Pro Mod – Phase Two

After making his Pro Mod class debut during the 2011 season,Ontario’s Jay Santos is primed for a bigger impression this racing season… 

Santos unveiled an all new G-Force Race Cars-built 1969 Camaro during last weekend’s PMRA season opener held at Cayuga.   This new and titanium loaded car is a significant step upwards and is in fact very cutting edge for the class category. 

Jay Santos and Jim Salemi

“We did learn a lot while racing my first car last year and we have adapted a lot of that to this car,” Jay revealed.  “The new Camaro is a major step up – it is very light and it’s got titanium everywhere. I’m very serious about where I would like to go within the class and the sport and this car will give me more options going forward.”

“There is titanium in all new places,” added car builder and team mentor Jim Salami from G-Force Race Cars.  “This is the most titanium on a car I’ve ever built and thus the most expensive car I’ve ever produced.  Basically if you look at anything on the car that is not painted – that’s titanium.”

Santos will again employ another supercharged engine program from reputed MSR (Mike Stawicki Racing) within the frame rails.   He feels with that his car will eventually be capable of elapsed times in the 5.7 seconds zone.

Santos is coming off a 2011 racing season that produced only mixed results at best and which included a number of wild rides and aborted runs.   He is very determined to address those problems this year.

“The new car really handles well,” Jay continued.  “Jim is not only a good car builder he is a good teacher for me.  My primary focus is to learn how to drive these cars properly and that takes time.   But I do feel a lot more confident as a driver right now and that has a lot to do with the feel of this new car.”  

Santos remains fully committed to running the full PMRA season tour this year but also hinted at another horizon. 

“If our season goes well I’d like to try to run some NHRA events later in the year,” he added.  “This car is built to be 100% NHRA legal – but I will only cross over when it makes sense and I’m totally comfortable.”

Jay ran the car last weekend with a “stealth” look but revealed that it will be wrapped with another terrific scheme in time for his next PMRA event appearance.

Jay Santos' new G-Force Camaro is loaded with titanium parts

 Posting and Photos by:  Bruce Biegler