The usual suspects dominated the NHRA’s official pro categories Mar. 16-18, at Gainesville, FL, so it was left to the “exhibition class” Pro Mod teams to provide the real excitement with record-setting runs and wild action throughout qualifying and eliminations. In the final round, number-two qualifier Joshua Hernandez (time below) beat teammate and top 
qualifier Troy Critchley after both etched their names in the AMS Staff Leasing Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises record books.
"Howard Moon is the real winner of that round—he’s the one that got us both there,” Hernandez said, referring to his and Critchley’s crew chief. “And with the support of [team owners] Dave Wood and Tommy Lipar, we were able to put on an incredible show.”
The standing-room-only crowd at Gainesville Raceway really did witness an incredible show, beginning with transplanted Aussie Critchley, now hailing from near Dallas, TX, securing the top spot in the 16-car field with a brilliant 5.946-seconds pass at an even more stunning 245.27 miles per hour.
Tony Pontieri
Not far behind was Hernandez, who went 5.951 at 243 to qualify second, with Canadian Tony Pontieri third, followed by Mike Janis and John Russo rounding out the top five. Florida’s Bryan Seward anchored the starting field with a still-stout 6.185 pass at 234.04 mph. Puerto Rican Pro Mod champion Angel Garcia missed the raceday cut, as did fellow countryman Isaias Rojas in the event's only nitrous-assisted entry and two-time defending Gainesville winner and 2006 AMS champion Jay Payne.