading the list of contenders is defending event champion Joe Baker and runner-up Raymond Commisso, reigning IHRA champion Kenny Lang, and former Pro Mod Challenge world champions Jay Payne (2006) and Shannon Jenkins (2002).
Commisso is fresh from a stellar final tune-up weekend at the IHRA event in Baton Rouge where he qualified number one, set a speed record and won the event.
"All I can say, is that Roger [Burgess, Commisso's teammate] and I both have incredible hotrods with Al Billes horsepower, and with last weekend as a benchmark, watch out."
Defending event champion Joe Baker met his challenge, saying, "The cars coming to Gainesville this weekend are really the best of the best, and I know that Chuck Ford has been working hard all winter long to assure that we'll have what it takes to get into the winner's circle.
"Everyone is going to have to bring their 'A' game to this race - and all of them this season, because there won't be any easy rounds," Baker said.
Brad Personett will represent the turbo-powered fraternity, and Mike Castellana will head up the nitrous contingent, featuring the formidable Al-Anabi stable including Jenkins, 2001 Gatornationals winner Rickie Smith, and Burton Auxier.
Jay Payne's has delivered two wins at Gainesville Raceway - 2005 and 2006, and the California-based team backed and tuned by legendary racer and engine-builder Brad Anderson will also feature Lexington, Kentucky's Rick Stivers.
Stivers said, "Brad has found a lot of power over the winter on the dyno, and both Jay and I are looking to put the Brad Power to the test. If anyone can build a winning team and run winning cars, I know it's Brad, and he's overdue to get back into the winner's circle."
Notably missing from the line-up are the pair of two-time world champions, Mike Ashley and Josh Hernandez. Ashley is sponsoring Joe Baker from his Lend America/Matco Tools stable, while Hernandez has passed on quarter-mile competition for the season, settling for eighth-mile battles in his National Guard livery.
Qualifying in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx is scheduled to begin Friday with sessions at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., and conclude at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled begin at 4:30 Saturday evening and conclude Sunday.
NOTABLE:
Track Record:
5.912 Josh Hernandez 2007
247.34 Raymond Commisso 2008
2008 Results:
Joe Baker over Raymond Commisso
#1 qualifier Mike Ashley 5.945/ 6.243
Low e.t. Commisso 5.935
Top Speed Commisso 247.34
