NHRA’s E3 Spark Plugs Pro Modified racing at St. Louis was a ridiculously rapid affair…..
For the second consecutive event, Georgia-based Stevie “Fast” Jackson roared to victory during the E3 Spark plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service portion of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals. The weekend’s Pro Mod racing, presented by Real Pro Mod Association, was the ninth of 12 races this season.
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Jackson, racing his potent “Bahrain 1 Racing” supercharged ’17 Chevy Camaro, which had also won at the prestigious NHRA Chevrolet Performance US Nationals a few weeks prior, ran a final round 5.759-second pass at 250.88 mph to defeat the nitrous injected Chevrolet C7 driven by Chad Green who red lit in the final round.
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This is the fifth career NHRA win for Jackson and it was his second of the season 2018.
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Steve Jackson’s late season surge has moved him into NHRA Pro Mod World Championship points contention.
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“If you had asked me five races ago if we would win another race in my career I would’ve told you, ‘no,’” Jackson stated. “This car kicked my butt for a while. If you give Billy Stocklin (crew chief) and I enough swings at it though we can knock the candy out of the pinata.”
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After qualifying #3 at 5.727 secs Jackson defeated Rickie Smith, Jim Whiteley, and Mike Janis to advance to the finals. His victory came over a stunning swift 16-car field that featured a “not for the meek” bump spot at 5.777 secs.
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The victory also vaulted the former crossover Fast Street car star driver to 3rd in season championship points – with two events remaining on the 2018 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. The continues action next at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals on Oct. 4-7 at the Texas Motorplex located south of Dallas.
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The St. Louis race did see numerous drivers run career best math — not the least of which was a new national ET record being set by Mike Castellana who powered his AAP Chevy Camaro to a 5.676 secs while qualifying on the pole. Castellana complimented that too by going on to a strong semi-final round finish on Sunday.
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Mike Castellana reset the NHRA Pro Mod national ET record during the Saturday afternoon qualifying session at St. Louis.
Texan Chad Green raced his nitrous assisted C7 to the Pro Mod final round.
Points leader Mike Janis (from Western New York) kept his 2018 World Championship title hopes intact with a semi-final round finish.
Post and photos by Bruce Biegler
