Words by Jeff Burk - Photos by Chris Haverly and Ron Lewis

Roger Burgess’s investment of time and money in Canadian engine-builder and tuner Al Billes paid off large as the Duluth, Georgia-based racer and his Canadian tuner won at the most important race in drag racing, the NHRA U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

Burgess, whose company, ProCare Rx, backs the Get Screened America,
exhibition series-within-a-series that is contested at ten of the NHRA’s
24 national events, defeated Californian Danny Rowe and his tuner
Jimmy Rector in an anti-climatic final round.

In just his second year as a professional Pro Mod driver, Burgess
had an excellent .027 reaction time to Rowe's .045 and then
motored away from the favored Rowe when engine woes
ended Rowe’s day early.

Rowe was favored on race day based on his domination
of qualifying and the first three rounds of eliminations. His
tuner, Jimmy Rector, who tuned Mitch Stott to the first-ever North
American Pro Mod five-second pass, had Rowe’s ’67 Hemi-powered
Camaro performing at its peak all week.

Rowe and Rector put their car on the pole with a
5.943/245.54 lap on the second and final qualifying
session and then steamrolled over Kirk Wilmes,
Rickie Smith and Ike Maier with ET’s of 5.949,
a 5.986 and a 5.973.