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ST. LOUIS, MO – September 29, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – With huge championship implications on the line, the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports heads to World Wide Technology Raceway as part of this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals, also marking the penultimate race in the Road to the Championship.
It is the third of four events in the first year of the NHRA Pro Mod’s playoffs, as well as the ninth of 10 overall races during the 2023 season. This weekend’s race is powered by Jerry Bickel Race Cars, continuing his legacy, as well as M&M Transmission, and all the thrilling action will be featured during Sunday’s broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
The stakes are massive, too, as a number of contenders are still in championship contention, with everyone chasing defending world champion Kris Thorne. He won in Indy to take a 12-point lead over Justin Bond and both drivers have found success in cars built by Jerry Bickel Race Cars. JBRC has been a popular choice for doorslammer racers for nearly 40 years and this weekend’s race will serve as a huge platform for the class to honor Bickel, the innovative builder who tragically passed away in April.
World Wide Technology is close to the company’s Moscow Mills headquarters and Bickel was also a longtime supporter of the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.
“Sadly, this NHRA Pro Mod event (in St. Louis) is the first without Jerry,” said Jennifer Bickel, owner of JBRC. “However, he built a skilled and dedicated team that he was very proud of, and they are fully able to continue Jerry’s reputation of building winning race cars. These men and women stand by Jerry’s vision and have made a commitment to carry on his legacy.”
Along with Thorne and Bond, other standouts in the class driving cars built by Bickel and his team include former world champions Jose Gonzalez and Khalid AlBalooshi, as well as top drivers like J.R. Gray, Mike Castellana, Stan Shelton, Kevin Rivenbark, Jason Lee, Manny Buginga, Ken Quartuccio and Mike Thielen.
Thorne took over the points lead in dramatic fashion in Indy, getting past Bond in the final round on a holeshot to win the world’s biggest drag race for the first time. It was the second win of the season for Thorne, who can put himself in a great position to get a second straight world title with a big weekend in St. Louis.
But along with Bond, there’s a host of title contenders looking to make a big move over the weekend. Lee, who picked up a win earlier this year, is 49 points back, while Castellana and Shelton are both less than 100 points behind Thorne. With an impressive 21-car field set to put on a thrilling show in St. Louis, it should make for a memorable weekend in the Road to the Championship.
Featuring the world’s fastest doorslammer race cars, the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports offers something unique and exciting for every drag racing fan. The class continues to grow in popularity and is highlighted by historic muscle cars and a variety of late-model American muscle cars, as well as a number of different power adders.
FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports qualifying will feature one round at 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday, and the final two rounds on Saturday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. The first round of eliminations is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
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About Jerry Bickel Race Cars
Jerry Bickel Race Cars are synonymous with quality built, fast door cars around the world. Established in 1985, Jerry created a new generation of innovative techniques and procedures that would continue WINNING races for over 35 years. In 2000, JBRC built a state-of-the-art building designed to engineer, fabricate, paint, and complete his race cars from start to finish. JBRC also carries a full line of racing components to make Jerry Bickel Race Cars a “one stop chassis shop”. For more information visit www.jerrybickel.com
About NHRA
Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 120 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Source: National Hot Rod Association
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