Tue, 30 Sep 2014, 16:28 PM Knowles Races to NHRA Pro Mod Victory at St. Louis

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2014 Auto Imagery, Inc.

MADISON, Ill. --

Mike Knowles celebrates win.

Mike Knowles raced to his first career victory in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Sunday at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.

Knowles, who qualified 14th, outran former world champion Von Smith in the final round to earn the win. Knowles used a quicker reaction time in his supercharged Knowles Transportation '68 Chevy Camaro and a final round performance of 5.934 seconds at 244.65 mph to take the victory over Smith, whose supercharged Dr. Moon/Al-Anabi Racing '69 Camaro posted a quicker, but losing 5.929 at 241.80.

Knowles advanced to his second career final round appearance with round-wins over Steven Whiteley, Kevin Fiscus and Todd Tutterow.

"It's incredible," Knowles said. "I've got my family here and that's what it's all about. They've chased me around state to state. We've finally done it. For my crew - it's just fantastic."

With the win, Knowles moved to 10th in the points standings. Series points leader Rickie Smith, who lost in the semifinals to Von Smith, holds a 76-point lead over Troy Coughlin. Mike Janis sits 77 points back in third place.

The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season-finale is the NHRA Toyota Nationals, Oct. 30-Nov. 2, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Final Pro Mod round-by-round results from the third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park, the ninth of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

ROUND ONE -- Von Smith, Chevy Camaro, 5.865, 242.41 def. Steve Matusek, Camaro, 18.079, 41.54; Don Walsh, Camaro, 5.824, 250.78 def. Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.868, 246.12; Kevin Fiscus, Ford Mustang, 5.865, 248.57 def. Jason Hamstra, Mustang, 7.935, 120.16; Dan Stevenson, Camaro, 5.875, 244.92 def. Jim Laurita, Camaro, 6.786, 176.07; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.865, 245.63 def. Bill Glidden, Mustang, 5.952, 243.33; Mike Knowles, Camaro, 7.092, 173.72 def. Steven Whiteley, Camaro, 8.179, 191.70; Todd Tutterow, Camaro, 5.973, 241.28 def. Danny Rowe, Camaro, 8.188, 114.76; Troy Coughlin, Chevy Corvette, 5.851, 250.18 def. Dave Pierce, Camaro, 8.124, 118.82;

QUARTERFINALS -- R. Smith, 5.866, 246.30 def. Stevenson, 5.914, 243.15; Knowles, 5.923, 245.49 def. Fiscus, 5.922, 247.43; V. Smith, 5.897, 242.23 def. Coughlin, 5.926, 249.21; Tutterow, 5.956, 241.58 def. Walsh, 5.915, 252.90;

SEMIFINALS -- Knowles, 5.944, 242.84 def. Tutterow, 10.256, 86.68; V. Smith, 5.890, 243.24 def. R. Smith, 5.884, 246.21;

FINAL -- Knowles, 5.934, 244.65 def. V. Smith, 5.929, 241.80.

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