Words by Kay Burk
Photos by Chris Haverly

Hoosier Brad Personett raced to his first career GSA Pro Mod victory at Indiana’s and drag racing’s most prestigious drag race: the 56th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Personett, from Elkhart, Ind., is one of very few Pro mod racers employing turbochargers rather than a Roots supercharger or nitrous oxide injection. He got the win and the coveted golden Wally on a single in the final when Joe Baker couldn’t make the call. In getting to the finals, Personett trailered Rick Stivers (who broke), Canadian Kenny Lang (5.897/255.39 to 7.941/123.88) and Ed Hoover (5.958/250.78 to 6.024/239.74).

During the weekend Personett reset the national speed record with a speed in the second round of eliminations of 255.39 mph. That number was backed up by a 254+ that he ran in qualifying in his ultra-fast Personett Performance ’68 Camaro. With the win, Personett moved to fifth in the GSA Championship standings.

Von Smith (far lane) maintained his series points lead despite being upset in the first round by Hoover, 5.981/240.98 to Smith’s 5.993/242.89. In the second round Hoover’s 6.040/240.47 defeated Dave Pierce, whose ’68 Camaro clocked a 6.332 at 232.55 mph.