2010 NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS - GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD NOTEBOOK
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SUNDAY - SWEDEN’S GULLQVIST RACES TO HISTORIC PRO MOD WIN AT ATLANTA
Sweden’s Michael Gullqvist made some history by racing to the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series victory Sunday during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
Gullqvist became the first European driver to win an NHRA event when he powered his ProCareRX ’68 Camaro to the victory with a final round run of 6.006 seconds at 244.03 mph to defeat the event’s top qualifier, Mike Janis, who posted a 6.081 at 237.00 in his Eaton ’69 Firebird.
It was Gullqvist’s second final round of the season, as he posted a runner-up finish at the season-opening Gatornationals in Florida.
"I'm at a loss for words," said Gullqvist, who was filling in for Raymond Commisso, whose father passed away earlier in the week. "This was my third final in a row dating back to the European FIA championship last fall. I lost that final because I made a mistake and then I had another final here in Gainesville in March and lost that one as well with a red-light, so I was really anxious to get this win, especially under the circumstances of Ramond’s father passing away.”
In earlier rounds, Gullqvist defeated Ed Hoover, Scott Ray and St. Louis winner Von Smith. He said adjusting to an unfamiliar car was no problem at all.
"Frank Hawley (team consultant) talked to me and we found a way to adjust some things in Raymond's car to make me more comfortable,” Gullqvist said. “After that it was just a matter of driving to my best ability.”
Gullqvist says he is proud to be the first European driver to win an NHRA event.
“I know lots of people in Sweden and all of Europe were pulling for us this weekend,” he said. “I see the notes on Facebook and I get many messages on my mobile phone. It's been very exciting and I'm sure I will have a great reception when I return home.”
With a semifinal finish, Smith moved into the series lead, while Houston winner Danny Rowe moved up to second from fourth.
The NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues June 10-13 at the NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.
Final round-by-round results for the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series following the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
ROUND ONE -- Troy Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.014, 236.63 def. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.074, 230.17; Von Smith, Camaro, 6.010, 242.93 def. Burton Auxier, Camaro, 9.842, 101.20; Michael Gullqvist, Camaro, 5.990, 244.74 def. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 12.004, 65.21; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.039, 243.77 def. Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 6.069, 241.63; Rick Stivers, Dodge Stratus, 6.032, 240.25 def. Melanie Troxel, Chevy Corvette, 6.070, 239.14; Scott Ray, Corvette, 5.948, 239.65 def. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.899, 144.18; Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 6.015, 243.02 def. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.104, 235.19; Mike Janis, Pontiac Firebird, 8.576, 108.62 def. Brad Personett, Camaro, foul;
QUARTERFINALS -- Stivers, 6.010, 240.59 def. Rowe, 9.917, 103.49; V. Smith, 5.960, 243.46 def. Payne, 5.931, 243.06; Janis, 5.958, 241.45 def. Coughlin, 5.988, 235.68; Gullqvist, 5.975, 244.56 def. Ray, foul;
SEMIFINALS -- Gullqvist, 5.951, 243.41 def. V. Smith, 5.983, 242.23; Janis, 6.247, 177.25 def. Stivers, foul;
FINAL -- Gullqvist, 6.006, 244.03 def. Janis, 6.081, 237.00.
Point standings (top 10) for the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series following the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
Pro Modified
1. Von Smith, 241; 2. Danny Rowe, 227; 3. Kenny Lang, 218; 4. Jay Payne, 215; 5. Troy Coughlin, 205; 6. Melanie Troxel, 185; 7. Dennis Radford, 183; 8. Joe Baker, 182; 9. Michael Gullqvist, 176; 10. Rick Stivers, 167.
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SATURDAY - JANIS QUALIFIES NO. 1, WINS FIRST ROUND
Mike Janis claimed his first career No. 1 qualifying position Saturday at Atlanta Dragway in NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series competition. He then defeated Brad Personett in the first round of eliminations.
