Keith Haney (far lane) took the Pro Mod championship with his win over Jim Sackuvich.  (WMPMS/Jimmy Biggs/Red’s Drag Racing Photos)

Keith Haney still can’t quite believe he won the final event of the 2017 Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) inaugural season, as well as wrapped up two MWPMS class championships during the Throwdown in T-Town, Oct. 13-14, at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park.

Haney prevailed in the Pro Mod final thanks to a starting-line advantage over Jim Sackuvich to cap off a come-from-behind, championship-winning campaign in “Notorious,” his nitrous-boosted 2016 Camaro. He doubled up with a semi-final finish in “Enigma,” a nearly identical-appearing second car that delivered the 2017 MWPMS Radial vs. the World crown for Keith Haney Racing (KHR).

In Radial vs. the World, Texas racer Brandon Pesz had been driving “Enigma” for Haney at four previous MWPMS events this year and based on the strength of one win and a runner-up finish, he had the car on top of the points standings. With a prior racing commitment, however, Pesz was unable to compete at the Throwdown, so Haney stepped in for his first “twofer” experience as a driver in competition. And unlike Pro Mod, where points are not transferable between drivers, the MWPMS awards RvW points to team owners since multiple drivers throughout the year are common in the class.

Scott Lowery, DeWayne Mills, Daniel Pharris, Mark Micke, Mark Woodruff and Haney advanced from the first round, but in round two Mills would defeat Lowery, Haney would take down Micke, and Pharris put an end to Woodruff’s title hopes. The win also earned Pharris a bye through the semis and although Mills put Haney on the trailer, he had become mathematically out of reach of the KHR team for the championship. Unfortunately, however, threatening weather arrived late Saturday night just before the RvW final between Mills and Pharris, so the race was cancelled and the purse split.

Haney said he donated half of the $10,000 he received for winning the Pro Mod race to Chad Reynolds of Bangshift.com, who was running the live online feed from the Throwdown, as well as racing the Chevy station wagon previously campaigned by his wife, Daphne, who recently succumbed to cancer.  [10/18/17]

Seven rookie drivers representing the four NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series categories, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, were announced today by officials from NHRA and Automobile Club of Southern California as the eligible candidates for the 2017 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award.

The candidates for the award are, in alphabetical order: Troy Coughlin Jr. (Top Fuel), Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock), Jonnie Lindberg (Funny Car), Andie Rawlings (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Shawn Reed (Top Fuel) and Mike Salinas (Top Fuel).

The award, which recognizes the top rookie competitor in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and offers a $20,000 prize and traditional trophy to the winner, will be presented during NHRA’s annual championship awards ceremony on Monday, Nov. 13, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, Calif.

The nation’s leading auto racing journalists will select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions and relationships with fans, sponsors and media.  [10/18/17]

(DRO file photo)

Steve Torrence, who survived a terrific crash at Dallas, has sent an open letter thanking those who helped get the back-up dragster prepared for his semifinal round.

It states in part: Above and beyond Steve’s crew, we would like to thank all of those who contributed to the Herculean effort that enabled us to bring a car back to the starting line for the semifinals: Scott Palmer Racing, Nitro Ninja Racing, Billy Torrence Racing, Aaron Brooks, Todd Paton and anyone else that we might have overlooked in all the turmoil.  A special thanks to our chassis builder, Morgan Lucas Racing, and Richie Crampton for fabricating a quick, fast but very safe race car.

Unfortunately, despite everyone’s efforts, we didn’t win the semifinal round but we did leave with the points lead and when everyone gathers in Las Vegas in another week, we’ll be ready to re-join the battle for the Mello Yello Championship.

Thanks so much.

Steve, Kay and Billy Torrence  [10/18/17]

Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, IL, will host two "Last-Chance Drag Races" on Saturday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 4. On the schedule are Jr. Dragsters and both Street Bike and Bracket Gambler races.  [10/18/17]

Read former IHRA president Aaron Polburn’s column on an old friend and a new friend at here.  [10/18/17]

The Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Superchargers (RMS) traveled to Missouri for the American Hot Rod Reunion at MoKan Dragway October 15. It's one time that nostalgia racers bring to the track some of the most interesting rides from years gone by. They still put on a powerful show with Henry J gassers and push-started dragsters reminding the fans of the early days of the sport.

The Reunion, presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, is a tradition at the IHRA track and this year added the Funny Car Invitational. The funny cars, part of the Top Supercharged Thunder eliminator in the RMS group, was won by Oklahoma's Jordan Ballew in his “Ballew Thunder” entry (shown).

The long-distance award was easy to make as the Wetsch and Chase ‘57 Chevrolet "Wicked Quick" traveled all the way from Bismarck, ND, for the race.

Missouri's own Mike Kurz was the center of attention in his "Cashin' my Childhood" Plymouth Duster but his car did not cooperate, frustrating his efforts to take home the winner's trophy and more of the Contingency Connection prizes. That honor went to Ballew as his Chevy-powered Nova made three solid 4-second blasts on the MoKan eighth mile.  [10/18/17]