Renaissance Continues for NHRA Pro Mod Class 

Veteran class racer Von Smith collected an impressive victory during a very rousing edition for NHRA’s Pro Mod Drag Racing series last weekend in North Carolina…

Von Smith, who is from Tennessee,  picked up his second win this season, during  in the Carlyle Tools NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts at zMax Dragway.  The race which is the eighth of 10 races in 2013 for NHRA featured a full compliment entry list with no less then 27 cars vying for one of the 16 available qualifying slots.

For Pro Mod winner Von Smith his win at Concord was the 5th of his NHRA racing career.

Smith, the 2010 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series world champion, earned his fifth career win by powering his Al-Anabi Racing Chevy Camaro past Pete Farber in the final round. Smith posted a winning run of 5.968 seconds at 240.47 mph in his supercharger-powered Camaro, topping Farber’s  6.259 at 221.63 in the championship round.

Farber, who is from Maine, and who qualified 10th, had his best finish yet in NHRA class competition driving his CRC Brakleen-sponsored Dodge Daytona which features an engine program by Canadian Al Billes.

Von Smith, who qualified in the No. 5 position, opened eliminations with a first-round win against Dan Stevenson. He followed that up by going 5.953 at 240.34 to beat Al-Anabi Racing teammate Mike Castellana and advanced to the final round by powering past David Hance with a 5.992 at 240.51.

Rickie Smith, the points leader going into the event did maintain that standing despite being upset in round one of competition by Sweden’s Adam Flamholc.

The ninth of 10 NHRA Pro Mod Series races takes place Sept. 27-29 as part of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis.

Pete Farber went to his first ever final round in NHRA

Event Essentials:  Carlyle Tools Carolina Nationals – Concond, NC – Sept. 13-15th, 2013

Posted with files from NHRA Communications & Bruce Biegler

DragRaceCanada file photos by:  Bruce Biegler