A second NHRA Pro Modified World Championship — heads back to Canada!…
After coming conspicuously close before – Canada’s Justin Bond — has earned arguably the highest profile Pro Modified class title for our particular planet.
Bond, from Mission, British Columbia raced his supercharged Chevy Camaro to a highly convincing and highly emotional event win during last weekend’s NHRA Mopar-presented Las Vegas Nationals – which secured for his talented team the overall JBS Equipment-presented NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series championship for 2026.
The industry leading Canadian racer prevailed for a truly memorable season championship round — over a star studded field of Pro Mod cars – which within NHRA run the intensity (and added danger) full 1/4 mile format — each season.
Bond clinched his first-ever championship by beating Mike Stavrinos in a winner-take-all final bout — the very final pairing — for the entire 11-race season and the Road to the Championship playoffs.
Canada’s Justin Bond is this season’s JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod World Champion!
Bond and Stavrinos entered the weekend as the top two in points and they delivered throughout eliminations, setting up a that dream final round in Las Vegas.
Stavrinos left first, but ran into trouble with his car as Bond chased him down just past half-track, pulling away with a standout run of 5.660-seconds (low ET of the race) at 253.47 mph to Stavrinos’ 5.791 at 230.69.
It netted Bond a second event win of the season, but more importantly, his first world championship in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.
“I just want to thank my team. It’s been a wild ride,” Bond said following the victory and championship. “I don’t know what else to say. I’m trying to keep my composure.”
To get his eighth career NHRA Pro Mod race victory, Bond took down Shane Gray, championship contender Derek Menholt and Billy Banaka to reach the final round, running in the 5.60s over the final three rounds. Bond beat Banaka on a holeshot in the semifinals, setting up the winner-take-all matchup with Stavrinos. Justin Bond had entered race day #5 on the grid for the eliminator – after running a 5.734 secs best during qualifying.
Justin also dedicated the championship title to his fallen friend and former teammate — Shane Molinari– who was lost to the sport during a tragic racing accident last June.
“We headed into to Vegas determined and with simply one goal — win the race and bring home the championship,” he added.
Bond finished his season with four trips to the final rounds, advancing to the championship round at three of the final four races. He also finished as the No. 1 qualifier twice in 2026.
Justin Bond had come razor close as a driver to winning this prestige before – placing 2nd in final points for 2023 and 3rd 2024. Justin’s former racing teammate Jordan Lazic (from Rutland BC) was also NHRA’s Pro Mod World Champion for 2024.
Stavrinos reached the finals for the fourth time this year, defeating Alex Laughlin, Nick Januik and J.R. Gray.
Final JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Points (2026):
1. Justin Bond, 1,250; 2. Mike Stavrinos, 1,217; 3. JR Gray, 1,129; 4. Derek Menholt, 1,108; 5. Billy Banaka, 1,098; 6. Stan Shelton, 1,007; 7. Mike Thielen, 996; 8. Kevin Rivenbark, 917; 9. Chip King, 896; 10. Lyle Barnett, 890
Posted with files by Bruce Biegler & NHRA Communications
Photos by David Ostaszewski & courtesy of NHRA
