Bruce Boland wins PMRA Challenge at IHRA MOPAR Canadian Nationals

Bruce Boland wins PMRA Challenge at

IHRA MOPAR Canadian Nationals

Champion extends lead in PMRA series after Grand Bend victory

GRAND BEND, ONTARIO (July 19, 2009) – The reigning PMRA champion continues to dominate.

Bruce Boland of Hamilton, Ontario, won the latest round in Pro Modified Racing Association, the PMRA Challenge Presented by Motorsports 1320 at the Grand Bend Motorplex Sunday.

Running in conjunction with the 10th Annual IHRA MOPAR Canadian Nationals, Boland qualified number one for the race, the third in the 2009 PMRA tour. In his B&B Racing 1967 Chevy Nova, the 2008 champion paced himself through the field for his second consecutive win of the season. With his victory, Boland became the second driver in PMRA history to win his third event, after Mike Stawicki of Medina, New York.

“We qualified well,” said a happy Boland after the race. “We made some changes in the clutch, didn’t like them, and went back to the original setup. We softened it up a bit. I knew if I got off the starting line I was good.”

Boland met Eric Latino of Scarborough, Ontario in the final. For Latino, it was his first final-round showing, and he was defeated by Boland who ran a 4.105-second, 178.05-mph final against Latino’s 4.504-second, 163.53 mph pass in eighth-mile competition.

Latino lost traction just off the line in the final, but he gave it a good ride. He said before the final he knew he was up against a driver with a lot of experience in the class.

“We’ll give it our best,” he said before the final. “I’m the new kid on the block up against the PMRA legend.”

Ironically, Latino had problems qualifying, and was first alternate in the field when Tony Piselli of Woodbridge, Ontario in the Skull Motorsports Corvette clipped the wall hard in qualifying and could not make the eliminations.

Boland took out Tim Martin of Barrie, Ontario with his 1963 Corvette in the first round, and had his hands full defeating Mark Nielsen of Brantford, Ontario in the next round.

On the other side of the ladder, Latino eliminated Jack Grainy of North Tonawanda, New York, who took low elapsed time of the meet with a 4.002-second pass. Grainy’s consistency in his earlier rounds fell away in the semi-final, as the 1967 Camaro driver veered off to the right wrestling to keep the car straight.

In the first round, Latino put away number three qualifier Jeff Roth of Kitchener, Ontario, in the J&J Roth Racing 1941 Willys. Grainy eliminated Dave Earhart of Strathroy, Ontario in the first round, and Nielsen eliminated Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan in the first round.

“I want to thank my crew, and my wife, and Mark Dochstader, who couldn’t be here to help me today,” added Boland in the winner’s circle. “And I want to thank the IHRA for everything, including the Ironman Trophy.”

Boland continues to lead the PMRA Championship Points Award Series Standings, and has 841 points with his latest win. Next is Mark Nielsen with 796 points. Earhart is third with 761, Joe Boniferro of Niagara Falls, Ontario is fourth with 760 points, and Tony Piselli is fifth with 755 points and rounding out the top eight is Jeff Roth, Jason Kalso and Eric Latino.

While the PMRA has run eighth-mile events in the past, this was the first time at the Grand Bend Motorplex the teams ran in this format. Boland’s top speed of the event, 183.39 mph, is a little behind the PMRA eighth-mile speed of 184.23 mph set by Stawicki, and the 4.002-second time of Grainy is just behind the 3.970-second record pass set by Carl Spiering of Jordan Station, Ontario.

In the IHRA Professional categories, Top Fuel went to Del Cox of California, Ed Hoover of South Carolina won in Pro Modified, and Dean Goforth of Oklahoma won Pro Stock.

Special Awards
Auto Meter Products - Low Qualifier Contingency Award – Bruce Boland
Mickey Thompson Tires - Low Qualifier Contingency Award – Bruce Boland
Auto Meter Products - Event Winner Contingency Award – Bruce Boland
Bear's Performance Products - Consistent Qualifier Bonus – Dave Earhart
Mickey Thompson Tires - Event Winner Contingency Award – Bruce Boland
www.racensur.com Gulfway Insurers - Best Reaction Time & Round Winner – Bruce Boland
Needles At Work - Voted by Officials – Kalso Motorsports

The next PMRA event, the Stratford Spectacular Hot August National presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts August 8 and 9.

The PMRA is headlining the two-day event, which includes racing in the new Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, which features Top Dragster and Top Sportsman action with quick six and seven-second cars, the Grand Bend Motorplex Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Series, plus great racing action in the Thunder series and Junior programs.

For information about the Stratford Spectacular Hot August National presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts at the Grand Bend Motorplex, call (519) 238-7223 or visit www.grandbendmotorplex.com

For more information contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher at Bruce@PMRA.ca

About the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA):

The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca, was organized late in 2004, started racing operations in 2005, and is entering its fifth year of operation in 2009. The PMRA is a self-governing organization with input from its teams, and adheres to the technical and safety rules as outlined by the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). The series has event venues in Ontario, Quebec, and New York State.

The PMRA will compete at several drag strips in 2009, including dates at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario, starting with the season opener on May 16 and 17, June 13 and 14 and the season-closer on September 19 and 20, and 12, and the South-western Ontario track of the Grand Bend Motorplex at the 10th Annual MOPAR Canadian Nationals July 17 to 19, the Stratford Spectacular Hot August National presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts August 8 and 9 and on September 5 and 6.

Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class is one of drag racing’s most exciting and colorful classes, offering a diverse group of race cars with different types of 2,500-horsepower supercharged, nitrous powered and turbocharged engines.

Combining classic body styles and modern equipment, constructors are permitted, within established rules and parameters, to modify and enhance the cars in both appearance and performance. The cars are fuelled by gasoline or methanol, propelling them down the quarter-mile in low six-second times at over 200 miles per hour. The PMRA provides drag race fans the opportunity to see, hear, and experience the popular Pro Modifieds, known as "the world's fastest door slammers".

Several of the PMRA events will be run in conjunction with the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, www.Quick32.ca, offering fans a great show of drag racing.

Photo Credit: Dale Boeru - Canadian Drag Racing Photos - www.canadiandragracingphotos.com and Brad Turk