Joe Baker, driver of the Matco Tools/Lend America '68 Pro Mod Camaro, is ready to make a move up
the ladder in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx this weekend at
Heartland Park Topeka in the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kansas. Baker is currently
tied for fourth place in championship points, and said he knows this event is a pivotal point in
the season.
"It's make-or-break time," said Baker. "If we're going to be in the running for the championship or
the Matco Tools Clash at the end of the year, we've got be hitting our stride right now -
otherwise, we're just along for the ride.
"We've got a whole lot riding on this race, but I'm sure that with Chuck [Ford, crew chief] calling
the shots, we're ready to make our move," he said.
With a $25,000 top-prize on the line for the Pro Mod Challenge, and the same for Matco Tools Clash,
maintaining a top-eight position in the Pro Mod Challenge is critical. While the Championship is
the best of the best, the Matco Tools Pro Mod Clash pits the eight best cars in the class against
each other in a "race-within-a race" when the series contests its final event October 29-November 1
at The Strip at Las Vegas.
"Things have been difficult this season with the car so far, because we've struggled with some kind
of gremlin we couldn't find, but I feel like we're on the edge of a lot of really great things now.
This is our race to make a move, and I'm ready," Baker said.
Qualifying in the fifth of ten Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge events is scheduled for 3:30
and 6:00 p.m. Friday and 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Eliminations are slated to begin at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday afternoon and conclude Sunday.
Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., Mike Ashley Racing fields the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster
driven by Antron Brown as well as the Matco Tools/Lend America Pro Mod '68 Camaro driven by Joe
Baker. MAR proudly represents racing partners Matco Tools, Lend America, DirecTV, BeepBeep.com,
Toyota, DataDot USA, Ringer's Gloves, Go Fast Sports, Goodyear, FRAM, Autolite, Suzuki, Connexions
Sports and Entertainment, and Forward Sports Marketing.
Mike Ashley Racing supports Autism Awareness through their support of the Hyperbaric Therapy
Center. A 2007 Centers for Disease Control report found that 1 in 150 children in America today
have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and an estimated 1.5 million Americans and their families
are now affected. Autism is a national health crisis, and Mike Ashley Racing is working to help
educate the public about ways they can get involved. Visit the Heal Autism Now website for more
information about how you can get involved at http://www.healautismnow.org.
