Search for in
NHRA LODRS IHRA PR-DRAG Drag News Photos
Sat, 1 Sep 2001, 06:31 PM

INDY - Pro Mod Qualifying Notes, Session #2
By Michael L. Jex





CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Pro Mod at the 47th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:


Left Lane: Quain Stott Runs 10.885/78.26, Now #20; Best prior run: 8.338/109.89, Was #19
Right Lane: Ronnie Hood Runs 6.297/222.62, Now #2; Best prior run: 8.342/113.32, Was #20

6:50 PM Larry McBride just thrilled the crowd with a 6.14 228 mph pass on a nitro fuel bike, now it's time for Pro Mod. We get underway with two gorgeous split window corvettes, using nitrous for a power adder. Just eight cars will run in eliminations.

Stott got out of the groove and had to lift...


Left Lane: Paul Athey No Time, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.372/220.08, Was #7
Right Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 6.330/222.36, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.363/220.76, Was #3

Athey's iron horse Merc caught fire as it was backing up after the burnout. It took a moment for the crew and safety safari to get the cover off and get the fire out. It wasn't very big, but it was enough that the car is being pushed over to the side of the track so Rickie Smith can make his run.

A number of wiggles in the middle of the track suggest Smith was spinning the tires, but he held on to improve by .03. It's not enough to move up the ladder. We're down for a cleanup, and to remove Athey's Iron Horse from the left lane. 6:56 PM


Left Lane: Mike Castellana Runs 6.354/221.05, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.365/219.86, Was #5
Right Lane: Randy Hagerty Runs 16.857/46.38, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.901/200.23, Was #16

Both machines have 706 cubic inch mountain motors for power in their classic Chevy machines. Hagerty made a hard move towards the wall giving a real thrill to a few photographers who are on the right side of the track. He lifted and grabbed as much "left" as he needed. Nice pass for Castellana.

Left Lane: Glen Kerunsky Runs 6.544/214.42, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.273/150.55, Was #19
Right Lane: Mitch Stott Runs 6.354/222.55, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.378/220.58, Was #8

Mitch is currently holding down the number 8 bump spot. His Vette went right down the middle of the lane to move into the top half of the field. His short time was 1.062, quite a bit slower than Rickie Smiths 1.024 earlier in the round.

Left Lane: Dennis Radford Runs 6.609/215.00, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.919/160.75, Was #18
Right Lane: John Scialpi Runs 6.463/212.63, Now #10; Best prior run: 11.398/73.62, Was #22



Left Lane: Chip King Runs 6.359/221.71, Now #7; Best prior run: 18.488/40.57, Was #24
Right Lane: Ed Hoover Runs 6.288/223.58, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.366/222.11, Was #7

King is using a blower for a power adder, Hoover's vette is using nitrous oxide and cubic inches. This time it's the laughing gas that takes the stripe first, Hoover moves just behind Fred Hahn.

Left Lane: Billy Harper Runs 6.316/220.73, Now #4; Best prior run: 15.266/49.43, Was #24
Right Lane: Dan Rowe Runs 9.514/93.17, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.560/175.39, Was #14

Harper's Viper moves up, bumping Billes's Studebaker.

Left Lane: Al Billes Runs 8.831/108.93, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.364/220.40, Was #9
Right Lane: Carl Spiering Runs 6.488/215.65, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.582/211.69, Was #17

Billes has one of the neatest rides out here - a loud yellow Studebaker sporting a big blown Chevy for power. Neat!! Billes shook the tires and got out of the groove. He tried to pedal it, but wisely gave up on the idea when his 'stude took off towards the wall.

Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 10.860/82.57, Now #19; Best prior run: 6.615/182.53, Was #19
Right Lane: Alan Pittman Runs 13.464/59.70, Now #24; Best prior run: 8.488/108.27, Was #24

Split windows with Nitrous seem to be pretty popular in this class - Mike Ashley is running a real nice purple vette. Pittman is using a classic '41 Willys. Both drivers have problems at the start, then get off the loud pedal at the same time.

Left Lane: Wayne Torkelson Runs 6.440/214.89, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.567/210.80, Was #17
Right Lane: Fred Hahn Runs 6.170/227.96, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.234/228.46, Was #1

Hahn's Summit Racing Equipment sponsored machine has a huge blower scoop coming out the hood of the '01 vette. Wow! Torkelson's run looked like a Sunday drive compared to Hahn - his vette thundered all the way down the new strip at IRP. He was going over 183 miles per hour at half track. What a pass!

Left Lane: Thomas Patterson Runs 6.317/222.91, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.502/184.42, Was #15
Right Lane: Troy Critchley Runs 6.733/211.79, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.626/213.70, Was #20

One of these two drivers spun the tires hard at the start, the engine making lots more rpm than it should have at that point. It's getting too dark to see who it was. Patterson bumps Chip King out of the program on this pass.

Left Lane: Shannon Jenkins Runs 6.231/223.62, Now #2; Best prior run: 7.024/142.70, Was #22
Right Lane: Tim McAmis Runs 9.811/88.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.418/212.23, Was #12

McAmis lifted when he got over near the centerline. Jenkins Camaro shook just a little, but was awesome the rest of the way down the track. With one more round to go, Freddie Hahn is number one, the last number eight spot is currently held by Mitch Stott. 7:24 PM

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink




NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Feb 13- NHRA and FOX Sports Announce TV Schedule for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 12- 75th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 10- Wally Parks 75th Anniversary Appreciation Fund Part of $27 Million Overall Purse
Feb 08- NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Releases 2026 Schedule
Feb 07- Huge List of Legends Set to Appear at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 05- NHRA and Legends Global Extend Merchandise Partnership Ahead of 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 04- Doug Foley Announces Addition of Ron Douglas as Consultant to Foley Lewis Racing Top Fuel Team
Feb 04- Tickets Now on Sale for NHRA's Debut at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway
Feb 04- Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster
Jan 29- NHRA to Honor Iconic John Force in 2027 with "50 Years Of Force"

Copyright ©2026 AUTOSALES INC, dba Summit Racing Equipment
Ready to take your order at 1-800-230-3030 | Customer Service 1-800-517-1035