NHRA Pro Mods at Norwalk, Ohio

Glidden Takes First Win of Season

Words by Kay Burk
Photos by Ron Lewis

Billy Glidden raced to victory Sunday, June 26, in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. The weekend’s Pro Mod racing, presented by The Real Pro Mod Association, at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park is the sixth of 10 Pro Mod events on the 2016 season. The Pro Mod class was the only professional class to have way more cars entered (27) than could make the 16-car field. Talk about some real qualifying!

Glidden won with a 5.893-second pass at 245.63 mph in his Precision Turbo 2014 Chevy Camaro when Bob Rahaim red-lit at the starting line in his late model TLC Waste Disposal Services Chevy Corvette in Sunday’s final.

Glidden and Rahaim had identical ETs and Glidden had lane choice in the final, so Rahaim knew he had to cut a good light and just cut it too close.

“I didn’t feel any pressure,” said Glidden, son of legendary Pro Stock racer Bob Glidden, “I felt a lot more pressure in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s when dad was racing. Inside the car I really just don’t get nervous.”