Canada’s Smokies Garage race team collects a major Pro Mod title during the NMCA season opener…..

Stratford Ontario’s Scott Wildgust and the Smokies Garage Drag Racing team made the long town down to Bradenton Florida (approx 2200 km) pay major dividends last weekend.  The talented group came away with the XPM (presented by VP Lubricants) class championship title for the 2022 season opening NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem event.

Racing his supercharged Ford Shelby GT500 – Scott collected his first career win in the NMCA circuit using a combination of fierce driving and spot on regularity to prevail over a 15-car Xtreme Pro Mod field.

After qualifying 7th (3.727 secs @ 204.26 mph), the team which is mechanically choreographed by skilled Canadian co-tuners Mark Savage and John Wiema — then produced uncanny consistency throughout eliminations. After carding consecutive runs of 3.701 secs, 3.711 secs and 3.713 secs to win over Tom Blincoe, Chip King and Dom Lamana — they advanced to the final championship round.

Ontario’s Smokies Garage Pro Mod team were highly impressive while winning the 2022 NMCA season opening event on Sunday.

In that showdown, Wildgust, who had won his round two over Chip King on a hole shot (3.711 secs to 3.678 secs) duplicated that again in the final round by combining a .030 RT with another 3.7 lap (3.712 secs) to defeat Robert Abbott’s quicker 3.671 secs. Abbott, a native from Florida had been the event’s low qualifier at 3.653 secs racing his supercharged Chevy Camaro.

Scott’s best terminal speed of the meet also came in the final round — 207.18 mph.

“Team work is the key to success — always stick to the game plan,” said Scott post race. “I feel very blessed to win this NMCA season opener – it’s my team that makes things so easy for me and I’m just the lucky guy who gets to drive this hot rod. Special thanks to my wife Stacey, Avery, Sienna, family, friends and Mike and Lynda Clark.”

Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos courtesy of Bryan Epps (BME Photography)