One of Canada’s first Pro Modified competitors is returning to racing, and will make his return at this weekend’s Victoria Day Weekend PMRA Challenge at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario May 19 and 20.
 
After taking a couple of years off, Gary Irving of Bolton, ON will be back in action with his 1937 Chevy Coupe Pro Modified.
 
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the car,” said Irving, who began to race in the popular class back in 1991. “It’s been a couple of years since I raced, but we’ll be ready for this weekend.”
 

One of Canada’s first Pro Modified competitors is returning to racing, and will make his return at this weekend’s Victoria Day Weekend PMRA Challenge at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario May 19 and 20.
 
After taking a couple of years off, Gary Irving of Bolton, ON will be back in action with his 1937 Chevy Coupe Pro Modified.
 
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the car,” said Irving, who began to race in the popular class back in 1991. “It’s been a couple of years since I raced, but we’ll be ready for this weekend.”
 
Irving’s Lowdown Hot Rods-based car is powered by a 526-cubic inch supercharged Hemi with about 2400 horsepower on tap. Tom VanDerGeld is crew chief for the team.
 
Another new team in Pro Modified Racing Association racing making its debut at TMP in Cayuga, Ontario is Guenther Racing of Livonia, NY.
 
And while Irving started racing a Pro Modified in 1991, Matt Guenther, who drives the 1941 Willys-bodied car, did not start racing until 1992.
Matt started with a Junior Dragster, then progressed with a Quick Rod and Top Dragster before turning to Top Sportsman and the door-slammer Pro Mod owned by father Mike Guenther in 2003.
 
Jerry Highway is crew chief for the team. The Willys has a Sonny’s-built nitrous-powered 737-cubic inch Chevrolet Hemi engine, which will provide an interesting contrast to the majority of supercharged cars in the PMRA.
 
Irving and Guenther join a group of strong competitors for the TMP event, including several new teams. Sam Andreacchi, Gary Irving, Ike Maier, Gary Mater, John Russo, and Scotty Wildgust will all start their PMRA career on the Kohler Road quarter-mile strip this coming weekend, along with established PMRA teams including, Bruce Boland, Jerry Bowles, Terry Brown, Dave Earhart, Rob Laperriere, Joe Lilienthal, Mark Mitchell, Larry Sinke and 2006 Champs Kasey Janzen and Joe Boniferro.
 
Qualifying for the Victoria Day Weekend PMRA Challenge will begin Saturday, May 19, with sessions at 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled to begin May 20 at 1:00 p.m.
 
Joining the PMRA at Toronto Motorsports Park will be the CAN-AM Stock/Super Stock Series, www.smithperformance.com/can_am.html. This popular grass-roots drag series, which features competitors from Ontario, and Michigan, was formed in 1996, and continues to grow each season. The participants, known for their awesome wheelies, are fan favorites wherever they appear.
 
For information about the Victoria Day Weekend PMRA Challenge at Toronto Motorsports Park call (905) 772-0303 or visit online at www.torontomotorsportspark.com