Other first round winners included No. 2 qualifier Jay Payne, who powered his FireIce Ford Mustang past Chip King’s Dodge Daytona; No. 3 qualifier Scott Ray, who outran Gainesville winner Kenny Lang; and No. 4 qualifier Rick Stivers, who beat Melanie Troxel.
In other first round action, Houston winner Danny Rowe defeated Khalid Balooshi and St. Louis winner Von Smith raced past Burton Auxier.
Pro Mod eliminations will continue Sunday at approximately 2 p.m. Second round match-ups include Janis vs. Troy Coughlin; Payne vs. Smith; Stivers vs. Rowe; and Ray vs. Michael Gullqvist.
First round of Get Screened America Pro Mods from the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway:
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Troy Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.014, 236.63 def. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.074, 230.17; Von Smith, Camaro, 6.010, 242.93 def. Burton Auxier, Camaro, 9.842, 101.20; Michael Gullqvist, Camaro, 5.990, 244.74 def. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 12.004, 65.21; Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.039,
243.77 def. Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 6.069, 241.63; Rick Stivers, Dodge Stratus, 6.032, 240.25 def. Melanie Troxel, Chevy Corvette, 6.070, 239.14; Scott Ray, Corvette, 5.948, 239.65 def. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.899, 144.18; Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 6.015, 243.02 def. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.104, 235.19; Mike Janis, Pontiac Firebird, 8.576, 108.62 def. Brad Personett, Camaro, foul;
First-round pairings for Get Screened America Pro Mods for the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Pairings based on final results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Pro Modified -- 1. Mike Janis, Pontiac Firebird, 5.919, 243.55 vs. 16. Brad Personett, Chevy Camaro, 6.054, 250.00; 2. Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 5.966, 243.37 vs. 15. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.050, 237.71; 3. Scott Ray, Chevy Corvette, 5.969, 238.38 vs. 14. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.048, 238.98; 4. Rick Stivers, Dodge Stratus, 5.976, 240.98 vs. 13. Melanie Troxel, Corvette, 6.045, 240.98; 5. Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.980, 244.78 vs. 12. Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 6.043, 241.28; 6. Michael Gullqvist, Camaro, 5.985, 245.18 vs. 11. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.017, 238.47; 7. Von Smith, Camaro, 5.996, 242.54 vs. 10. Burton Auxier, Camaro, 6.006, 238.55; 8. Troy Coughlin, Camaro, 5.999, 236.84 vs. 9. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.002, 237.46. Did Not Qualify: 17. Tim Tindle, 6.055, 234.90; 18. Roger Burgess, 6.060, 241.97; 19. Rickie Smith, 6.075, 236.13; 20. Joe Baker, 6.465, 204.26; 21. Tony Pontieri, 6.477, 232.39; 22. Mike Castellana, 8.864, 98.43; 23. Mike Knowles, 8.880, 100.01.
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FRIDAY - JANIS AT THE TOP OF THE FIELD AFTER TWO SESSIONS
Mike Janis raced to the qualifying lead Friday in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Summit Racing Equipment 
NHRA Southern Nationals.
Janis powered his Eaton ’69 Firebird to a leading performance of 5.919 seconds at 243.55 mph to pace the 16-car field.
Scott Ray was second in his Ohio Crankshaft ’53 Corvette with a 5.969 at 238.38; Jay Payne was third with a 5.972 at 243.37 in his FireIce 2010 Ford Mustang; and Rick Stivers was fourth with a 5.976 at 240.98 in his Trane 2006 Dodge Stratus.
Houston winner Danny Rowe was fifth with a 5.980 at 244.78 in his Sterling Bridge ’68 Camaro, St. Louis winner Von Smith was sixth with a 5.996 at 242.54 in his Barwa/Al Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro and Gainesville winner Kenny Lang was 11th overall, posting a 6.048 at 238.98 in his ’53 Corvette.
