Deby
Nitro Member
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DELAWARE, Ohio (June 10) -- The first half of the JEGS ProMod Challenge has been an exciting one with four different event winners, three first-time victors, nine individual track records, 10 of the top 20 quickest runs of all-time, and a couple of memorable smash-ups.
And with every driver in the JEGS top-10 capable of taking over the points lead in one race, the second five national events could be even better than the first.
"What's been exciting to me is that no one has run away with this thing," series organizer Troy Coughlin said. "At the midway point of last season, Josh Hernandez basically had the deal wrapped up. That was cool in its own way because we all got to witness one of the most dominant seasons ever, but I also think it's pretty neat when you have a big group of teams still dreaming about the JEGS championship."
The season started with a shocker when last-minute replacement Joe Baker, who was invited mainly because he was the only substitute driver close enough to Gainesville Raceway to get there in time for the race, ended up winning his first NHRA Pro Mod event.
Ray Commisso, who had set a national speed record of 247.34 mph during the event, had a great chance to win after Baker shook his tires off the starting line in the Gatornationals finale, but unaware he was on a free pass, Commisso stayed in it, got out of shape, and tagged the retaining wall just before the finish line.
"I had the luck when I needed it, that's for sure," Baker said. "What a great day. We had to scramble just to get here but it all seems worth it now. What a blast!"
Baker returned to the winner's circle and easily maintained his points lead with a second consecutive tour win in Houston, this time behind the wheel of Roger Burgess' hot rod. This win was much more satisfying for the Floridian as he dipped into the five-second zone on a number of occasions in beating some of the best drivers in the sport.
"It's been an incredible couple of weeks," Baker said.
Eddie Ware was the next to step into the winner's circle with a bottom-half surge at his home track of Atlanta Dragway that included a big first-round win over former two-time series champion Mike Ashley. The race also was exciting for another Georgia resident, Roger Burgess, as he returned to action and zoomed all the way to a runner-up result.
"Having all of our friends and family here to cheer for us all day really kept our energy level up," Ware said. "It was an all-Atlanta final there with Roger and I. That was a lot of fun. This is our third big win and it probably ranks as the best because of the guys we had to beat to get it."
Canadian Commisso was strong again in the Deep South, setting both ends of the track record with a 5.957 at 244.87 mph, while points leader Baker inexplicably failed to qualify for the event. The tour also experienced the first big accident of the year when Coughlin ruined his new car after hitting both walls hard. Fortunately, he was uninjured in the incident.
As the points race tightened, the tour headed to Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis for another contest. This time it was Danny Rowe who ruined his car when he got loose under the arch and experienced a big crash. Mike Ashley was quick to jump in and help his friend, offering his back-up car to Rowe so he could finish the race.
Rowe recovered pretty well, racing to the semifinals and setting a track speed record of 242.54 mph two rounds after Jay Payne posted the second quickest elapsed time ever of 5.920.
The finals ended up being a repeat of last year's race with Josh Hernandez beating new points leader Tony Pontieri with a 5.934, the sixth quickest pass of all time.
"The guys worked their tails off today," Hernandez said. "You have to push it to run those kinds of numbers and it was hard work to get to this winner's circle."
From the Arch to Thunder Valley, the JEGS ProMod Challenge moved to Bristol with plenty of momentum. It was a long weekend with plenty of rain delaying the show, but Steve Engel patiently waited out the wet stuff and grabbed his first NHRA trophy.
"It's exciting," Engel said. "We'd been to the finals before (in Las Vegas '07 and Dallas '05) but never got the win. It's really quite a feeling when you get it done."
Although he didn't get the win, Hernandez once again looked sharp, lowering the Bristol Dragway records to 5.950 at 242.02 mph.
Up next, the Lucas Oil SuperNationals on June 19-22 at historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.
"I think we've seen that anything can happen out here," Coughlin said. "I hope the craziness continues because we're all having fun. I commend the racers and the crews because we've put on a great show for the NHRA fans this year. Let's go out and make the second half as special as the first."
