Indy will mark 75th race in JEGS ProMod Challenge history
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/JEGS_Pro_Mod_08.jpg" alt="JEGS_Pro_Mod_08" align="left"borders="0"/>
DELAWARE, Ohio (July 7) -- The 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the seventh of 10 events on the 2008 JEGS ProMod Challenge, will mark the 75th race in series history. And with every single competitor still very much alive in this year's championship chase, the fight to win drag racing's biggest and most prestigious prize should be at an all-time high.
Tony Pontieri has been in control of the class for the last three races, dating back to May 4, despite the fact he's never won an NHRA national event. The Ontario, Canada-based professional has come close on two occasions this year, driving Rob Sporring's Quality Plus Compressors '57 Chevy Bel Air to runner-up honors in Houston and St. Louis. It's been Pontieri's consistency that's been the difference as he remains the only driver with no DNQs or first-round losses.
"We've had our ducks in a row and we need to keep it together moving forward," Pontieri said. "We can't afford any failures or mistakes because my favorite friend Joshua (Hernandez) is coming at us. He's missed a race and yet he's right there.
"He's good; he's the champ. I take my hat off to him. At the same time, I want to race him and take matters into my own hands. We haven't had a clean run against him yet."
Hernandez has won two of the last three races to jump from a tie for 11th place to second place overall. Currently 51 points in arrears of Pontieri, the Team Rage driver most certainly would be closer to the top or leading outright if a scheduling conflict hadn't forced him to miss the Atlanta event.
Hernandez has won 15 JEGS ProMod Challenge races, by far the most in class history, and his 77-percent winning ratio on raceday is unmatched.
"It's not just Joshua, everyone on the JEGS tour is so tough," Pontieri said. "I looked at the stats from the IHRA races and guys are cutting .120- .140-second lights. You do that over here and you'd be going home early every time. There's a reason everyone is still alive in the championship chase. They're all good, man."
After starting the season with back-to-back victories in Gainesville, Fla., and Houston, Joe Baker has cooled off slightly, but he's still very much a part of the championship chase in third place. A win in Indy and a stumble by Pontieri and Hernandez could see the Floridian return to the No. 1 ranking.
The rest of the racers in the mix -- especially Danny Rowe, Kirk Kuhns, Ray Commisso, Jay Payne, and John Russo -- probably won't take over the points lead at "The Big Go," but they all know winning the 75th race in the eight-year history of the JEGS ProMod Challenge could change the complexion of the stretch run quite a bit.
Also, with top-10 runners Eddie Ware and Mike Ashley both bowing out of competition for the remainder of the season, the opportunity for some lower-positioned teams to accelerate their efforts and secure a coveted top-10 berth has arrived.
"It really is cool that everyone is still in contention," said series organizer and JEGS.com racer Troy Coughlin. "If you add it up, there are 552 points available if someone were to sweep the last four races and set some national records. Right now, Pontieri is our points leader and in six races he's earned 437 points so it's right there to see.
"We've all had such a great time this year and the races have all been so close. I hope it comes down to the last race of our season in Las Vegas and we decide a champion in the final round. Now that would be exciting."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/JEGS_Pro_Mod_08.jpg" alt="JEGS_Pro_Mod_08" align="left"borders="0"/>
DELAWARE, Ohio (July 7) -- The 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the seventh of 10 events on the 2008 JEGS ProMod Challenge, will mark the 75th race in series history. And with every single competitor still very much alive in this year's championship chase, the fight to win drag racing's biggest and most prestigious prize should be at an all-time high.
Tony Pontieri has been in control of the class for the last three races, dating back to May 4, despite the fact he's never won an NHRA national event. The Ontario, Canada-based professional has come close on two occasions this year, driving Rob Sporring's Quality Plus Compressors '57 Chevy Bel Air to runner-up honors in Houston and St. Louis. It's been Pontieri's consistency that's been the difference as he remains the only driver with no DNQs or first-round losses.
"We've had our ducks in a row and we need to keep it together moving forward," Pontieri said. "We can't afford any failures or mistakes because my favorite friend Joshua (Hernandez) is coming at us. He's missed a race and yet he's right there.
"He's good; he's the champ. I take my hat off to him. At the same time, I want to race him and take matters into my own hands. We haven't had a clean run against him yet."
Hernandez has won two of the last three races to jump from a tie for 11th place to second place overall. Currently 51 points in arrears of Pontieri, the Team Rage driver most certainly would be closer to the top or leading outright if a scheduling conflict hadn't forced him to miss the Atlanta event.
Hernandez has won 15 JEGS ProMod Challenge races, by far the most in class history, and his 77-percent winning ratio on raceday is unmatched.
"It's not just Joshua, everyone on the JEGS tour is so tough," Pontieri said. "I looked at the stats from the IHRA races and guys are cutting .120- .140-second lights. You do that over here and you'd be going home early every time. There's a reason everyone is still alive in the championship chase. They're all good, man."
After starting the season with back-to-back victories in Gainesville, Fla., and Houston, Joe Baker has cooled off slightly, but he's still very much a part of the championship chase in third place. A win in Indy and a stumble by Pontieri and Hernandez could see the Floridian return to the No. 1 ranking.
The rest of the racers in the mix -- especially Danny Rowe, Kirk Kuhns, Ray Commisso, Jay Payne, and John Russo -- probably won't take over the points lead at "The Big Go," but they all know winning the 75th race in the eight-year history of the JEGS ProMod Challenge could change the complexion of the stretch run quite a bit.
Also, with top-10 runners Eddie Ware and Mike Ashley both bowing out of competition for the remainder of the season, the opportunity for some lower-positioned teams to accelerate their efforts and secure a coveted top-10 berth has arrived.
"It really is cool that everyone is still in contention," said series organizer and JEGS.com racer Troy Coughlin. "If you add it up, there are 552 points available if someone were to sweep the last four races and set some national records. Right now, Pontieri is our points leader and in six races he's earned 437 points so it's right there to see.
"We've all had such a great time this year and the races have all been so close. I hope it comes down to the last race of our season in Las Vegas and we decide a champion in the final round. Now that would be exciting."
