Words by Susan Wade
Photos by Richard Muir

Pro Modified drag racing veteran Mike Castellana, of Long Island, had always wanted to win a major race before a "home crowd." But try as he might, he had never quite been able to master Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, at one point saying, "Something always goes wrong at your home track."

Nothing went wrong Sunday, Oct. 9, for Castellana and his Western Beef/Al-Anabi Racing '69 Camaro at the ninth edition of New York Motorsports' Shakedown at E-town. Castellana led the nitrous Pro Mod field with low elapsed time of the meet at 5.872 seconds, set the quarter-mile speed record for class in the semifinals at 245.94 mph, and beat Fredy Scriba to cap a perfect weekend at the Northeast outlaw drag racing classic.

He joined Jose "El General" Gonzalez (Pro Mod Blown), Larry Wood (Outlaw 10.5), Sam Gottier (Heavy Street), Steve Jackson (Drag Radial), Rich Bruder (X-275), Alfonse Magliocco Jr. (8.50 Index), Bud Yoder (Pro Street Bike), and Jorge Lazcano (Extreme Import) in the winners circle.

Gonzalez, in his twin-turbo, Pro Line-powered, Steve Petty-tuned '68 Camaro, ruled the supercharged Pro Mods, recording top speed of the meet in the final round as he defeated Tim O'Hare.