PMRA HEADS FOR NEW YORK

One of the Pro Modified Racing Association’s biggest boosters will be a part of the next event, the Fourth Annual PMRA Challenge presented by G-Force Race Cars, Grainy's Automotive and Niagara Auto. This race will be held Saturday, July 26, at Dunn Tire Raceway Park (formerly Lancaster Dragway) just outside of Lancaster, NY.

“We want to give back to the PMRA series,” said G-Force Race Cars’ Jim Salemi, one of the most prominent builders in the class. “We also want to give our support to the racers who drive G-Force race cars.” Some of the PMRA teams with G-Force cars include Mike Stawicki (shown), the Grainy Brothers, Ike Maier, and Mark Nielsen.

Going into this event, last year’s PMRA champion, Bruce Boland of Hamilton, Ontario, leads the Point Award Series Championship. Boland was the inaugural PMRA winner at this track. Last year’s victor was the Livonia, New York-based 1941 Willys team of Guenther Racing.

Larry Sinke of Welland, Ontario, is second in points, Terry Brown of Caledonia, Ontario is third, Jeff Roth of Kitchener, Ontario, is fourth, Ike Maier of Tottenham, Ontario, is fifth, Randy Jewell of Holley, NY, and Joe Boniferro of Niagara Falls, Ontario, are tied in sixth at present. Eighth is Matt Guenther of Livonia, NY, followed by Mike Stawicki of Medina, NY, Sam Andreacchi of Toronto, the Grainy Brothers from Tonawanda, NY, and Mike Cusimano of Rochester, NY.

Along with the PMRA racing, the track will host a round of racing in the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series. There will be Alcohol Funny Car racing, and a full card of regular weekly competition. [7/23/2008]

SEEN AT CARLISLE

Photographer Todd Dziadosz was at Carlisle, Penn., shooting the annual Chryslers at Carlisle show for the August issue of sister publication www.MoparMax.com and he sent along some photos with a drag racing connection. Above is the ’67 Barracuda of Jeff Guenther, an engine assembler at Joe Gibbs Racing in North Carolina. The engine was dyno’d by none other than his good friend, NHRA Pro Stock driver Jason Line.

Diane Sox, widow of the legendary Ronnie Sox (above), was at the show along with Dave Christie representing the Ronnie Sox Foundation. Mopar Max will have a look at the Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths on display at Carlisle in the August 1 issue. [7/23/2008]

GETTING EXPLOSIVE AT CANADIAN NATIONAL OPEN

Mark Sanders from Maple Valley, Wash., will be making his Funny Car competition debut behind the wheel of his “Mr. Explosive” AA/FC this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA National Open at Mission Raceway Park in British Columbia, Canada, July 25–27. Mark’s previous testing at Mission netted a solid 6.03 ET at 235.64 miles per hour for the old school TFX-powered Nova tuned by his 18-year-old son Jake.  

This year’s National Open will feature ten nitro floppers including last year’s winner, Terry Capp, driving the “Bubble-up” Firebird tuned by Roland Leong and the debut of another legendary Funny Car, Northwest veteran Twig Zeigler’s recently completed “Pizza Haven” Plymouth Satellite. Some of the other Funny cars in the mix for this event are Canadians Jay Mageau in the “Prospector” '57 Chevy and Andy Beauchemin driving the “Tachman” Mustang, and SoCal’s Kris Krabil in the “Pedaler” Plymouth Arrow and both of Steve Plueger’s AA/FC’s.  (Paul Grant photo) [7/23/2008]