Sat, 30 Oct 2004, 11:47 PM Ashley Clinches 2004 AMS Pro Modified Championship

By Bobby Bennett, Jr., www.competitionplus.com Photo copyright 2004 Auto Imagery, Inc. Establishes Low Elapsed Time in First Round Win

LAS VEGAS --

Mike Ashley

New York banker Mike Ashley scored the largest single round win of his life during the first round of eliminations for the ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. The veteran driver of the Unique Performance/InfiNet Insurance/Torco Race Fuels-sponsored 1967 Shelby GT500E not only defeated Thomas Patterson to win the first round, but also clinched his first world championship and secured low elapsed time to boot.

Ashley belted out 6.210, 225.45 to advance into a quarter-final match opposite of Thomas Patterson. Teammate Danny Rowe was paired with Billes in the opening stanza of eliminations and his convincing victory sealed the deal for the Gotham City Racing team.

Saturday was a day fit for winning championships, at least that’s how Ashley felt.

“This is absolutely incredible,” Ashley said. “I couldn’t have imagined a better season that we had this year. I owe it to my family, crew and friends for standing beside through the good times and the bad.

“Of course, it takes a tremendous group of sponsors like we have to make this work. Unique Performance, InfiNet Insurance and Torco Race Fuels are the best and this championship is for them.”

Overshadowed in the championship hoopla was an impressive holeshot victory for Jay Payne. Payne caught top qualifier Mike Castellana napping on the line and led him all the way to the stripe for a 6.268 to 6.266 decision.

Scott Cannon, Jr., scored his first career national event round win when he overcame a Von Smith holeshot and secured the victory with a 6.274, 225.94. Smith fell from his torrid pace with a 6.361.

Other winners of the first round included Zach Barklage (Troy Critchley), Shannon Jenkins (Wayne Torkelson, Jr.) and Chip King (Frankie Taylor).

SATURDAY NOTES – Castellana paces field, Alleged taunting gone bad and Scotty’s boy shows out

What not to do – Danny Rowe admitted that he had a bit of extra incentive when it came to his first round match against Al Billes. Rowe pointed out the action of a Billes crewman served as inspiration in the match.

Even more inspirational than legendary football player Joe Namath’s guaranteed victory in the Super Bowl, Rowe’s over the edge point was when he was shown pictures of the final round against Billes from Englishtown. The pictures were taken on the top end and showed Billes with a substantial lead.

“There was not way I was losing that race,” Rowe admitted. “No way. No how. I was going to win that race.”

Castellana Qualifies Quickest – Mike Castellana failed to improve in Saturday’s afternoon final qualifying session, but then again, he didn’t need to. Castellana, of Westbury, NY., held the top spot by a little over .01 handing the nitrous contingent their second pole position in the last three events.

New game plan – The AMS Pro Modified Challenge has long been an eight-car program since its inception in 2001, but for this event officials expanded the show to sixteen qualifiers. In order to facilitate the extra round of competition, the schedule was amended for the first round to begin during what would normally the fourth and final qualifying session.

Team competition, textbook example – Headed into the event, point leader Mike Ashley needed to only to win the first round in order to clinch his first career championship. For Al Billes, his adversary, his order is a tall one. He has to win the event if Ashley loses the opening stanza.

That’s where it gets interesting. Ashley’s teammate Danny Rowe drew Billes in the first round of eliminations. As fate would have it, Ashley and Billes would meet in the first round.

Ashley’s first round opponent Thomas Patterson knows a thing or two about championship scenarios. Patterson, of Houston, Texas, saw his championship hopes go down to the final round at this race last year. Needing to win the race, Patterson lost the final round to Von Smith.

Penthouse to the outhouse – While qualifying for one of the eight-car Pro Modified fields can prove to be just as tough as earning a victory on Sunday, the sixteen-car show is not exactly a cake walk. Just one month ago, Harold Martin paced the U.S. Nationals field in Indy, but on this weekend, the electronic fuel injection racer missed the cut.

Kirk Kuhns, who was a finalist in the very first NHRA Pro Modified final, was second alternate behind Kirk Kuhns.

No Way – While the Stingray Corvette body style has been above and beyond the body style of choice for most Pro Modified teams. On this weekend, the least percentage of this body style qualified for final eliminations with only two making the cut. Three were on the DNQ list.

Junior does it – Scott Cannon, Jr., in only his second NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge event since taking over for his dad in Dallas, Texas. Carrying the banner for Oakley, the second-generation driver leapt all the way to the ninth spot in the final qualifying order.

“This is pretty awesome,” Junior said. “This is a crucial race for us and we would love to win this one.”

Major Payne – Earlier in the season, former Alcohol Funny Car racer turned part-time Pro Modified racer Jay Payne would have been excited to just make two runs in a row without tire shake. Payne, behind the wheel of the Valvoline-sponsored Camaro, has now qualified for two events in a row. In the first round of competition, Payne lived up to his name by dismissing low qualifier Castellana.