NHRA Pro Mods at Charlotte, NC

Janis Takes the Win

Words by Kay Burk

Photos by Chris Haverly and Ron Lewis

(Chris Haverly photo)

Reigning champion Mike Janis took his first victory of the season at the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte, NC, in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. The Pro Mods returned to the area where they were born, the southeastern U.S.

(Ron Lewis photo)

“This Four-Wide is so unpredictable and I knew we had a good chance of winning, but you never know at a race like this,” said the veteran Elma, NY, racer.

Janis finished .0053-second (about 2 feet) ahead of runner-up Rickie Smith in the final quad which also included Erica Enders and “Stevie Fast” Jackson. Both Enders and Jackson were off the line fast, but had to click off their engines early in the run.

Erica Enders broke the Pro Mod speed record she had set two weeks before in Houston with a pass of 260.41 mph at zMax. (Chris Haverly photo)

Jose Gonzalez had Low ET of 5.657 seconds, but came up third in the second quad. (Chris Haverly photo)

Round 1: Rickie Smith, King NC, '67 Mustang, Lane 4, (0.090) 5.771 256.89 and Chad Green, Midland TX, '19 Camaro, Lane 2, (0.048) 8.272 120.46 def. Steven Whiteley, Grand Junction CO, '18 Camaro, Lane 3, (0.033) 10.198 87.98 and Sidnei Frigo, Sao Paulo BZ, '69 Camaro, Lane 1, (0.015) 13.953 47.37  (Ron Lewis photo)

Round 1: Todd Tutterow, Lewisville NC, '68 Camaro, Lane 2, (0.036) 5.842 249.67 and Steve Jackson, Evans GA, '17 Camaro, Lane 1, (0.048) 5.839 248.02 def. Khalid alBalooshi, Duxbury MA, '18 Camaro, Lane 4, (0.106) 5.825 248.98 and Bob Rahaim, Grosse Pointe MI, '18 Camaro, Lane 3, (-0.012) 8.751 125.37  (Ron Lewis photo)

Round 1: Jeremy Ray, Lugoff SC, '63 Corvette, Lane 3, (0.190) 5.810 247.57 and Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, '69 Camaro, Lane 2, (0.116) 5.905 226.43 def. Eric Latino, Port Perry ON, '67 Camaro, Lane 1, (0.199) 5.893 243.19 and Alex Laughlin, Bluff Dale TX, '18 Camaro, Lane 4, (0.101) 6.390 235.06  (Ron Lewis photo)

Alex Laughlin made his Pro Mod debut, but was out in the first quad.  (Chris Haverly photo)

Round 1: Jose Gonzalez, Ball Ground GA, '17 Camaro, Lane 4, (0.051) 5.809 257.87 and Erica Enders, Houston TX, '18 Camaro, Lane 2, (0.039) 5.836 259.96 def. Marc Caruso, Fairport NY, '69 Camaro, Lane 3, (0.056) 5.866 246.62 and Brandon Snider, Atmore AL, '16 Corvette, Lane 1, (0.051) 6.109 242.23

Round 2: M Janis, Lane 2, (0.016) 5.813 248.16 and S Jackson, Lane 1, (0.035) 5.827 250.27 def. T Tutterow, Lane 4, (0.039) 5.825 250.41 and J Ray, Lane 3, (0.044) 5.826 248.16

Round 2: E Enders, Lane 2, (0.051) 5.861 258.22 and R Smith, Lane 4, (0.102) 5.820 255.29 def. J Gonzalez, Lane 3, (0.037) 5.890 227.31 and C Green, Lane 1, (0.038) 6.204 245.99

PHOTO EXTRA SLIDESHOW