Reigning JEGS ProMod Challenge champion Josh Hernandez collected his third Ohio Crankshaft Low Qualifier Award of the season Saturday at Bristol Dragway. Hernandez is in the best position possible to score back-to-back wins at the O'Reilly Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals with elimination set to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday evening.

"I never thought we'd see five-second Pro Mod runs on the mountain," said Hernandez, who ran a 5.950 at 241.11 mph Friday night, the only five-second run of the weekend thus far. "It's exciting. I can't wait to see what everyone will be running tonight in Round 1 of eliminations because it's going to be awesome again. We might just shoot for that national record (5.916).



Reigning JEGS ProMod Challenge champion Josh Hernandez collected his third Ohio Crankshaft Low Qualifier Award of the season Saturday at Bristol Dragway. Hernandez is in the best position possible to score back-to-back wins at the O'Reilly Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals with elimination set to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday evening.

"I never thought we'd see five-second Pro Mod runs on the mountain," said Hernandez, who ran a 5.950 at 241.11 mph Friday night, the only five-second run of the weekend thus far. "It's exciting. I can't wait to see what everyone will be running tonight in Round 1 of eliminations because it's going to be awesome again. We might just shoot for that national record (5.916).

"I'd like to thank Stan Ray and everyone at Ohio Crankshaft for putting up this award. It gives us all something extra to shoot for and it means a lot to the crew guys."

Considerably warmer temperatures kept most of the Pro Mod stars in check Saturday with little changes from the Friday night provisional field. One big mover was former champ Jay Payne, who managed to steal away the final qualifying position from Brad Personett. Payne will line his Valvoline Camaro up against Hernandez's InterLinc Mortgage Camaro in Round 1.

A native of Texas, Hernandez now has 11 low qualifying efforts in 37 starts, which is three more than Fred Hahn and seven more than any other active racer. He'll receive $1,000 from Ohio Crankshaft for the effort.

Payne's wife Shelly will open against points leader Tony Pontieri, who has made just one decent pass down the track so far. Shelly's 6.009 in her Valvoline mount awards her lane choice over Pontieri's Quality Plus Compressors Bel Air.