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In the final round, the veteran Jenkins, behind
the wheel of a '68 Camaro, took command at
the starting lights over the rookie Cannon
and marched to the win light to take the final
NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge of
2004. Jenkins covered the quarter-mile at The
Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 6.271
seconds to a 6.670-second pass for Cannon.
SHOOTOUT WIN FOR BILLES
Canadian
driver Al Billes (far lane) seen here in action
against Mike Castellana
After a name change and moving alternates
into the 8- car field the AMS Staff Leasing
Pro Mod Challenge (previously known as the
AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Shootout) To eliminate
any confusion with the Budweiser Shootout for
the Top Fuel class, NHRA asked that a name
change be made. Therefore, for this year
at least the special race-within-a-race will
be called the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge,
not to be confused with the series name, the
10-race NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge.
With Fred Hahn and Mike Janis not making the
trip to Vegas, Thomas Patterson and Danny Rowe
were inserted into the Challenge field.
The revised opening round pairings were as
follows:
1.) Mike Ashley ('67 Shelby Mustang) vs. 8.)
Danny Rowe ('63 Corvette)
2.) Von Smith
('04 Mustang) vs. 7.) Thomas Patterson ('41
Willys)
3.) Al Billes ('53 Corvette) vs. 5.)
Mike Castellana ('68 Camaro)
4.) Shannon Jenkins
('68 Camaro) vs. 5.) Zach Barklage ('04 Grand
Am)
Ashley, Jenkins, Smith and Billes took win
lights in the first round of eliminations. Second
round match ups found Ashley, with lane choice,
against Jenkins on one side of the ladder. On
the other side the ladder read Smith, with
lane choice, against Billes.
Billes and Jenkins both won and face each
other in the final round. It should be
noted that Jenkins won his match up with Ashley
by .0001 of a second. That's a take your
pick finish.
Billes takes home a winner take all purse
of $10,000 from AMS Staff Leasing. The Canadian
driver stopped the finish line timing clocks
in 6.233 seconds. Just a tick behind
was Jenkins in 6.253 seconds.
 "This is an awesome feeling," said
Billes, after the win. "It has been
a great year for this team; one we didn't dream
of at the start of the season."
A week earlier Billes had won the IHRA World
Finals in Rockingham, NC, setting the new Pro
Mod E.T. record at 6.102.
AMS PRO MOD CHALLENGE:
ROUND ONE—Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro,
6.428, 181.59 def. Zach Barklage, Pontiac Grand
Am, broke; Al Billes, Chevy Corvette, 6.297,
226.13 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 6.377,
224.55; Von Smith, Ford Mustang, 6.285, 227.00
def. Thomas Patterson, Willys, 6.332, 226.16;
Mike Ashley, Mustang, 6.272, 224.47 def. Danny
Rowe, Corvette, 14.165, 86.62;
SEMIFINALS—Billes, 6.300, 225.22 def.
Smith, 11.039, 78.01; Jenkins, 6.259, 223.39
def. Ashley, 6.249, 225.45;
FINALS—Billes, 6.233, 226.96 def. Jenkins,
6.253, 224.02.
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