Pro Mod: Joliet final summary

Castellana takes first NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge win of 2004

JOLIET, Ill. (May 23, 2004) -- With a strong reaction time, Mike Castellana, from Westbury, N.Y., defeated No. 1 qualifier Fred Hahn, from West Seneca, N.Y., to take the title at the NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge, an NHRA exhibition class, at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals.

Castellana in a nitrous Camaro, with backing from Western Beef, turned back Al Billes in the opening round and Mike Ashley, who red lighted in the semifinals.

"I saw that big red bulb as I went pass the (Christmas) tree," said Castellana on Ashley's red light. "After seeing it, I let off to save parts and not do anything stupid with the car."

This was Castellana's second career win on the NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge. His only other win came at the 2003 event in St. Louis.

Today, in the final round, Castellana gained a substantial advantage at the green light then went on to record a 6.227 second elapsed time to 6.287 seconds for Hahn.

"Shannon Jenkins (teammate and Castellana's crew chief) made the right calls all weekend," said Castellana after the win. "We did what we had to do to put this Western Beef/Speedtech Camaro in the winner's circle. Winning's always good and this one was no exception."

En route to the final round, Hahn, in a supercharged Corvette, defeated Von Smith, blazing the Route 66 Raceway quarter-mile in 6.185 seconds, which was low elapsed time of the event for Pro Mod and Zach Barklage, on a hole shot.

It was the second consecutive final round appearance for Hahn at the Chicago spring event.

Barklage recorded the top speed of the weekend, a 230.72 mph run, in a first round win over Thomas Patterson.

The next event for the NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge will be contested at the NHRA K&N Filters Supernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., June 17-20.

Final Round Notes:

1.) One reason for the resurgence of the Jim Oddy-owned, Hahn-driven, Summit Racing-backed Corvette is the installation of a one-off pair of Strange struts by G-Force Race Cars. 2.) Mike Castellana has a new car on order at the shop of Tim McAmis Race Cars.

Sunday's final results from the fourth of 10 events on the NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge, an NHRA exhibition class, being held at the seventh annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway:

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE
Zach Barklage, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.237, 230.72
    def. Thomas Patterson, Willys, 6.256, 224.40
Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 6.217, 225.63
    def. Al Billes, Chevy Corvette, 6.290, 226.43
Mike Ashley, Shelby Mustang, 6.246, 226.85
    def. Shannon Jenkins, Camaro, 6.232, 225.33
Fred Hahn, Corvette, 6.185, 230.21
    def. Von Smith, Ford Mustang, 6.273, 227.46;

SEMIFINALS
Castellana, 6.307, 200.71
    def. Ashley, foul
Hahn, 6.278, 229.00
    def. Barklage, 6.253, 230.49;

FINALS
Castellana, 6.227, 225.63
    def. Hahn, 6.287, 228.34.

-nhra-