Jeremy Ray’s J4 Racing from Lugoff, S. Carolina recently started campaigning in the new Pro Boost class in the PDRA. Ray’s immaculately prepared baby blue supercharged 57 Chevy is grabbing attention and running very respectable since its debut in Valdosta Georgia. Ray, a logger by trade states, “Pro Mod has always been a dream of mine and now to actually get to compete is just amazing. It’s proof that if you put your mind to something and you want it bad enough you can prevail in life”.
Ray showed his hand in Memphis running 3.95 on only his 5th run down the track and ended up with a solid 3.90 @ 189 for the #3 qualifying spot. Ray soloed to a first round victory but unfortunately incurred some engine woes and could not continue onto round 2. At the recent event at US 131 in Martin, Michigan Ray qualified in the 13th spot with a 4.00 @ 187 mph but lost to Todd Tutterow in first round. “It’s a tough class of competitors out here right now. We made a couple changes to the car that threw us off a bit on the tune up but we will work hard to get back to the front of the field”.
Jeremy stated, “I just want to thank my family for allowing this great opportunity to happen. My Mother and Father for their support, my wife Jessica and children, Justin Jeffers for his tired less effort, Mike Kopchick from Rage Fuel Systems for all of his hard work, Jim Salemi from G-Force Race Cars Inc , Mike Stawicki from MSR Performance and Jon Salemi from Resolution Racing Services Inc. for all things Pro Mod! Without these people I would not have this opportunity to compete and this level”.
J4 Racing plans to follow the complete PDRA 2014 Tour and competes in the exciting new Pro Boost class.
Pic Courtesy Roger Richards / Comp Plus
Gerry and Heather Capano’s Split Racing Pro Mod team based in Greenville, De are happy to be sitting in the fifth spot in the PDRA’s new Pro Boost class. With a strong #3 qualifying position at the Inaugural PDRA Spring Open in Rockingham, NC the team looks forward to the Valdosta, Ga event in three weeks time. Team owner and Driver Gerry Capano states, “Rockingham was a great event for our team. It built the needed confidence of making positive runs and going A to B on most all of our attempts. It gave a chance for the crew to work together and get in the swing of being at the track again. The new spark of the PDRA series is an honest insurgence of “doing what’s right for the racers”. 1/8 Mile doorslammer racing has had a rough go at times but this was a great race and myself and my team are going to support the series and run for the points in Pro Boost”.
After qualifying in the #3 spot with a 3.91 @ 191 mph Capano earned his first round victory over Lamar Swindoll and then proceeded to red light against eventual runner up Todd Moyer. Tuner Jon Salemi from Resolution Racing Services said, “We had a great car all weekend. I believe we were the only team to make 4 clean qualifying runs all weekend. I’m proud of the hard work and dedication from everyone involved. We all learn every time the car rolls through the burn out box and that’s what’s important”. The Split Racing 63 next outing will be at the PDRA660.com Georgia Drags May 9-10 in Valdosta, Georgia.
Photo by Allen Cook 1320webservices.com
Daniel Gregorini, driver of the Scratch and Match Motorsports Top Doorslammer G-Force Race Cars built 68’ Camaro, captured his first ANDRA National Event win at last weekend’s event at the Kwinana Motorplex in Perth, Western Australia. Gregorini, who switched over to a PSI D series screw blower for 2014, has been looking for the steady tune up that he was known for over the last couple of years with his trusty roots blown doorslammer.
After struggling with clutch set up the first day Gregorini got two feet underneath him on the second day and started showing improvement. His 6.08 second lap in the afternoon got him the needed data to make a stride towards the win. He stated, “It’s no secret that we have been searching for the proper combination with the screw blower this season. After the last event only parts breakage kept me from getting to the end of the track and qualifying like I knew we could, today things kind of fell in place. We aren’t totally there yet but getting closer”. With tuning assistance from Jim Salemi of G-Force Race Cars Inc. and his brother Jon Salemi of Resolution Racing Services Inc. Gregorini would go on to take the win. First knocking off Victor Bray with a 5.92 @ 243 mph and then soloing to his first event win, after Gary Phillips couldn’t make the call, with a 5.91 @ 243 mph. Daniel said, “This feels great. There is a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into this win. All of my crew guys, Lisa my wife to be, my parents and family, all sacrifice so we can come to do this and have some fun and compete. I couldn’t do it without anyone of them! The car is coming around well. I was really trying for that 5.80 on that run. It seemed like the dew was setting in cause it starting spinning the tire in the middle of the track so I short shifted it to keep it calm and get to the end! Man this is a great feeling!”
A huge thank you goes out to all of my sponsors Kerb Doctor, Kendall Oils, Westcoast Siteworks, Scratch & match Autocolour, Metalux Paints, G-Force Race Cars, Speed Torque, Resolution Racing Services, DTM, Drag Tech Fabrications, Subiaco Print and Windrush Composites
Look for the Scratch and Match team at the local rounds at the Kwinana Motorplex on the 22nd of March and the 5th of April. The team then travels east to compete in the ANDRA championship rounds at the Nitro Champs in Sydney in May
And the Winter Nationals in Brisbane in June.
Image by Luke Niewhof
