Sat, 12 Oct 2002, 09:19 AM Shannon Jenkins and Mitch Stott battle spills over into Texas

By Bobby Bennett, Jr./www.competitionplus.com Photo copyright 2002 Roger Richards

ENNIS, Texas -- It has been a long time since Pro Modified has experienced a rivalry like the one going on between recent supercharged convert Mitch Stott and nitrous stalwart Shannon Jenkins. It all began as a war of words with Stott pointing out that it would be mortal hell for Jenkins to get him off of his back once he started winning. To that, Jenkins responded that Stott was dreaming if he thought he could overtake their points lead. That was enough to for Stott to offer a bounty to any Pro Modified driver that could knock off Jenkins at the IHRA season-finale in Rockingham, NC.

Mitch Stott

However, what the two didn’t count on was an NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge event sandwiched in the middle. With that in mind, the drag race fans at the Texas Motorplex, host of the NHRA O’Reilly Fallnationals, were treated with an excellent show of one-upmanship as Stott and Jenkins concluded the first day of qualifications nearly a tenth quicker than their Pro Modified counterparts.

Stott emerged as the top runner as he thundered to a 6.214, 228.83 to claim the provisional pole position.

“We feel like we have always had a fast car out here,” Stott, who hails from Mill Spring, NC., explained. “That doggone Jenkins. I call him Jinx for a reason and that ’s because he jinxed me on many occasions this year. For us to be number one right now and beating him each time leaves us with a strong sense of pride.

Stott continued, “I’m taking as much pride in beating him in qualifying as I do on race day.”

Jenkins, who has won five events this season already, claimed the second spot only a few ticks of the clock behind Stott. The two-time World Champion from Tuscaloosa, Ala., produced a 6.239, 224.77.

In the first two sessions, Jenkins and Stott lined up alongside each other and in both instances the former won on a holeshot.

“It gives him something to think about next week,” explained Jenkins. “We are just having fun out here. There has been a lot of stuff floating back and forth on the Internet and it is all in fun. He’s serious and we’re serious and it couldn’t work out any better.”

Rickie Smith, the original NHRA Pro Modified national event winner, claimed the third spot as he blasted out a 6.331, 221.89 in his Lucas Oil-sponsored, Dodge Viper.

The Viper brigade continued as Billy Harper pushed his Paducah, Ky.-based entry to a 6.342, 222.82 to land in the fourth position.

Rounding out the field were the entries of Troy Critchley (6.354, 221.13), Troy Critchley (6.357, 222.71), Mike Ashley (6.383, 222.44) and Annette Summer (6.436, 217.65).