By Scott “Woody” Woodruff

There are so many fun days at the races but sadly, this Sunday is not one of them. Steve Engel, who won his first Pro Mod race earlier this year in Bristol, Tenn., is on everyone’s mind after his horrific wreck last night in Round 3 of qualifying.

I don’t know his exact condition as of yet and I won’t speculate, but I do know he’s been in surgery today at Methodist Hospital and they’ve been working on his back.

All we can do at this point is pray for Steve’s health and rapid recovery. I can’t stand not knowing what’s up but we have to be able to put our emotions aside and continue on so that’s what we’ve all attempted to do.

Steve’s accident actually changed things a bit as he hit the retaining wall so hard near the top end that the racing action was called off for the night so they could repair the wall. Only four pairs had run to that point so the remaining qualifiers lost their chance at making another run, not that anyone cared much at that point.

Nevertheless, the pressure was really on in Round 4 Sunday because it was make-it-or-break-it time for everyone outside the field. In the end, only Troy Coughlin managed to crack the top 16, which ultimately bumped out our points leader, Tony Pontieri. Wow, how’s that fort Indy drama?

Josh Hernandez, who started the race 51 points back of Pontieri in second place, qualified No. 1 and gained a whopping 28 points back already. Things could get very interesting now for the defending series champion.

The first round is coming up shortly so we’ll see if he can take advantage of the situation.

I hope to have more news on Steve in my next blog. Until then, pray for him and his family.

Reigning series champion and runner-up at this race last year Josh Hernandez driving for Dave Wood flexed his considerable Jim Oddy horsepower muscle once again Sunday. Not only did he record the only sub-six second lap in qualifying but in the first round of eliminations in the JEGS ProMod Challenge, he posting the quickest pass of the session to highlight a somber day at the 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. His 6.010/250.47 lap against Canadian Pro Mod star Raymond Commisso. Commisso was DQ’d on the run for crossing the cernterlline.

With the win, Hernandez, last year’s ProMod weries champion, pulled to within three points of current leader, and another Canadian racer Tony Pontieri, who was bumped from the qualified field in the last qualifying session by Troy Coughlin.

Hernandez faces off against Danny Rowe and his ‘67 Camaro in the second round. Rowe won on a holeshot against Indy rookie and Taylor Lastor. Rowe ran a 6.098 at 237.67 mph to beat Taylor Lastor’s quikcer and faster effort of 6.093 at 238.72 mph.

No. 2 qualifier Mike Knowles got a bye against Rick Stivers, who was a no-show. Knowles ran a 7.744 at 123.69 mph. Mike Castellana’s nitrousized ‘67 Firebird is next for Knowles after the standard bearer for the carbs and gasoline crowed dispatched the supecharged entry of Troy Coughlin. Castellana went 6.047 at 237.25 mph to beat Coughlin’s 6.091 at 236.38 mph.
Former U.S.[ Nationals Champion Rickie Smith pushed his ‘63 Al-Anabi nitrous “Vette into the second round after Scott Ray in the Ohio Crankshaft backed ‘53 Vette red-lighted.

Smith will face West Coast racer Kirk Kuhns iand his supercharged ‘41 Willys in the next round, Kuhns who made a 6.094-second pass at 233.28 mph, to get past No. 3 qualifier Joe Baker’s who ran a 6.104 at 231.52 mph.

Tim Tindle and his ‘67 Mustang GT advanced into the second by defeating defending U.S. Nationals Champ defeating Harold Laird. Tindle made a 6.024 second lap at 237.92 mph which easily beat Laird’s 12.209 at 68.97 mph.

Valvoline’s Jay Payne also had an easy time putting his ‘69 Camaro into the second round. He ran a 6.049 pass at 237.00 mph to down the ‘57 Bel Air of Von Smith, who clocked a 14.172 lap at 70.54 mph.

Final rounds begin today.