“Underdog” Billy Glidden Grabs First Career NHRA Pro Mod Wally

One of drag racing’s most well-known drivers, Billy Glidden, finally rolled his Mickey Thompson-sponsored 2010 Ford Mustang into the winner’s circle and hoisted his first-ever NHRA national event Wally after his victory on Sunday at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey.

Glidden entered eliminations at the NHRA Summer nationals with his nitrous-assisted Mustang sitting in the No. 13 qualifying position after posting a 5.908 at 240.51mph to get him into the quickest field ever for the NHRA J&A Service Pro Modified Drag Racing Series. In round one of Eliminations, Glidden faced No. 4 qualifier, Steve Matusek and his supercharged Agave Underground Chevrolet Camaro, where he took the win in a close matchup — his 5.88 to Matusek’s 5.90.

Moving into the quarter-finals, Glidden faced the turbocharged Jeg’s High Performance hot rod of Troy Coughlin. Coughlin ran into issues and Glidden made his worst run of eliminations with a 6.02 to Coughlin’s 8.61. Heading into the semi-finals, Billy was in familiar territory, rolling into the late rounds. But there’s nothing like having the No. 1 Qualifier, Mike Janis, in the other lane. Billy did what Billy has done for years — took down the top man for the weekend with a 5.94 at 236 mph blast to Janis’ off-pace 6.02 — slowing some from his other monster passes throughout the weekend.

The stage was then set — the Mickey Thompson nitrous-assisted car driven by Glidden against the Precision Turbocharger-powered and sponsored, Don Walsh, Jr.-piloted 2014 Chevrolet Camaro — a pair of former all-Ford drag racing stars, going at it. Walsh came into the event as the No. 2 qualifier with a 5.79 and the No. 1 man in the Pro Mod standings, so Glidden knew that he had his hands full.

As they ripped off the starting line, Glidden took a huge holeshot and the victory over the hard-charging Walsh, 5.92 at 243 against Walsh’s 5.89 at 252. Making Glidden’s feat all the more impressive is the fact that he does it all with a chassis built for mid-six second Pro Stock racing, and runs his entire operation at the track with just the help of his wife, Shannon. It’s hard to call Billy Glidden an underdog, but this was an underdog story if there ever was one.