Blowing the doors off

Words by Lisa Collier and Vito Micciolo
Photos by Roger Richards and courtesy NEOPMA

The 2010 Mountain Motor Nationals at Maryland International Raceway was a door car fan’s dream come true. Both the Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association and the North East Outlaw Pro Mods were on hand to give the fans a show they would never forget. Royce Miller and his staff had the track in great shape for the competitors.

John Konigshofer  (Roger Richards photo)

John Konigshofer from Otterville, Ontario, was the King of the Mountain in the May 15-16 event. Johnny K. came all the way from the last qualifying spot for the win. Struggling in all three qualifying rounds, the team went back to basics for the first round of competition and got around a tire-shaking Bob Bertsch for the win.

In round number two Johnny K. had the bye run by virtue of the way the ladder fell, but proved he was still ready for round three by laying down a career best 6.310 at 222 mph. That gave him lane choice by a mere .008 over JR Carr. JR Carr’s Agri-Pack backed Pontiac GXP got by John Pluchino from Commack, NY in round number one and then Lakeshore, Ontario’s Larry O’Brien in round number two. Both Johnny K. and Carr shook the tires at the hit, but Carr went -.010 red and handed over the win.

On the other side of the ladder Pete Berner and his Summit Racing sponsored Pontiac GXP had the bye first round by virtue of being number one qualifier. He was loaded for bear this weekend as he proved on Friday by claiming the Summit Performance Powerhouse Challenge, being the quickest after Friday’s sessions. He again let everyone know he meant business going into eliminations by laying down a low for the round, 6.290 at 223.06. That gave him lane choice going into round number two.

Aruba’s Trevor Eman was Berner’s round two adversary. Eman beat out Dean Gorfoth from Holdenville, OK, in round number one.  Eman posted a great 6.344, but it just wasn’t enough for the Summit Pontiac’s low for the event, 6.265.

In the semifinal round Berner met up with the 2009 Mountain Motor Pro Stock Champion, John Montecalvo. Monte had already set the new national speed record in round one with a blistering 224.51 against Lester Cooper and the Lumbee Nation Pro Stock team. Monte then got by the younger Goforth, Cary, in round number two. Monte again showed that he had big smoke by resetting his own record with a stunning 224.62, but Berner drove around him by .001.

The final round was a David and Goliath story if there ever was one. Johnny K. proved to be the giant killer by knocking out Berner at the tree and his 6.294 was just enough to hold off Berner’s 6.291.

NEOPMA

The Northeast Outlaw Pro Mods second event of the 2010 season at MIR was a huge success with over 22 Pro Mods contesting eight qualifying positions in each of the two classes.

Taking the pole on the Blower/Turbo side in the T.J. & Sons Towing ’69 Daytona was Peter Farber of Baldwinville, MA, with a 6.03 at 240.55 MPH. Abingdon, Maryland’s Fredy Scriba qualified number one on the Nitrous side with an incredible 6.02 at 235.93 in his ’63 Sorcerer Corvette.

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