This weekend’s Big O Tires Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks the final event in the 10-race Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, and the final shot for Californian Danny Rowe to chase down points leader Khalid Balooshi for the championship title. Balooshi currently leads the standings – as he has all season long – by 55 points, or roughly three elimination rounds and some change.
“We need a little bit of luck on our side, that’s for sure,” said Rowe. “If he qualifies and wins first round, we’re done. If he loses first round, then we have a chance if we can win the race. We may get it, but it’s definitely going to be a big challenge, that’s for sure.”
While the two title challengers battle it out, a host of others will be looking to make a splash at the final appearance of the season on the NHRA trail. Series point man Roger Burgess, who suffered a devastating top end crash in Bristol back in June, will mark his return to the driver seat behind the wheel of the repaired ’67 Firebird known as “Blue Streak.” R2B2 team driver Leah Pruett will be aiming to keep the perfect win record of her Ford Mustang alive after her win in Charlotte and Eric Dillard’s at Indianapolis. Pruett and teammate Melanie Torxel have combined to win two of the last four events and met one another in the Charlotte finale.
Tulare, Calif. native Clint Hairston, whose small block-powered Pro Street GTO was campaigned by Troy Coughlin in JEG’S livery earlier this season and clicked off a 5.91 in testing at the recent NMCA World Street Finals, will be trying his hand at the tough Pro Modified category. Aeromotive Inc.’s Steve Matusek, who debuted a new car and engine combination earlier this season, also made great strides at the NMCA closer, running a personal best 6.07 at 250 MPH.
Swedish racer Adam Flamholc, who recently ventured to the United States for a late season tour with his supercharged ’67 Camaro, had a solid outing last weekend at the ADRL World Finals in Dallas, qualifying 7th at 3.96 before falling to Kenny Lang in eliminations. As well, Rickie Smith, who missed several races after a crash in Bristol and returned at Indy to debut his new 2012 Camaro, will be looking to close the season on a high note after a positive outing at the Super Chevy Show in Rockingham last weekend, where he recorded a 3.97 best in the eighth-mile.
Al-Anabi Racing’s Mike Castellana is hot off a recent win at the Shakedown at E’Town, and last weekend in Dallas, put a cap on the ADRL Pro Nitrous championship. Castellana has recorded an impressive 3 wins in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series this season.
Troxel, Kenny Lang, and Castellana round out the current top five in the points standings, all without a mathematical shot to catch Balooshi or Rowe for the title.