HOOVER RACES TO FIRST NHRA GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES VICTORY
COMMERCE, Ga. – Ed Hoover raced to his first career NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series victory Sunday during eliminations at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
Hoover, from Gilbert, S.C., defeated New York’s Mike Castellana in the final round of eliminations to claim the victory. Hoover powered his Trussell Racing ’68 Camaro to a winning run of 5.958 seconds at 240.51 mph, but he ultimately wouldn’t need the strong performance as Castellana fouled at the start in his Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro.
Hoover’s car was consistent throughout eliminations as he posted victories over Raymond Commisso, top qualifier Khalid Balooshi and Rickie Smith in earlier rounds.
In his quarterfinal match with Balooshi, Hoover posted his best time of the weekend with a 5.948 second effort.
Hoover’s history in Pro Mod racing runs deep as he defeated noted chassis builder Tim McAmis to win the first Pro Mod race in 1990 in Darlington, S.C. Hoover, who has earned 17 Pro Mod victories in other drag racing sanctioning organizations over the years, also won an NHRA Pro Mod exhibition race at Atlanta Dragway in 2001.
With the win, Hoover moves into second in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series point standings, 88 behind series leader Balooshi.
The NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues June 2-5 with the 42nd annual NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, N.J.
COMMERCE, Ga. -- Final finish order (1-16) for the fourth of 10 events in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series from the 31st annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway:
PRO MODIFIED:
1. Ed Hoover; 2. Mike Castellana; 3. Rickie Smith; 4. Troy Coughlin; 5. Kenny Lang; 6. Melanie Troxel; 7. Scott Ray; 8. Khalid Balooshi; 9. Roger Burgess; 10. Jay Payne; 11. Mike Janis; 12. Raymond J Matos; 13. Chuck Cheeseman; 14. Donald Martin; 15. Raymond Commisso; 16. Dennis Radford.
COMMERCE, Ga. -- Final round-by-round results for the fourth of 10 events in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series from the 31st annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway:
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Ed Hoover, Chevy Camaro, 6.042, 237.59 def. Raymond Commisso, Camaro, 8.377, 105.52; Scott Ray, Chevy Corvette, 8.296, 103.44 def. Roger Burgess, Corvette, foul; Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 5.965, 248.11 def. Donald Martin, Camaro, 8.263, 111.14; Kenny Lang, Camaro, 6.276, 186.77 def. Raymond J Matos, Pylmouth Barracuda, foul; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.991, 239.14 def. Jay Payne, Camaro, 6.002, 242.50; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.982, 238.51 def. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, broke; Melanie Troxel, Camaro, 6.014, 243.24 def. Mike Janis, Ford Mustang, 6.095, 239.36; Khalid Balooshi, Camaro, 5.926, 240.89 def. Chuck Cheeseman, Corvette, 6.803, 153.04;
QUARTERFINALS -- Smith, 5.937, 240.25 def. Ray, 6.050, 235.35; Castellana, 5.952, 239.19 def. Lang, 5.933, 243.50; Coughlin, 6.008, 248.61 def. Troxel, 5.963, 245.94; Hoover, 5.948, 240.34 def. Balooshi, 7.590, 124.84;
SEMIFINALS -- Castellana, 6.239, 187.29 def. Coughlin, broke; Hoover, 6.015, 238.98 def. Smith, 9.368, 86.79;
FINAL -- Hoover, 5.958, 240.51 def. Castellana, foul.
COMMERCE, Ga. -- Point standings (top 10) for the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series following the 31st annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway:
Pro Modified
1. Khalid Balooshi, 342; 2. Ed Hoover, 254; 3. Danny Rowe, 227; 4. Rickie Smith, 226; 5. Kenny Lang, 223; 6. Roger Burgess, 222; 7. Raymond Commisso, 194; 8. Scott Ray, 183; 9. Mike Castellana, 180; 10. Troy Coughlin, 174.
