Florida-based Mel Bush Motorsports revealed this week that, amidst one of their finest seasons to date in the ultra-competitive doorslammer wars of the ADRL, they will begin fielding a second car that will compete in the series’ Pro Modified division. Not just any car, however, but the familiar ’62 Bel Air that Bush campaigned with driver Tommy D’Aprile at the controls in the NHRA and ADRL ranks in years past.

“The Bel Air did well in NHRA competition and I think this is a good time to bring it back out, my son will be driving it, and our tuner Todd Tutterow will be calling the shots, I look forward to seeing what it can do.”

Bush’s son, Steven, will be driver of the Bel Air. Steven has driven a Top Dragster in IHRA competition and made several laps to earn his license a few years ago. The second-generation racer is looking forward to the challenge of competing on such a stage.

“I am excited for this opportunity to drive a car capable of speeds above 150, I know that its going to be a challenge, and it will be different than my dragster, but I’m ready to see what we can do.”

Team owner Mel Bush has been a mainstay in the sport for a number of years, first competing in the IHRA’s Top Sportsman division behind the wheel of a ’62 Bel Air. He later relinquished the driving duties to D’Aprile and entered a more modern Bel Air in NHRA Pro Modified competition.

Bush and D’Aprile struggled in recent years, as Bush took a hiatus from the sport for a period, followed later by a devastating trailer fire en route to the 2010 ADRL World Finals in Texas. but this year the team has remained in title contention, with two final round appearances in the Jeffers Pro Cars-built Corvette that’s positioned them No. 4 in the Pro Extreme points standings.