Two-time and defending NHRA Pro Modified champion Rickie Smith doesn’t always race with the PDRA, but when he does, he wins.
Smith, from King, North Carolina, did just that in his season debut with the eighth-mile doorslammer drag racing series just over a week ago at the Spring Nationals at the Rockingham Dragway in his nitrous-assisted Chevrolet Camaro, which features JRi’s slick double-adjustable shocks. Smith qualified sixth with a 3.79, and then used runs of 3.77, 3.80, and 4.02 to down Jim Sackuvich, Steve Jackson, and John Camp, respectively, before ousting Jason Harris in the final round on a holeshot, 3.82 to 3.81.
Two other fellow JRi-equipped racers, Todd Tutterow and Anthony DiSomma, were also victorious at the Rockingham event. Tutterow drove his screw-blown ’69 Camaro to victory in Pro Extreme from the No. 12 qualifying position, eventually downing Mustafa Buhumaid in the final round. DiSomma’s win in Pro Boost completed a trifecta of the three premier PDRA categories for JRi, as he took his ’67 Mustang to the winners circle after a holeshot-aided defeat of Kevin Fiscus. DiSomma also had low elapsed time and top speed of the event at 3.792 and 213.55 mph.
JRi racer Ed Foley had a strong outing as well during the most recent weekend, driving his Ford Mustang to the overall Top Sportsman crown at the Door Wars event hosted by the Maryland International Raceway. NHRA sportsman standout Arnie Martel also has an event win to his credit this year, as he took Competition Eliminator honors at the NHRA Cajun SPORTSNationals in Louisiana in late March.
To learn more about JRi Shocks and the racers across the many motorsports disciplines that use them, visit them on the web at jrishocks.com.
Photos courtesy PDRA