Pro Line Racing Pulls Overnight Miracle For Biehle Motorsports

In drag racing, parts failure is just a way of life for most race teams, especially on the professional level where you’re pushing the limits each and every lap. Indiana native, Michael Biehle, had a catastrophic engine failure after winning the first round of Pro Modified eliminations at the NHRA Midwest Nationals and would not be able to get it repaired overnight for the second round. Unlike some teams, Biehle didn’t have a spare bullet sitting in the trailer in case of such an emergency, but he did happen to have a friend enjoying the event with him that happens to own a private jet.

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Enter Pro Line Racing’s Eric Dillard and Doug Patton. Renowned tuner, Jamie Miller put in the call to Dillard that the powerplant was hurt and they wouldn’t be able to make Sunday’s second round. Both men ran to the shop and began assembly on a short block and gathered up the rest of the parts needed, including robbing some parts from another engine to get Michael and team back in business. The private jet landed in the airport adjacent to the Ball Ground, Georgia-based facility as Dillard and Patton finished up the engine. They rolled it across the street and loaded it into the jet.

With the new “Biehle Express” going wheels-up and headed back to St. Louis, car chief Brandon Stroud, along with Miller, Biehle, and other help, pulled the wounded engine out of the ’67 Shelby GT500 in the pits of Gateway Motorsports Park so they would be ready for the new engine when it arrived.

In the early hours on Sunday morning, the new HEMI heartbeat was stuffed between the framerails and completed in time for the competitive second round matchup with Pete Farber. Biehle had a holeshot advantage and blasted right down broadway to a 5.85 at over 253 mph to move on to the semifinals, where he was defeated by points leader, Rickie Smith.

In this his rookie season, Michael is currently sitting in the top five in points and took home top speed honors at this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals. Biehle, Miller and team are looking to make one last hard push in Las Vegas to possibly take home their first Wally in the season finale for the NHRA Pro Modified series on October 27-30th at ‘The Strip’ in Las Vegas.