One round of Pro Mod qualifying remains for Saturday at 1:15 p.m. The first round of Pro Mod eliminations will start Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. The final three rounds of Pro Mod eliminations will be completed on Sunday.
Results Friday after the first two of three rounds of NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series qualifying at the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
Pro Modified -- 1. Mike Janis, Pontiac Firebird, 5.919, 243.55; 2. Scott Ray, Chevy Corvette, 5.969, 238.38; 3. Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 5.972, 243.37; 4. Rick Stivers, Dodge Stratus, 5.976, 240.98; 5. Danny Rowe, Chevy Camaro, 5.980, 244.78; 6. Von Smith, Camaro, 5.996, 242.54; 7. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.002, 237.46; 8. Burton Auxier, Camaro, 6.006, 238.55; 9. Michael Gullqvist, Camaro, 6.020, 245.18; 10. Melanie Troxel, Corvette, 6.045, 240.98; 11. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.048, 238.98; 12. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.050, 237.71; 13. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.051, 237.30; 14. Brad Personett, Camaro, 6.054, 250.00; 15. Tim Tindle, Shelby Mustang, 6.055, 232.31; 16. Roger Burgess, Corvette, 6.060, 241.97. Not Qualified: 17. Troy Coughlin, 6.102, 219.86; 18. Khalid Balooshi, 6.110, 241.07; 19. Rickie Smith, 6.120, 233.80; 20. Joe Baker, 6.465, 204.26; 21. Tony Pontieri, 6.477, 232.39; 22. Mike Knowles, 8.880, 100.01; 23. Mike Castellana, 10.542, 82.20.
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FRIDAY SECOND SESSION
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK -
PAYNE DEBUTS MUSTANG - Despite running world record numbers earlier this season in his old hot rod, world champion drag racer Jay Payne has 
made the switch to a brand-new 2011 FireIce/BAE Ford Mustang for this weekend's Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway.
"Dennis Burnevik from Sinned Custom Racecraft and (chassis builder) Don Ness came to us with some unique ideas they wanted to try and we took a look at what they were proposing and thought these things were worth trying," crew chief Brad Anderson said. "They built a beautiful racecar for us and in initial testing it appears they're onto something big. We'll have to see."
Payne and crew, who won the last two events of the 2009 Pro Mod season but are winless so far in 2010, stayed after the recently completed event in St. Louis to test their new ride at Gateway International Raceway. Despite some new car bugs in the electronic system, the car responded very well.
"We popped a spark plug wire on the first full run and still ran a 6.04 at 236 mph with absolutely no electronics," said Payne, a seven-time winner and past world champion in the Pro Mod class. "The next run we went 5.86 at 245 mph and we all just kind of looked at each other and smiled. This car is going to be very, very fast.
"It handles extremely well and it really wants to get down the track, even when it's hot, so we're excited about the upcoming races. This weekend is supposed to be pretty hot all three days so we'll find out real quick how she's gonna run in the heat. My thanks to the guys at Sinned Custom Racecraft, Dennis and Don, for building this car."
A five-time winner at Atlanta Dragway, Payne will once again banner FireIce on his bright-red hot rod. FireIce is an environmentally friendly fire suppression gel firefighters add to water in pumper trucks, helicopters, fire planes, and handheld extinguishers to help extinguish fires much quicker than with water alone. Aside from supporting Payne's racing efforts, GelTech, a publicly traded corporation (OTCBB: GLTC), is a corporate partner to the Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which helps firefighters in need.
"I think the firefighters around the country are really going to love this new Mustang," said Michael Cordani, CEO of GelTech. "The car looks fast just sitting in the pits and I know Jay and Brad will get it to the top of the charts out there on the racetrack. We just continue to be impressed with this team and what they've done for our company."
RACE DEDICATION - R2B2 Racing team owner and driver Roger Burgess has dedicated this weekend's race at Atlanta Dragway to Ernesto Commisso, the father of teammate Raymond Commisso, who passed away Tuesday night in Toronto.
