The Pro Modified Racing Association will be well represented when it pulls into Maryland International Raceway this coming weekend for the first annual Pro Mod Challenge at this storied drag strip. This event will be part of the track’s 28th Annual Superchargers Showdown.

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This will be the eighth and final event for the 2013 PMRA schedule, now in its ninth year of operation.

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Three PMRA champions will take to the track in a Canada versus USA event, with the PMRA competing against teams from the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association. On hand for the PMRA will be Bruce Boland, Eric Latino, and Rocky Di Lecce, all champions in the popular Pro Modified series.

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Boland, from Stoney Creek, Ontario, is a three-time PMRA champ (2009, 2008, and 2007), and has never finished outside the top five in points since his first event victory at Lancaster Raceway Park in Western New York in 2005. He will be driving the B&B Racing 1968 Firebird at MIR, and has racing or more than 30 years.

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After competing in the PMRA for several seasons, Latino, from Whitby, Ontario, took the 2012 championship driving his Team Green 1969 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified. He also won the Shakedown Nationals in Englishtown, New Jersey last year in the Latino/Rob and Ann Sporring entry.

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The third PMRA champion is Di Lecce, who dominated the series in 2013 to take his first title. The Mississauga, Ontario racer of the Metro Infrastructure 1968 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified won five events this season with a solid and consistent performance all year.

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Other PMRA teams making the trek to Maryland include the veteran Grainy Brothers team from North Tonawanda, New York with their G-Force Race Cars 1967-bodied 1967 Camaro driven by Jack Grainy. Ironically, this US team will be flying the Maple Leaf during the race for the Canadian-based PMRA.

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The International Pro Mod Challenge is shaping up to be one of the largest gatherings of Pro Modifieds with 40 teams expected to compete. The will PMRA race against the NEOPMA in two 16-car heads-up fields. In the first field, called the “Olympics,” the fastest PMRA will race against the fastest NEOPMA teams. The second field, called the “NEOPMA Quick 16 Pro Modifieds Field” will consist of those cars that did not meet the Olympics requirements or did not qualify in the top eight.

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Qualifying begins Friday September 20 at eight pm, and will continue Saturday September 21 starting at noon. Eliminations will start Saturday at five pm.

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For information about the First Annual International Pro Mod Challenge ~ Canada vs. USA at the Maryland Int’l Raceway in Mechanicsville, MD, visit www.mirdrag.com

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The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, www.Quick32.ca and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, www.PBSS.ca travel and compete together throughout the racing season, offering an exciting and diverse package of drag racing action.

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Photos by:  Brennan Shortall, Brad Turk and Dave Erauw

Posted by:  Tim Miller