Pro Mod is an exhibition no longer at NHRA

What started as an exhibition in 2001 has become a full-fledged series for 2010. Made possible by funding from Pro Care Rx and its current Get Screened America initiative, the 2010 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will compete at 10 NHRA Full Throttle Series events and be televised on a tape-delay basis on ESPN2.

“We have been conducting Pro Mod exhibitions for quite some time,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “Clearly they bring entertainment value to our fans and we believe now is the time to highlight this popular form of drag racing. Now, competitors can race for the coveted Wally trophy and an NHRA world championship title.”

The formation of the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series wouldn’t have been possible without the financial commitment of Pro Care Rx and Get Screened America. A multi-year commitment by the group to fund the series made the series possible.

An integral part of the series will be 10 half-hour broadcasts on ESPN2 on a tape delay basis. The half hour shows will air around current NHRA programming on the worldwide leader in sports and will feature competition from the 10 series events. Talent for the shows will be announced at a later date.

The inaugural NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will kick off in Gainesville, Fla.  The schedule includes stops at Houston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Englishtown, Bristol and Norwalk.  The second half of the season will consist of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, the second Charlotte event, and will conclude at the second Las Vegas event in October.  

Congratulations to Roger Burgess for having the perseverance and deep enough pockets to get the NHRA’s attention. Thanks to the economy and dwindling income for the NHRA, Pro Mod is finally a class whose time has come. And, the Agent adds, NHRA may be sorry it waited so long as these cars can add some real excitement to their events. About time! (car photo by Ron Lewis / portrait by Steve Gruenwald) [11/2/2009]

Racetrack news

Soon after the moving van hauled away the last remnants of Bucky Austin’s tour of duty at Spokane County Raceway, a troika of new managing partners have reportedly stepped up to take over, but probably not until sometime well into the spring of 2010. Hopefully the three Northwest racers who want to be the new “operators” of Spokane County Raceway can sort out the issues left in the wake of the “Northwest Hitter,” including but not limited to rebuilding public relations and goodwill with the local Spokane crowd.

In more racetrack news, rumors going around Las Vegas in the NHRA Big Show pits are that the property at Memphis Motorsports Park may become a housing development. The Agent wants to know how new houses can be considered in what is already a very depressed market for housing these days. The Agent also hears the current manager at Memphis will move over to manage the West Palm Beach, Florida facility, making the third person to take over that job in the past twelve months. [11/2/2009]