Filling in for Commisso in the R2B2 Motors 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Mod will be Michael Gullqvist of Stockholm, Sweden, who drove a R2B2 racecar to a runner-up finish earlier this year at the season-opening Gatornationals.
"One of the things I look forward to the most at the races is being around Raymond and enjoying his company," Burgess said. "He's such an easygoing and positive person. Like me, he stays at the track so we spend lots of time together. We're good friends and I know that whenever one of us is down because we're not running well then the other one is always there to pick them up. So we'll definitely miss him this weekend.
"We've spoken several times and he made it very clear he wanted us to be here racing so we're going to use this event to honor Raymond's father Ernesto."
Between Burgess, Gullqvist, and team driver Melanie Troxel, R2B2 Racing should have three strong entries for the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, which begin at 3 p.m. Friday with Round 1 of qualifying.
"We're going to see a hot, greasy track, I'm sure, but this is a facility we're very familiar with so I expect we'll do well," said Burgess, who hails from Florida but bases his race shop in nearby Duluth, Ga. "Conditions are going to be tricky but if anyone can figure it out it's (crew chiefs) Al Billes and Bob Newberry.
"We were lucky enough to get Michael to fill in at the last minute. He literally dropped everything and flew over to help us out and we're excited to have him back. Like the rest of us, he's racing with Raymond on his mind."
The owner of a high-performance auto shop in his native Sweden, Gullqvist needed a full day of travel to get to Atlanta as volcanic ash from the much-publicized eruption in Iceland had him taking the long route over the Atlantic Ocean.
"I was very worried about making it in time because the flights are once again being diverted away from certain areas in the north," Gullqvist said. "We ended up going down through Paris to get under the newest cloud.
"I'm happy to race again and didn't want to miss this chance. Of course, we pray for Raymond and his family. This isn't the way you want to race but I will do my best to honor his father."
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FRIDAY FIRST SESSION -
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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS LIST WIDE OPEN
LOTS OF CONTENDERS - Three races into the first season of the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and there have been three different winners.
If that’s a trend that will continue during the remaining seven events, determining a world champion may come down to the final round of the final race of the season.
If that scenario plays out, it will be just fine with the circuit’s most recent winner and emerging title contender, veteran drag racer Von Smith, of Oak Ridge, Tenn. With a very talented field of competitors racing for the inaugural NHRA Pro Mod crown, Smith and his peers expect nothing less than a memorable, thrilling duel to determine the champ.
Smith picked up his first official Pro Mod Wally and tossed his hat into the championship ring by winning the recent event at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.
“I hope that’s the first of many,” Smith said after the win.
Following his St. Louis victory, Smith sits in second, one point behind series leader Kenny Lang in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series point standings. Smith hopes to continue his advance toward the top spot during the Pro Mod portion of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, May 14-16.
After a shaky start to the season that included a DNQ at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals in Florida, Smith rebounded in Houston to post a semifinal finish at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals. Now that the former standout in Top Alcohol Funny Car has found the Pro Mod winner’s circle, he hopes to make it a place he visits often.
“I was talking with Howard (Moon, crew chief) and said that if we could ever get on a roll, it would be hard to knock us off,” Smith said. “I hope that is where we are now.”
Featuring the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer cars with an extremely diverse collection of vehicles, including ’63 Corvettes, ’68 Camaros, ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds as well as late model cars, the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast.
Smith says he enjoys the challenge of man-handling his Barwa / Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro, which covers a quarter-mile race distance in just under six seconds at more than 250 mph.
“A typical race in this thing is one round you make it down and the other one you are turning over,” Smith said. “If you don’t do that in four rounds, you’ve done well.”
Smith says he appreciates team owner Sheik Khalid Al Thani for giving him the opportunity to compete in such a diverse and wildy-unpredictable racing adventure.
“Sheik Khalid loves the sport and you can see it from all the classes he participates in,” Smith said. “It’s a dream come true for us; it has really worked out well. We want to get back on track. We’ve had our backs against the wall for some time.”
