PRO MOD

Khalid alBalooshi, who usually races in an Al-Anabi Top Fuel dragster on the NHRA Mello Yello tour but got his start in ADRL Pro Mod, was the most successful of the international contingent, reaching the second round in Pro Modified before falling to eventual winner, Jimmy Keen.

Enders-Stevens purges the nitrous system. (Gary Rowe photo)

Erica Enders-Stevens, who also races Pro Stock on the NHRA tour, dropped a first-round matchup Sunday against the Pro Mod No. 1 qualifier, but her Keith Haney Racing team made marked progress.

Pro Mod cars are notoriously difficult to get a handle on, and with a lighter driver they become more recalcitrant. But Haney, Lethal Acceleration's Brandon Pesz, and the team made the right adjustments to allow Enders-Stevens to get down the track on two consecutive runs, including Sunday's pass in hot, slick conditions.

"I'm proud of the team,” Enders-Stevens said. “We put our heads down and worked through it, and we won't give up. It's encouraging to improve like that."

The team made an adjustment for Sunday's hotter conditions, and Enders-Stevens made a clean pass of 4.161 seconds at 185.64 mph, but that wasn't enough to overcome No. 1 qualifier Chris Rini's pass of 3.954 at 189.26 mph.

Round 1
No. 1. Chris Rini, Carmel, N.Y., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.954, 189.26 mph, def. 16. Erica Enders-Stevens, Montgomery, Texas, 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.161, 185.64 mph; 2. Khalid al Balooshi, Doha, Qatar, 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.949, 192.85 mph, def. 15. Jeffrey Cummins Jr. (In as alternate for Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville, N.C., 1967 Ford Mustang), 4.619, 122.89 mph; 3. Dan Stevenson, Bolingbrook, Ill., 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.033, 191.00 mph, def. 14. Raymond Matos, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, 4.082, 184.85 mph; 4. Matthew Suite, Hughesville, Md., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.201, 155.45 mph, def. 13. David Hance, Inwood, N.Y., 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 4.524, 186.61 mph; 5. Kevin Rivenbark, Wallace, N.C., 2002 Pontiac Firebird, 3.996, 188.54 mph, def. 12. Larry Higginbotham, Mineral Ridge, Ohio, 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 4.047, 180.09 mph; *6. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.921, 194.41 mph, def. 11. Adam Flamholc, Malmoe, Sweden, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 4.904, 111.97 mph; 10. Jimmy Keen, Parrish, Fla, 1963 Corvette, 3.970, 190.92 mph, def. 7. Matt Guenther, Avon, N.Y., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.996, 188.36 mph; 8. Travis Harvey, Elon, N.C., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 3.950, 188.12 mph, def. 9. Todd Howard, Mocksville, N.C., 2008 Ford Mustang, 3.980, 190.22 mph.