Veteran Racer Earns First PMRA Victory

There was a celebration in the Grainy Brothers Racing camp last weekend as the team won its first Pro Modified Racing Association event…..

“We had a lot of good things going our way,” said Jack Grainy, driver of the 1967 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified. “We got a lot of breaks for our first victory.”

The win, which came during the Summer Showdown event at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin Michigan, was the first trip to victory lane for the team, which has competed in the PMRA since its first season of 2005.

Jack Grainy won his first career PMRA event during that circuit's touchdown event in Michigan.

Grainy, from North Tonawanda, New York, qualified fifth in the field with a 6.1605-second, 230.10-mph pass. Leading the qualifying was Bruce Boland of Hamilton, Ontario with a 5.9916, 229.33.

In round one, Grainy eliminated number four qualifier Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario, and met up with Boland in the semi-final. Boland, a three-time PMRA champ, redlit, giving Grainy a spot in the final against number three qualifier Eric Latino of Whitby, Ontario, who had defeated Jeff Roth of New Dundee, Ontario in the other semi.

Unfortunately, Latino had mechanical problems at the line with his Camaro, and Grainy motored to his first victory.

Don Klooster's very cool nitrous injected Corvette made it's first PMRA event appearance

Powered by a Mike Stawicki Racing / MSR Performance screw blown engine, the G-Force Race Cars Inc. chassis was tuned by Jon Salemi of Resolution Racing Services for the event, a teaming which proved successful.

“We had a lot of help from other teams this weekend, including the (Jay)Santosand Boland teams” said Grainy, whose brother Sonny acts as crew chief for the effort. “I want to thank Mike (Stawicki), Jim (Salemi), and Jon (Salemi) for all their work, as well as Sonny and the rest of the crew. We didn’t have a stellar weekend performance-wise but this new combination is a work in process. I feel confident,” he continued, “that we can run in the top half of the field and be a contender at the remaining races. We have a ton of hard work ahead of us but we are committed to succeed and will give it our best shot.”

Eric Latino had yet another strong event showing -- setting top speed and placing R/UP

Roth, who qualified number two for the race, and won the 2012 opener at the Cayuga Dragway, leads the PMRA Championship Point Award Series with 590 points, followed by Boland with 582. Grainy is third with 576 points, Latino is fourth with 564 points, and Hawker rounds out the top five with 556 points.

Event Essentials:  PMRA Summer Showdown – U.S. 131 – June 8-9^th, 2012 

Posted by:  Tim Miller

Photos by:  Brennan Shortall 

To view additional event photos click:  HERE

Next event in the seven-race season for the PMRA is at the Canadian Nitro Nationals June 22-24 at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park.