In addition to Smith, other pre-race favorites in the category are series points leader Lang, who won the season-opener at Gainesville Raceway, Houston winner Danny Rowe, and several other veteran racers who have competed in multiple NHRA classes, including Jay Payne, Melanie Troxel and Troy Coughlin. Others to watch include Roger Burgess, Ray Commisso, Burton Auxier, Joe Baker, Mike Knowles and Ed Hoover.
HAS THE HEART FOR PRO MOD - There was a time when Von Smith didn’t really see himself behind the wheel of anything else but a Funny Car. At the time, he was a multi-time IHRA 
champion under the IHRA sanction, and had visions of advancing to the nitro division, and if not for a few broken promises from well-intending potential sponsors, he might have pulled it off.
Instead, almost a decade later the Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based driver finds himself clenching the wheel of a 2,500-horse, on the edge of out of control, doorslammer. Not exactly what he’d planned in his career, but not a bad diversion either.
The road has been long and hard for Smith, who in the meantime fought health issues associated with a heart which didn’t work properly when not filled with heaping amounts of adrenaline.
“I keep myself screened every three months,” said Smith, who earned his first official GSA Pro Modified Wally two weeks ago in St. Louis. Smith had won two of the NHRA Pro Mod exhibition events dating back to 2003.
“I hope that win was the first of many,” said Smith. “I told Howard if we could ever get on a roll, it’s pretty hard to knock us off. I’m hoping this is the first of many.”
Smith’s St. Louis win marked his first since 2003. After a break from Pro Mod competition, Smith returned in 2009 behind the wheel of a Pro Modified owned by Sheikh Khalid Al Thani. His first races for the Sheikh were in the Qatar Racing Club where he won a championship.
“Cardiovascular wise, I have a good problem – I work better under pressure. When I slow down and I’m in a sedate position is when blood pools around my heart where I had the problem years ago. Once it gets to beating over 80 to 90 beats per minute is when I am good.”
Smith has found the perfect eliminator to contribute to his racing heart. In fact, his first run during the NHRA Midwest Nationals, the event he won, would have caused an average man’s heart to fail with fear. He drifted out of the groove and if not for his driving talents there could have been an adverse end result.
“A typical round in this class is one car making it down and the other turning over,” Smith said, cracking a smile.
In 2004, August 11 to be exact, Smith underwent a successful five-way bypass. This came after an unsuccessful angioplasty a few years earlier.
All healed up, Smith has resumed his challenges in life.
Smith savors those challenging moments and this bodes well for the driver who outside of racing maintains a strict workout regimen and even straddles motocross bikes as an adrenaline rush.
MAKING A FULL PULL - As crazy as it sounds, only five racers have qualified for every event so far, with third-ranked Joe Baker and fifth-place Jay Payne the only men currently in 
front of Coughlin in the points to have contested all three trophies. (No. 8 Tony Pontieri and No. 10 Tim Tindle are the others).
"Our goal in Atlanta sounds pretty simple but I think it will work best for us," said Coughlin, the reigning NMCA Pro Street champion. "We want to come out swinging, make sure we put up a strong run in the first round of qualifying, and tune the car from there. We need to get everything we can out of this set-up to have a chance.
"It's going to be hot so consistency will be key. Hopefully, we'll get all three qualifying rounds in so we can figure out exactly what we've got before eliminations start. We need to do better in qualifying so we can start on the fast side of the ladder."
Since the team's successful semifinal finish two weeks ago in St. Louis, Coughlin said crew chief Rickie Smith didn't want to make any changes to the racecar.
"We cleaned up the engine, went through the car to make sure all the nuts and bolts were tight and all the wires were crimped, and we put it back in the trailer and had the guys head south," Coughlin said. "Getting down the track, especially in the first few rounds, will be key. Once you get through to the semis, then you need to be ready to get after it, but we'll worry about that when we get there."
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