How Odd:

Smith beats the odds; Oddy & Hahn beat 'em all

Words by Jeff Burk
Photos by Bryan Ellis
10/30/03

he rest of the Pro Mod racers, especially Jim Oddy and Fred Hahn, are probably very glad that Von Smith and his tuner Howard Moon didn't get together until the last four races of the season. Why, you ask? Well for one thing Von Smith qualified and went to the final round in each of the final four AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge events. Not only that but the tuning expertise of Howard Moon combined with the driving talents of multi-time IHRA alky funny car event winner Von Smith put the pair in the winners circle in two of those last four races. That streak included winning at Las Vegas, the final event of the NHRA exhibition series.

Smith set low elapsed time in qualifying (6.26) and marched over the field for his second win of the season. In the final round he set Low ET and Top Speed of the meet with his 6.249/228.31 pass.

The field at Vegas saw some of the same faces qualified for the eight car field: Tim McAmis, Von Smith, Shannon Jenkins, and Thomas Patterson; some new faces: Rick Distefano and Dennis Radford; and there were a couple of notables who didn't make the cut: DRO/NMM Cup points leaders Fred Hahn and Mitch Stott.

The '37 Chevy of Marty McGinnis was one of 21 Pro Mods vying for the eight slots in
the field.

There was some big time drama in the final round of qualifying. First time NHRA Pro Mod competitor Harold Martin in the ACDelco-backed Pontiac Grand Am was on a last ditch qualifying effort, as was veteran Marty McGinnis in the other lane. Both drivers got crossed up on their final effort to make the field and caught the wall. Neither driver was hurt, but the cars were damaged.