From Quebec to Queensland (and in between!)

by editor on Aug.31, 2024, under Smokies Garage - Pro Mod Portal

Smokies Garage presents a late August & international snapshot of major Pro Mod class results….

Turbocharged Rout — It was Cedric Beaulieu, in convincing form, winning the 2nd season event for Napierville Dragway’s FuelTech Pro Mod Series (on August 25th).

Cedric’s win came racing his SBL Structure-sponsored, XRE twin-turbocharged Chevy Camaro — and it was his 4th event title since acquiring that car back in 2022 from Carl Stevens Jr.

Cedric Beaulieu was in fine form while winning the 2nd FuelTech Pro Mod Drag Racing Series race for 2024 – at Quebec’s Napierville Dragway.

Beaulieu defeated an 8-car qualified field from the #1 qualified position (3.741 secs). After a round #1 single he defeated Kevin Poitas in the semi final round with low ET of the event (3.700 secs).

Then in the championship round he topped surprise finalist Francois Bertrand with a 3.753 secs to 5.004 secs win margin.

Napierville Dragway’s FuelTech Pro Mod Series has one more event date left on it’s 2024 calendar – coming Sep 20-22.

PDRA Inaugural Stop — PDRA reigning Pro Boost world champion Jason Harris prevailed at the first ever PDRA event hosted at Tennessee’s fabled Bristol Dragway — The Thunder Valley Throwdown.

Harris got back into the 2024 championship conversation by racing to another final round, where he met the most recent event winner, Johnny Camp. With tuner Brandon Stroud calling the shots on both cars, Harris left the line first by just four thousandths and charged to a 3.643 at 205.94 in his ProCharged Party Time Racing/Southern Diamond Company ’69 Camaro to stay ahead of Camp and his 3.663 at 203.68.

Harris started eliminations with a rematch of his Friday night grudge race with Steve King, and the two-time Pro Nitrous world champion won again with his 3.689 at 204.60 to King’s 4.832. A consistent 3.682 at 204.88 in the second round put Harris ahead of Marcus “The Axeman” Birt and his 4.682. He nearly matched low E.T. of the event with his 3.639 at 205.38 in the semifinals, but it was quick enough to take out Bubba Greene and his 3.689 in his Scotty Cannon-tuned ’19 Corvette.

Jason Harris prevailed at the first ever PDRA event held at Bristol Dragway.

For Pro Nitrous its as the latest chapter of the Tommy Franklin vs. Jim Halsey Pro Nitrous championship battle this season — and this time saw Franklin, the 3X and defending world champion, get a final-round win over Halsey.

Franklin used a quicker reaction time and a 3.694 at 205.29 in his Jeff Pierce-tuned, Musi-powered “Jungle Rat” ’69 Camaro to get one round closer to Halsey, the points leader going into the weekend. Halsey recorded a 3.696 at 203.40 in the runner-up effort. It was Franklin’s second win in three final-round appearances this season, and like the last win, he got to share the winner’s circle with his daughter, Pro 632 winner Amber Franklin.

The Franklins were joined all weekend by engine builder Pat Musi and his wife, Liz, who lost their daughter, former Pro Nitrous standout Lizzy Musi, to breast cancer earlier this year.

“I dedicate this to Pat and Liz and losing Lizzy,” Franklin said. “They’re great friends – might as well be family – and to work with them, it just means a lot.”

Tommy Franklin earned an emotional win in the P/N Pro Mod class at PDRA Bristol.

Franklin qualified third and kicked off race day with a win over Pro Modified icon Tommy Mauney, posting a 3.772 at 202.03 to Mauney’s 3.867. Second-round opponent Cam Clark went red, while Franklin charged to a 3.758 at 202.55 to move on to the semis. Franklin and semifinal opponent Fredy Scriba were both quick off the starting line, but Franklin pulled ahead with a 3.744 at 203.16, while Scriba lifted to a 4.956.

NEOPM NY “Take II” — Mike “Hollywood” Decker Jr. emerged a winner in Pro Modified at Empire Dragway’s Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VII (August 18th).

In the final round Decker defeated Canada’s Kenny Lang with a 3.65-second, 202.34-mph charge to Lang’s 3.70 seconds at 204.17 mph – in what was a final round pairing of supercharged Chevy Camaro cars. Lang, from Manitoba did have a superior starting line R/T in the final racing the Al Billes Camaro (.016).

Mike “Hollywood” Decker Jr won the NEOPM feature event held at Western New York’s Empire Dragway

Decker Jr had qualified #4 for the eliminator which attracted 9 other class entries. Mike’s father had qualified #1 with a 3.639 secs racing his near identical late model Camaro car – which was low ET of the event. The Decker’s did match up in the semi final round but Decker Sr had a red light foul start (-.002) which put his son into the final versus Kenny Lang.

Western Canadian Kenny Lang had a strong showing at Empire Dragway – going to the final round driving the Al Billes Racing Camaro.

With the win — Decker Jr., has now assumed the 2024 points lead for the NEOPMA just ahead of his father with one event remaining on the 2024 season calendar – coming to Maryland International Dragway Sep. 27-28th.

Jamboree Joy! — Pro Modified class cars were part of the event action for the 2024-edition Garrett-presented Brisbane Jamboree held at Queensland Australia’s marquee Willowbank Dragway.

The event produced a first ever class victory for Steve Smith who raced his turbocharged ’67 Ford Mustang to victory – for the 5.85 secs indexed eliminator.

Steve Smith scored a Pro Mod class victory during the Garrett-presented Brisbane Jamboree event in Australia.

Smith, from Victoria Point QLD, topped the event’s #1 qualifier Paul Merry in the final round with a 6.68 secs 234.25 mph lap while Merry unfortunately broke on the starting line. Merry had run his Pro Street car configuration and turbocharged ’67 Nova to a best of 5.923 secs to pace the field in qualifying.