Mike Janis Wins Pro Mod Championship: Frigo Wins Event

LAS VEGAS – October 29, 2018 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Mike Janis won his first E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service world championship at the season ending event during the NHRA Toyota Nationals. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing is presented by Trask Performance.

Janis was the points leaders entering the weekend but was defeated in the first round of eliminations by Mike Caruso. Rickie Smith, who was second, advanced to the quarter finals and had an opportunity for him to win his fourth championship if he advanced to the semifinals. Smith was defeated by Rick Hord allowing Janis to claim the crown.

“It hasn’t set in yet,” said Janis. “After losing first round we were all kind of down. Now, just incredible feeling, I can’t explain it. We had a good car all year, we had a good car when we got here, nice and consistent runs. It will sink in in the next hour or so. I’ve won races before but this is the cream of the crop right here. The NHRA pro mod champ, I love it.”

In the finals Sidnei Frigo faced Mike Castellana for the last victory of the year. Frigo was able to race to the win with a run of 5.756-seconds at 256.50 mph to the trailing run of 5.861 at 249.49 for Castellana. This is the first win of the season for Frigo.

“We had a lot of issues with the car at the beginning of the year.” said Frigo. “Now we fixed the car and it runs great. Next year is going to be a good year.”

LAS VEGAS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 12 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

PRO MODIFIED:
1. Sidnei Frigo; 2. Mike Castellana; 3. Rick Hord; 4. Jose Gonzalez; 5. Michael Biehle; 6. Jim Whiteley; 7. Marc Caruso; 8. Rickie Smith; 9. Jeremy Ray; 10. Shane Molinari; 11. Mike Janis; 12. Clint Satterfield; 13. Steve Jackson; 14. Chad Green; 15. Steven Whiteley; 16. Todd Tutterow.

LAS VEGAS — Sunday’s final results from the 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 12 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

Pro Modified — Sidnei Frigo, Chevy Camaro, 5.756, 256.50 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.861, 249.49.

LAS VEGAS — Final round-by-round results from the 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the race is the final of 12 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE — Michael Biehle, Ford Mustang, 5.762, 255.97 def. Steven Whiteley, Chevy Camaro, 10.537, 83.01; Sidnei Frigo, Camaro, 5.753, 256.65 def. Steve Jackson, Camaro, 6.149, 172.70; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.731, 252.99 def. Clint Satterfield, Camaro, 5.856, 248.39; Jose Gonzalez, Camaro, 5.707, 258.22 def. Shane Molinari, Pontiac firebird, 5.769, 257.53; Marc Caruso, Camaro, 5.762, 247.75 def. Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.789, 247.57; Rick Hord, Chevy Corvette, 5.750, 252.66 def. Chad Green, Corvette, 6.156, 244.78; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.782, 248.39 def. Jeremy Ray, Corvette, 5.731, 247.88; Jim Whiteley, Camaro, 5.840, 246.48 def. Todd Tutterow, Camaro, Foul – Red Light;

QUARTERFINALS — Castellana, 5.751, 251.72 def. Biehle, 5.810, 254.86; Frigo, 5.754, 256.02 def. J. Whiteley, 5.826, 246.48; Hord, 5.756, 254.86 def. Smith, 5.843, 247.38; Gonzalez, 5.755, 256.45 def. Caruso, 5.829, 245.94;

SEMIFINALS — Frigo, 5.745, 257.28 def. Hord, 5.898, 214.48; Castellana, 5.797, 250.55 def. Gonzalez, Broke;

FINAL — Frigo, 5.756, 256.50 def. Castellana, 5.861, 249.49.

LAS VEGAS — Point standings (top 10) following the 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the race is the final of 12 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

Pro Modified
1. Mike Janis, 770; 2. Rickie Smith, 763; 3. Mike Castellana, 725; 4. Steve Jackson, 659; 5. (tie) Chad Green, 610; Jeremy Ray, 610; 7. Rick Hord, 565; 8. Khalid alBalooshi, 558; 9. Todd Tutterow, 521; 10. Jose Gonzalez, 510.

About NHRA

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 24 national events featuring the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers NHRA Jr. Street program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 5 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates four racing facilities: Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Source: National Hot Rod Association

####