BALOOSHI LEADS PRO MOD QUALIFYING AT TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Khalid Balooshi raced to the qualifying lead Friday at Gainesville Raceway in the season-opener for the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
Balooshi, from Doha, Qatar, covered the quarter-mile distance in 5.846 seconds at 243.24 mph in his 1968 Camaro.
Rickie Smith (5.878, 241.67) and Roger Burgess (5.881, 255.10) qualified second and third, respectively.
Defending Series champion Von Smith opened the year with a 5.928 at 246.80 that has him in seventh position entering Saturday’s final qualifying session.
Notable drivers not yet qualified into the 16-car field include Jay Payne, Melanie Troxel and Danny Rowe, the 2010 Series runner-up.
Qualifying continues tomorrow with a final qualifying session before the 16-car field is set for Sunday’s eliminations.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Results Friday after the first two of three rounds of qualifying for the 42nd annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, first of ten events in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Saturday's final eliminations.
Pro Modified -- 1. Khalid Balooshi, Chevy Camaro, 5.846, 243.24; 2. Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.878, 241.67; 3. Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 5.881, 255.10; 4. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 5.897, 247.52; 5. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 5.911, 244.38; 6. Brad Personett, Camaro, 5.914, 255.19; 7. Von Smith, Camaro, 5.928, 246.80; 8. Chuck Cheeseman, Corvette, 5.931, 243.28; 9. Raymond Commisso, Camaro, 5.946, 247.52; 10. Tim Tindle, Ford Mustang, 5.972, 228.11; 11. Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 5.989, 241.80; 12. Joe Baker, Pontiac Firebird, 6.005, 239.65; 13. Scott Ray, Corvette, 6.011, 232.83; 14. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 6.046, 245.85; 15. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 6.052, 244.74; 16. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.065, 244.12.
Not Qualified: 17. Jay Payne, 6.121, 241.93; 18. Melanie Troxel, 6.122, 243.99; 19. Mike Janis, 6.182, 235.19; 20. Ike Maier, 6.189, 229.08; 21. Michael Gullqvist, 6.213, 184.65; 22. Chip King, 6.261, 249.16; 23. Raymond J Matos, 8.536, 115.88; 24. Danny Rowe, 10.331, 107.62; 25. Pat Musi, broke.
