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ST. LOUIS (May 3) -- Former series champion Jay Payne shattered the Gateway International Raceway elapsed time record Saturday night with a 5.920-second moonshot that highlighted the opening round of the JEGS ProMod Challenge. Payne's pass was the quickest of his career and is second only to Josh Hernandez's 5.914, which was posted last year in Gainesville, Fla.
Should Payne better Hernandez's year-old mark during Sunday's action, he'll pick up a valuable 20 bonus points in the JEGS standings, which have tightened considerably in the last seven days. Hernandez himself will have the first chance to slow Payne and his Valvoline Camaro down as the two champs tangle in Round 2.
Season-long leader Joe Baker is still on top after beating Taylor Lastor in Round 1, but Payne, Tony Pontieri, and Eddie Ware could all pass him Sunday if the wins go their way.
The most interesting match-up of the quarterfinals will pit Pontieri against Baker with the No. 1 ranking on the line. Pontieri was second quickest of the first round with a 5.980 so Baker, who got by Taylor Lastor with a 6.324, will need to rise to the challenge.
Ware, meanwhile, faces Scott Ray, who he out-paced by three hundredths of a second in the first session.
The other quarterfinal races will have comeback kid Danny Rowe racing Kirk Kuhns. Rowe is driving Mike Ashley's back-up car after smashing his primary ride Friday night. He'll also pilot the '68 Camaro in Bristol while he awaits his new ride.
"The car's a sister to the one I wrecked," Rowe said. "Mike came by right away and offered his car, along with five or six others, and I really had to think about it. Mike's car was the closest to what we had and what we know so I figured that gave us our best chance to qualify and run well. You have to love the JEGS Pro Mod class. We're just a big family out here."
"I had a car and Danny needed one so there was no reason for him not to give it a ride," Ashley said. "I know him very well and I know he'd do the same for me were the situation reversed."
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 5.920, 240.29 def. Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 6.021, 240.00; Eddie Ware, Pontiac Firebird, 6.005, 236.71 def. Mike Ashley, Camaro, 6.476, 165.19; Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.043, 232.83 def. Tim Tindle, Shelby GT, 6.125, 231.56; Joe Baker, Willys, 6.324, 232.55 def. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 11.905, 77.14; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.734, 225.86 def. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 7.223, 182.28; Tony Pontieri, Chevy Bel Air, 5.980, 234.37 def. Dan Saitz, Ford Mustang, 6.358, 220.48; Scott Ray, Corvette, 6.301, 184.90 def. Harold Laird, Corvette, 7.981, 124.33; Joshua Hernandez, Camaro, 6.006, 239.48 def. Brad Personett, Corvette, 6.561, 206.42;
Payne nears national E.T. record with 5.920-second winning pass in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (May 3) -- Former series champion Jay Payne shattered the Gateway International Raceway elapsed time record Saturday night with a 5.920-second moonshot that highlighted the opening round of the JEGS ProMod Challenge. Payne's pass was the quickest of his career and is second only to Josh Hernandez's 5.914, which was posted last year in Gainesville, Fla.
Should Payne better Hernandez's year-old mark during Sunday's action, he'll pick up a valuable 20 bonus points in the JEGS standings, which have tightened considerably in the last seven days. Hernandez himself will have the first chance to slow Payne and his Valvoline Camaro down as the two champs tangle in Round 2.
Season-long leader Joe Baker is still on top after beating Taylor Lastor in Round 1, but Payne, Tony Pontieri, and Eddie Ware could all pass him Sunday if the wins go their way.
The most interesting match-up of the quarterfinals will pit Pontieri against Baker with the No. 1 ranking on the line. Pontieri was second quickest of the first round with a 5.980 so Baker, who got by Taylor Lastor with a 6.324, will need to rise to the challenge.
Ware, meanwhile, faces Scott Ray, who he out-paced by three hundredths of a second in the first session.
The other quarterfinal races will have comeback kid Danny Rowe racing Kirk Kuhns. Rowe is driving Mike Ashley's back-up car after smashing his primary ride Friday night. He'll also pilot the '68 Camaro in Bristol while he awaits his new ride.
"The car's a sister to the one I wrecked," Rowe said. "Mike came by right away and offered his car, along with five or six others, and I really had to think about it. Mike's car was the closest to what we had and what we know so I figured that gave us our best chance to qualify and run well. You have to love the JEGS Pro Mod class. We're just a big family out here."
"I had a car and Danny needed one so there was no reason for him not to give it a ride," Ashley said. "I know him very well and I know he'd do the same for me were the situation reversed."
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 5.920, 240.29 def. Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 6.021, 240.00; Eddie Ware, Pontiac Firebird, 6.005, 236.71 def. Mike Ashley, Camaro, 6.476, 165.19; Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.043, 232.83 def. Tim Tindle, Shelby GT, 6.125, 231.56; Joe Baker, Willys, 6.324, 232.55 def. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 11.905, 77.14; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.734, 225.86 def. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 7.223, 182.28; Tony Pontieri, Chevy Bel Air, 5.980, 234.37 def. Dan Saitz, Ford Mustang, 6.358, 220.48; Scott Ray, Corvette, 6.301, 184.90 def. Harold Laird, Corvette, 7.981, 124.33; Joshua Hernandez, Camaro, 6.006, 239.48 def. Brad Personett, Corvette, 6.561, 206.42;