JEGS ProMod Challenge hits stride a halfway point of '08 season
DELAWARE, Ohio (June 10) -- The first half of the JEGS ProMod Challenge has been an exciting one with four different event winners, three first-time victors, nine individual track records, 10 of the top 20 quickest runs of all-time, and a couple of memorable smash-ups.
And with every driver in the JEGS top-10 capable of taking over the points lead in one race, the second five national events could be even better than the first.
"What's been exciting to me is that no one has run away with this thing," series organizer Troy Coughlin said. "At the midway point of last season, Josh Hernandez basically had the deal wrapped up. That was cool in its own way because we all got to witness one of the most dominant seasons ever, but I also think it's pretty neat when you have a big group of teams still dreaming about the JEGS championship."
The season started with a shocker when last-minute replacement Joe Baker, who was invited mainly because he was the only substitute driver close enough to Gainesville Raceway to get there in time for the race, ended up winning his first NHRA Pro Mod event.
Ray Commisso, who had set a national speed record of 247.34 mph during the event, had a great chance to win after Baker shook his tires off the starting line in the Gatornationals finale, but unaware he was on a free pass, Commisso stayed in it, got out of shape, and tagged the retaining wall just before the finish line.
"I had the luck when I needed it, that's for sure," Baker said. "What a great day. We had to scramble just to get here but it all seems worth it now. What a blast!"
Baker returned to the winner's circle and easily maintained his points lead with a second consecutive tour win in Houston, this time behind the wheel of Roger Burgess' hot rod. This win was much more satisfying for the Floridian as he dipped into the five-second zone on a number of occasions in beating some of the best drivers in the sport.
"It's been an incredible couple of weeks," Baker said.
Eddie Ware was the next to step into the winner's circle with a bottom-half surge at his home track of Atlanta Dragway that included a big first-round win over former two-time series champion Mike Ashley. The race also was exciting for another Georgia resident, Roger Burgess, as he returned to action and zoomed all the way to a runner-up result.
"Having all of our friends and family here to cheer for us all day really kept our energy level up," Ware said. "It was an all-Atlanta final there with Roger and I. That was a lot of fun. This is our third big win and it probably ranks as the best because of the guys we had to beat to get it."
Canadian Commisso was strong again in the Deep South, setting both ends of the track record with a 5.957 at 244.87 mph, while points leader Baker inexplicably failed to qualify for the event. The tour also experienced the first big accident of the year when Coughlin ruined his new car after hitting both walls hard. Fortunately, he was uninjured in the incident.
As the points race tightened, the tour headed to Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis for another contest. This time it was Danny Rowe who ruined his car when he got loose under the arch and experienced a big crash. Mike Ashley was quick to jump in and help his friend, offering his back-up car to Rowe so he could finish the race.
Rowe recovered pretty well, racing to the semifinals and setting a track speed record of 242.54 mph two rounds after Jay Payne posted the second quickest elapsed time ever of 5.920.
The finals ended up being a repeat of last year's race with Josh Hernandez beating new points leader Tony Pontieri with a 5.934, the sixth quickest pass of all time.
"The guys worked their tails off today," Hernandez said. "You have to push it to run those kinds of numbers and it was hard work to get to this winner's circle."
From the Arch to Thunder Valley, the JEGS ProMod Challenge moved to Bristol with plenty of momentum. It was a long weekend with plenty of rain delaying the show, but Steve Engel patiently waited out the wet stuff and grabbed his first NHRA trophy.
"It's exciting," Engel said. "We'd been to the finals before (in Las Vegas '07 and Dallas '05) but never got the win. It's really quite a feeling when you get it done."
Although he didn't get the win, Hernandez once again looked sharp, lowering the Bristol Dragway records to 5.950 at 242.02 mph.
Up next, the Lucas Oil SuperNationals on June 19-22 at historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.
"I think we've seen that anything can happen out here," Coughlin said. "I hope the craziness continues because we're all having fun. I commend the racers and the crews because we've put on a great show for the NHRA fans this year. Let's go out and make the second half as special as the first."
