PRO MOD

The hot, humid weather hurt the blower cars in this class. Only seven supercharged cars made the show with Al Billes, driving Jim Oddy's Summit Racing Equipment-backed Stratus, being the best of the blower boys with a 6.24 at 231.28. It was down to the wire as he waited until the last session to do so.

No. 1 was "The Iceman" Shannon Jenkins. He put his '68 Camaro on the pole with a 6.191 at 227.11. His teammate, Mike Castellana, was No. 5 with a 6.269. Another racer from Canada took the No. 8 spot; Rick Distefano put his sweet '53 Vette there with a 6.30. The top 16 was rounded out by Quain Stott, Eddie Ware, and Charles Carpenter, who got the tough task of taking on the Iceman on race day.

Two big surprises here in the final. Burton Auxier seemed to have Lady Luck on his side. He lost his semi-final race against Mike Janis only to be reinstated when Janis' Eaton-sponsored Stratus was ousted for a fuel violation.

Mike Janis said he thought the humidity had a lot to do with failing the fuel check.

Billy Harper made it to the finals after he took out Carl Spiering in round two and Al Billes in the semis. Billes had tire shake and lifted, putting Harper in the final against Auxier. Burton Auxier took the victory after a half-track nitrous backfire all but finished Harper and his Viper. Billes has a slim 4 point lead over Jenkins in the championship points.

Burton Auxier was packed up and ready to put the car on the trailer when he was back in the hunt after Janis was put out. In the final, Billy Harper couldn't get down the track, giving Auxier his first Ironman. He had qualified for his first field ever just two weeks earlier at VMP.