PMRA Veteran Player set to Return
After an absence of three years, the formidable Western New York state team of Mike Stawicki along with Jim and Jon Salemi is returning to the Pro Modified Racing Association……
The team, now aligned with TT Motorsports from Beverly, Massachusetts, will make its 2014 PMRA debut at the upcoming Stratford Spectacular Hot August Nationals August 8-10 at the Grand Bend Motorplex.
The Salemis and Stawicki will be racing a 2005 Corvette Pro Modified from the stables of team owner Tommy Zarella of Massachusetts. The car is a former Pro Extreme car that is now prepared for quarter-mile competition.
“We have tidied up the car just so that we are more familiar with the tuning and workability”, noted Jon Salemi, adding that the work was undertaken by G-Force Race Cars and Resolution Racing Services.
“We have changed the cockpit around so that Mike is comfortable in the car. We have also made it a three-speed with the proper rear end gear for quarter mile competition, he continued, adding that he and his brother Jim will act as co-crew chiefs with the car.”
Stawicki has had some time behind the wheel of the new car, and said he feels ready to go.
“I have had to get re acquainted with the acceleration these cars have. I needed the cobwebs knocked out of my helmet. It felt great to be back at the track behind the wheel and I’m looking forward to returning to Grand Bend to mix it up with all of the PMRA guys, noted Stawicki, who has not raced in the PMRA for close to three years.”
This car is a torque converter-driven automatic, which has been the biggest change for me, but after I got three/four runs down the track I got back into my routine. I have the upmost confidence in any car that comes out of G-Force. Jim’s attention to detail is second to none.
He added the car is strong and should be competitive.
“It is a good car, he said. It makes good power we just need some time at the track to get the combination worked out.”
The Corvette body sits on a McKinney Corporation chassis with a MSR Performance (Mike Stawicki Racing) built 522-cubic inch Billet Brad Anderson (BAE) Hemi. A B&J Quick Drive transmission sits behind the engine which features a 14-71 Kobelco supercharger and Resolution Racing Fuel System.
Along with Jim and Jon Salemi, and Mike Stawicki, the team consists of team manager / workhorse Joe Zito, along with the youthful Lucas Salemi, Evan Salemi, and Akyra Salemi.
While Stawicki has not been behind the wheel of a PMRA Pro Mod since 2011, the Western New York veteran has produced some enviable racing numbers when he competed.
Along with winning the 2010 series championship, Stawicki holds the PMRA quarter-mile records in both time and speed at 5.739 seconds and 255.75 mph.
Stawicki is also second on the PMRA all-time event win list win six victories, behind Bruce Boland of Stoney Creek Ontario with 11 wins and three championships.
Salemi mentioned the team has done some shakedown passes with the Corvette, and the Grand Bend race will be the car’s second showing. He added the car and team have a positive future. “This is a 5.90 car,” he said. “It has great potential.”
The Stratford Spectacular Hot August Nationals will be the fourth race on the 2014 schedule for the PMRA, which is celebrating its 10th year of operation. Several times each season the PMRA competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, offering a colorful and exciting package of drag racing action.
Posted by: Tim Miller
