Words by Jeff Burk
Photos by Chris Haverly and Ron Lewis

ABOVE: Von Smith (near lane) got the final round win over Jay Payne.(Chris Haverly photo)

Von Smith won his second straight NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge race in the Barwa/Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro to take command of the NHRA series points lead.

Even though a supercharged car won for the second consecutive weekend, the nitrous-injected Pro Mods could have easily upset Smith’s streak. Two of the top four qualifiers were on the bottle and the number one qualifying spot was held by Mike Castellana’s nitrous-injected Camaro with a 5.993/239.10.

Jay Payne in the semifinal against Scott Ray in the Ohio Crankshaft-sponsored Corvette. (Chris Haverly photo)

Supercharged cars got the second and third slots with Jay Payne and Danny Rowe running 5.998 and 5.999 respectively. Those were the only cars in the fives at the event. Rickie Smith tried but fell just short with a 6.006.

There were upsets a plenty in the first round thanks in part to a very hot and slick track. Von Smith used a .061 holeshot to beat Tony Pontieri with a 6.05 to a quicker 6.04 for Pontieri, Number-four qualifier Rickie Smith lost to Rick Stivers when Smith’s car got sideways and crossed the centerline for a DQ.

In the quarterfinals the results pretty much favored the higher qualified cars except for the last pair where number-one qualifier Castellana was upset by Raymond Commisso when he lost traction.

In the semifinals Payne ran a 5.91 (Low ET of the meet) and buried the most improved driver and team this year, Scott Ray and his father and tuner, Stan Ray, who ran a respectable 6.92/234 in losing.