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Mike Ashley is starting to ride it again. He
commemorated the 40th anniversary of the release
of the first Mustang by defeating Zach Barklage
in the exhibition-class Pro Mod
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finals
in his Unique Performance-built Shelby GT 500E
'67 Mustang.
The victory was Ashley's first in the AMS Staff
Leasing Pro Mod Challenge series since October
2002 at Dallas.
"It's great! Oh, so sweet," Ashley said after
eliminating Scotty Cannon, who qualified his
Studebaker for his first AMS Staff Leasing Pro
Mod Challenge appearance, reigning IHRA champ
Mitch Stott in his Chevy Camaro, and finally
Barklage in a Pontiac Grand Am. "We struggled
so much last year, but at the end of the year
our 2004 season began. We put over 120 laps
on our cars since then. It's starting to show
now. We're No. 1 in the points, No. 1 in the
shootout deal, and we won this race today."
Ashley, top qualifier for the first time since
the 2002 Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla.,
won with a 6.180-second pass at 229.98 mph to
Barklage's 6.193/232.59.
Sportsman-class winners included Mitch Myers
in Top Alcohol Dragster (who beat David Wells,
5.307/258.17 to 5.355/263.31); Jay Payne in
Top Alcohol Funny Car (with a 5.560/ 260.36
in his Chevy Camaro over Steve Gasparrelli in
a Pontiac Firebird at 5.885/240.81).
Others were:
Competition Eliminator -- Michael Johnson,
Chevy Cavalier, 8.812/144.13 def. Joey Tanksley,
Dragster, 6.941/187.34.
Super Stock -- Larry Stewart, Chevy
Nova, 9.971/128.03 def. Pete Peery, Oldsmobile
Calais, 9.677/137.26.
Stock Eliminator -- Lee Zane, Buick
Apollo, 11.964/97.29 def. Jeff Miller, Chevy
Camaro, foul. 
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