Pro Mod Portal – May Day Updates!

by editor on May.04, 2025, under Smokies Garage - Pro Mod Portal

More “doorslammer drama” event posts from NHRA – PDRA – NDRC….

Four Wide First! — J.R. Gray finished off a standout weekend at North Carolina’s zMAX Dragway with the victory in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series (April 27th). “JR” defeating a final-round quad that included Billy Banaka, Alex Laughlin and Mike Janis as part of the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.

The Charlotte event marked the third of 10 races during the 2025 season in the category and this weekend’s race was powered by Culp Lumber.

It was Gray who was in control from start to finish in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, finishing the weekend with a strong run of 5.656-second at 255.73 mph in the finals. It was the best run of the day for Gray, who lived in the 5.60s during eliminations.

JR Gray collected his 2nd career NHRA nationals title – prevailing at the “Four-Wide” Nationals in North Carolina.

He won his opening quad with a stellar 5.667 at 256.65 and was even better a round later, winning the second-round quad with a pass of 5.659 at 256.31. That set up a thrilling final round, but Gray delivered an .025 reaction time and quickly chased down Banaka to pick up the victory.

It is Gray’s first Congruity NHRA Pro Mod win of the season but was also the second in his career, as he also vaulted to second in the points standings. Gray also qualified No. 1 on the strength of a 5.680 at 254.76 and simply got better during each round of eliminations on Sunday.

“We’ve been cutting good lights all day long and we were just going up to do the same thing again in the final round,” Gray said. “I’m happy with the light and happy with the performance. This team, these guys have made this thing a bullet.”

Banaka finished as the runner-up with his run of 5.705 at 249.26, with Laughlin taking third.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action May 15-18 as part of the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.

PDRA Mid Atlantic — Drag racing’s premier 1/8th mile circuit presented it 2nd race of 2025 — Travis Mills Foundation Mid-Atlantic Showdown presented by Red Line Shirt Club, held at Virginia Motorsports Park.

For Pro Boost — it was Kurt Steding, last year’s Pro Boost championship points runner-up, racing to victory for the Mid-Atlantic Showdown. Steding, driving the screw-blown P2 Contracting ’69 Camaro lit up the final win light when Jason Harris went red by .123 seconds, Steding was ready for that race with his .007 reaction time and 3.615-second pass at 208.97 mph – a performance which set low E.T. of the event.

Steding qualified No. 10 and fired off a 3.685 at 205.88 to defeat No. 7 qualifier James Beadling and his 3.728 in the first round. Steding’s perfect .000 reaction time and consistent 3.687 at 206.54 over Gabriel Andino’s 3.717 sent him to the semifinals. With conditions improving, Steding stepped up to a 3.653 at 206.86 in the semis to drive around rookie John Doc, who cut a .001 reaction time and posted a 3.724.

Kurt Steding was highly impressive while winning in Pro Boost at PDRA season round #2.

Harris in his Brandon Stroud-tuned, ProCharged, Southern Diamond Company “Party Time” ’69 Camaro set low E.T. of the opening round of eliminations, a 3.654 at 206.80, alongside a red-lighting Scott Lang, who threw away a 3.679. Harris also had the quickest winning E.T. in the second round, where his 3.661 at 206.35 beat Virginian Randy Weatherford and his 3.67. He caught a break in the semifinals, where newcomer Ed Marx threw down a 3.636 after going red by .009 seconds. Harris recorded a 3.64 at 206.92 to earn lane choice in the final.

The PDRA’s Pro Nitrous class, Marcus Butner denied rookie Amber Denton her first career win when he defeated the two-time Pro 632 world champion in the final round. It was a fitting end to a strong outing for Butner and tuner Jay Cox, as they qualified second and steadily improved through eliminations to meet Denton in the final.

Butner moved first in his Musi-powered Butner Construction “Heartbreaker” ’69 Camaro and led the race through the finish line, posting a winning 3.639 at 208.55. Denton encountered issues and slowed to a 3.772 at 189.95 to take runner-up honors in her second Pro Nitrous start.

Butner kicked off eliminations with a 3.706 at 205.79 to move past Cam Clark and his 3.75. He laid down the second-quickest pass of the second round, a 3.689 at 207.78, to stop Brian Shrader’s 3.707. In the semifinals, past Elite Top Sportsman world champion Buddy Perkinson left on Butner, but Butner answered with low E.T. of the event, a 3.637 at 208.62, to drive around Perkinson’s 3.681.

Marcus Butner collected the Pro Nitrous class win at Virginia Motorsports Park in his impressive Camaro.

Denton qualified fourth in her Musi-powered “OG Jungle Rat” ’69 Camaro and made it through a first-round match with Jim Widener that saw both drivers lose traction. Denton recovered quicker with a 4.379 at 136.97 to Widener’s 5.081. She bounced back with a 3.675 at 198.70 to set low E.T. of the second round while also getting past Corey Smith, who went red by .005. Denton then matched her qualifying effort, a 3.659 at 206.92, to defeat John Vergotz and his 4.173 in the semifinals.

Sydney Superiority — Australia’s marquee annual event attraction – Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs — held at Sydney Dragway, included the latest round for NDRC Top Doorslammer & Fuel Tech Pro Modified class cars.

For Top Doorslammer, defending champ Russell Taylor went all the way from top qualifying on Saturday to the A-Final win over Lisa Gregorini. Gregorini (7.622/201.73kph) was uncharacteristically slow at the light in the final run, giving Taylor the early advantage. He then ran it down the track (5.647/414.78kph) for a clear win on Sunday afternoon.

Russell Taylor – the NDRC’s defending World Champion – won Top Doorslammer

“It was a great weekend. I love the venue here at Sydney Dragway and the NDRC always puts on an awesome show,” Taylor said in the deep end after his winning pass while giving a shout out to his crew and sponsors.”

2nd generation driver Brodie Zappia facing Matt Abel, ran side-by-side in the B-Final with 19-year-old Zappia getting his third straight holeshot win of the weekend (5.801/397.54kph) over Abel (5.758/390.81kph).

Brodie’s uncle and 11X legendary Australian TS champ John Zappia took the C-Final win (5.843/398.71kph) with a nice run down the left lane on a solo after Ronnie Palumbo was unable to make the call.

The NDRC series for FuelTech Pro Mod was also chasing championship glory over the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs weekend.

In that category (which employs a cost savings and safety conscious 5.85 secs index), it was Zoran Gajic driving his ultra reliable turbocharged Ford Mustang that prevailed. Gajic ran a solo in the Pro Mod A-Final when scheduled opponent Steve Carlsen was unable to run.