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ATLANTA (April 27) -- Eddie Ware collected his first victory on the JEGS ProMod Challenge Sunday with a convincing win over first-time finalist Roger Burgess at Atlanta Dragway. The two Georgia-based racers were close for the first half of the race before Ware drove away to take the stripe with a quick 6.055 at 235.51 mph to Burgess' 6.499 at 179.56 mph.
Ware's victory moved him from eighth to third place in the rankings, just four behind second-place runner Tony Pontieri and 22 behind season-long points leader Joe Baker, who failed to qualify for this event after winning the first two races of the year. Burgess jumped from 14th to eighth.
"The whole day I was adding points and trying to figure out where we were in the standings," Ware said. "We knew when Joe DNQ'ed we'd have a chance to make up a bunch of ground and we just stayed focused on getting as many round wins as we could. In the end, this turned into the perfect weekend.
"It was an all-Atlanta final right there and it was fun. Roger lives about 20 miles away from me and he's a good guy. I felt like I got a little jump on him at the Tree and then I lost sight of him about 100 feet out. After that I was just staring down the finish line. He said he had a little trouble with high gear so that was probably the difference. What a thrill!"
With primary funding from Mickey-Thompson Tires and Baudier Vehicle Graphics on his Disturbed Motorsports '67 Firebird, Ware had a quick hot rod throughout eliminations. He upset former two-time series champ Mike Ashley in Round 1 with a 6.067, beat Steve Engel with a 6.093 in the quarters, conquered Danny Rowe with a 6.017 in the semis, before dismissing Burgess with a 6.05.
"We had some problems with the intact and were up until 4 a.m. working on this car," Ware said. "My good friend Dan Parker from Parker Chassis jumped in and helped us a bunch and having all of our friends and family here to cheer for us all day really kept our energy level up.
"This is our third big win and it probably ranks as the best because of the guys we had to beat to get it. I can't want to get to St. Louis and do it all over again."
The fourth of 10 races on the JEGS ProMod Challenge -- the 12th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals -- takes place May 2-4 at Gateway International Raceway in the St. Louis suburb of Madison, Ill.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 6.080, 238.85 def. Shelly Payne, Dodge Stratus, 6.729, 198.90; Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 6.067, 237.09 def. Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.115, 231.91; Eddie Ware, Pontiac Firebird, 6.067, 235.56 def. Mike Ashley, Camaro, 7.821, 116.98; Tony Pontieri, Chevy Bel Air, 6.209, 235.02 def. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, broke; John Russo, Firebird, 5.991, 241.80 def. Scott Ray, Corvette, 15.965, 40.31; Steve Engel, Corvette, 5.988, 240.85 def. Harold Laird, Corvette, 6.435, 183.89; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.059, 237.63 def. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 6.237, 195.73; Raymond Commisso, Firebird, 6.020, 243.63 def. Rick Stivers, Shelby GT, 6.116, 230.53;
QUARTERFINALS -- Rowe, 5.981, 241.15 def. J. Payne, foul; Burgess, 6.025, 239.53 def. Commisso, 10.585, 82.83; Pontieri, 6.129, 236.67 def. Russo, 8.048, 119.70; Ware, 6.093, 236.13 def. Engel, 8.896, 94.08;
SEMIFINALS -- Burgess, 6.119, 230.37 def. Pontieri, foul; Ware, 6.017, 236.63 def. Rowe, 12.582, 87.62;
FINAL -- Ware, 6.055, 235.51 def. Burgess, 6.499, 179.56.
Ware claims first JEGS ProMod Challenge win in his hometown
ATLANTA (April 27) -- Eddie Ware collected his first victory on the JEGS ProMod Challenge Sunday with a convincing win over first-time finalist Roger Burgess at Atlanta Dragway. The two Georgia-based racers were close for the first half of the race before Ware drove away to take the stripe with a quick 6.055 at 235.51 mph to Burgess' 6.499 at 179.56 mph.
Ware's victory moved him from eighth to third place in the rankings, just four behind second-place runner Tony Pontieri and 22 behind season-long points leader Joe Baker, who failed to qualify for this event after winning the first two races of the year. Burgess jumped from 14th to eighth.
"The whole day I was adding points and trying to figure out where we were in the standings," Ware said. "We knew when Joe DNQ'ed we'd have a chance to make up a bunch of ground and we just stayed focused on getting as many round wins as we could. In the end, this turned into the perfect weekend.
"It was an all-Atlanta final right there and it was fun. Roger lives about 20 miles away from me and he's a good guy. I felt like I got a little jump on him at the Tree and then I lost sight of him about 100 feet out. After that I was just staring down the finish line. He said he had a little trouble with high gear so that was probably the difference. What a thrill!"
With primary funding from Mickey-Thompson Tires and Baudier Vehicle Graphics on his Disturbed Motorsports '67 Firebird, Ware had a quick hot rod throughout eliminations. He upset former two-time series champ Mike Ashley in Round 1 with a 6.067, beat Steve Engel with a 6.093 in the quarters, conquered Danny Rowe with a 6.017 in the semis, before dismissing Burgess with a 6.05.
"We had some problems with the intact and were up until 4 a.m. working on this car," Ware said. "My good friend Dan Parker from Parker Chassis jumped in and helped us a bunch and having all of our friends and family here to cheer for us all day really kept our energy level up.
"This is our third big win and it probably ranks as the best because of the guys we had to beat to get it. I can't want to get to St. Louis and do it all over again."
The fourth of 10 races on the JEGS ProMod Challenge -- the 12th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals -- takes place May 2-4 at Gateway International Raceway in the St. Louis suburb of Madison, Ill.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 6.080, 238.85 def. Shelly Payne, Dodge Stratus, 6.729, 198.90; Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 6.067, 237.09 def. Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.115, 231.91; Eddie Ware, Pontiac Firebird, 6.067, 235.56 def. Mike Ashley, Camaro, 7.821, 116.98; Tony Pontieri, Chevy Bel Air, 6.209, 235.02 def. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, broke; John Russo, Firebird, 5.991, 241.80 def. Scott Ray, Corvette, 15.965, 40.31; Steve Engel, Corvette, 5.988, 240.85 def. Harold Laird, Corvette, 6.435, 183.89; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.059, 237.63 def. Taylor Lastor, Camaro, 6.237, 195.73; Raymond Commisso, Firebird, 6.020, 243.63 def. Rick Stivers, Shelby GT, 6.116, 230.53;
QUARTERFINALS -- Rowe, 5.981, 241.15 def. J. Payne, foul; Burgess, 6.025, 239.53 def. Commisso, 10.585, 82.83; Pontieri, 6.129, 236.67 def. Russo, 8.048, 119.70; Ware, 6.093, 236.13 def. Engel, 8.896, 94.08;
SEMIFINALS -- Burgess, 6.119, 230.37 def. Pontieri, foul; Ware, 6.017, 236.63 def. Rowe, 12.582, 87.62;
FINAL -- Ware, 6.055, 235.51 def. Burgess, 6.499, 179.56.
