Veteran Payne Wins His First in a Pro Mod

Jay Payne (Steve Gruenwald photo)

Words by Duke Rittenhouse
Photos by Bret Kepner and Steve Gruenwald
3/24/05

Troy Crtichley (photo by Bret Kepner)

Gainesville, Fla. (March 20, 2005) — He has done it 27 times before, but Jay Payne’s event win Sunday at the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals was still a first for the longtime alcohol-class racer.

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Payne’s final-round victory over defending Pro Mod world champion Mike Ashley gave him both his first career win in the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by TLR and his first win at an NHRA national event in anything other than a Top Alcohol Funny Car or Top Alcohol Dragster.

Payne, the No. 2 qualifier in the 16-car eliminations field, got off the line second but managed to drive around No. 4 Ashley’s Torco Race Fuels ’67 Mustang for a 6.11 to 6.17 win to cap the first of 14 events on the 2005 AMS/TLR series schedule. Equally as impressive was the speed Payne got out of his Valvoline/BAE ’05 Stratus — a 236.03-mph blast that was the fastest ever recorded by a Pro Mod car.