Sat, 26 Sep 2026, 11:52 AM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock 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:

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Left Lane: Jason Collins Runs 5.740/250.70, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.749/247.80, Was #15

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 30.00 inches, adjusted altitude 1,474 feet.

Collins with a good pass with his quickest pass, but stays in the number 15 spot.

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Left Lane: Tony Wilson Runs 5.665/251.54, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.636/253.24, Was #2
Right Lane: Lyle Barnett Runs 5.727/251.40, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.751/250.42, Was #16

Wilson with another good pass, but will not improve.

Barnett is straight down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend to get off the bump spot.

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Left Lane: Doug Winters Runs 10.072/80.11, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.008/142.23, Was #19
Right Lane: Alex Laughlin Runs 10.812/79.38, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.848/237.09, Was #18

Winters makes a quick move toward the centerline and clicks it off.

Laughlin also makes a quick move toward the centerline and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Mike Castellana Runs 5.681/253.24, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.786/253.09, Was #17
Right Lane: Shane Gray Runs 5.717/250.56, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.721/251.96, Was #13

Castellana kept it hooked up and gets in the show. He goes to the number 11 spot. The chutes are late, but he gets it slowed down with no problems.

Gray is straight down the groove with his quickest pass, but gets bumped back one spot by Castellana.

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Left Lane: Mike Thielen Runs 5.718/248.89, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.721/249.86, Was #15
Right Lane: Stan Shelton Runs 5.837/254.81, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.688/255.83, Was #12

Thielen is straight down the groove with a good pass, his quickest. He will stay in the number 15 spot.

Shelton with a good pass, but will not improve.

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Left Lane: Kevin Rivenbark Runs 5.674/253.24, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.692/253.95, Was #13
Right Lane: Chip King Runs 5.761/218.66, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.662/251.96, Was #9

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 30.00 inches, adjusted altitude 1,474 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Rivenbark kept it hooked up and moves up the ladder three spot.

King clicks it off early and he will not improve.

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Left Lane: Billy Banaka Runs 5.680/254.52, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.676/256.26, Was #11
Right Lane: Nick Januik Runs 6.447/139.66, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.655/255.68, Was #8

Banaka is straight down the groove with another good pass, but will not improve.

Januik with a bing bang around half track.

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Left Lane: Justin Bond Runs 5.642/253.09, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.637/257.58, Was #3
Right Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 5.636/254.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.640/252.10, Was #5

Bond with another good pass, but will not improve.

Smith kept it hooked up and goes to the number two spot.

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Left Lane: Steve Jackson Runs 5.645/255.54, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.638/255.97, Was #5
Right Lane: Derek Menholt Runs 5.631/248.89, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.645/254.81, Was #7

Jackson is straight down the groove with another good pass, but will not improve.

Menholt launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot.

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Left Lane: JR Gray Runs 5.894/229.12, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.635/255.68, Was #2
Right Lane: Mike Stavrinos Runs 5.650/255.10, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.642/255.39, Was #7

Gray clicked it off early.

Stavrinos with another good pass, but will not improve.