The Labor Day PMRA event at the Grand Bend Motorplex has become an annual race for the Pro Modified
Racing Association and the Pro Modifieds will compete this year in the Fourth Annual Thunder by the
Beach PMRA Challenge September 4-6.
This will be the fifth stop on the 2009 PMRA tour, and a record number of race cars are expected to
do battle.
Winning the inaugural Grand Bend race in 2006 was Joe Boniferro of Niagara Falls, Ontario, who won
the final over Jerry Bowles of Gadshill, Ontario. Driving the Smokin' Joe's Dodge Avenger,
Boniferro became the PMRA's first two-time winner taking the Grand Bend race once again in 2007. He
ran Bruce Boland of Hamilton, Ontario, in the final, and although Boland lost that round, he
acquired enough points to win the 2006 championship.
Always a strong competitor, Ralph Andreacchi of Maple, Ontario was at the top of his game for 2008,
winning the event with his 1953 Studebaker Pro Modified. Veteran Jack Grainy of North Tonawanda,
New York, was his final round opponent.
Going into this weekend, Boland, the 2008 PMRA champ, has the lead in the Championship Point Award
Series standings with 1097 points. The B&B Racing 1967 Chevy Nova driver has won the last three
events, but only has a slim lead over second-place Mark Nielsen of Brantford, Ontario, who has 1030
points with his 1967 Yenko Camaro.
Tied in third at present with 981 points is Dave Earhart of Strathroy, Ontario, with his 2002
Camaro, and Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan, with his 1970 Barracuda. Fifth is Boniferro with
967 points.
Sixth through tenth are Jeff Roth, Eric Latino, Ike Maier, Jack Grainy and Tony Piselli.
The PMRA Pro Modifieds will highlight an exciting and busy weekend of drag racing. The event will
also include the fourth round of the 2009 Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA, featuring
the popular six-and-seven second Top Dragster and Top Sportsman cars, nitro Funny Car match racing,
nostalgia Funny car match racing, a jet-powered Kenworth truck, and a full card of regular Grand
Bend competitors, including the track's Top Dragster/Top Sportsman Series, Junior Dragsters, and a
full complement of Bracket racing.
The first of three qualifying sessions for the PMRA gets underway Saturday, September 5 at 3:30
p.m. Qualifying continues during Saturday, and the first round of eliminations are scheduled to
take place Sunday, September 6 at 1:00 p.m.
The Teamsters Canada Thunder by the Beach Weekend presented by Rudy Held's Performance Centre will
be featuring the "Night of Nitro" Nitro Funny car Match races between IHRA World Champion Dale
Creasy Jr. and Canadian star Jason Duschene, plus Nostalgia Alcohol Funny cars and the Fourth
Annual - PMRA Challenge, http://www.PMRA.ca.
This high-profile event will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 5-6 at the Grand Bend
Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario.
The weekend will also include the popular Quick 32 Sportsman Series, http://www.Quick32.ca, presented by NAPA Auto
Parts, featuring Top Dragster and Top Sportsman action all weekend with exciting six and
seven-second race cars. Highlights Saturday night will include the Nitro Funny Car Match Race, the
210-miles per hour Extreme Machine Jet Kenworth, and Geoff Pollard's 230-miles per hour Top Fuel
Drag Bike.
Also on tap will be the Grand Bend Motorplex Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Series and some great
racing action in the Thunder series and Junior programs, all topped off by our biggest Fireworks
show of the year on Saturday night.
There will be three qualifying sessions on Saturday, September 5 starting at 3:30 p.m. and the
championship eliminations will begin Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
For information about the Grand Bend Motorplex, call (519) 238-7223 or visit http://www.grandbendmotorplex.com
