MADISON, Ill. (May 2, 2010) - Joe Baker drove his Joe Baker Homes '68 Firebird Pro Mod to a quarterfinal finish Sunday in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series contest at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway, located just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Mo. His finish kept him in third place in the championship standings, just four points out of first place.
Baker qualified strong at No. 11 with a 6.067-second, 237.42 mph shot and matched his supercharged Pontiac against the turbo-powered '68 Chevy Camaro of Brad Personett for round one. Baker plastered Personett on the line and scored a holeshot win, reaching the finish line first with n elapsed time of 5.990-seconds to Personett's quicker-but-losing 5.955.
Luck ran out for Baker in round two against Dennis Radford and his injected-nitrous-powered 1970 Duster. Baker left just a fraction of a second later than Radford at the tree and trailed the whole race, scoring a 6.097 to Radford's 6.074.
"We underestimated the track conditions in that second round and the car got a little loose, and that was all it took to let him drive away," Baker explained.
"The good news is that we're just four points out of the lead after three races, meaning it's anyone's game. I'm confident that we can keep a positive momentum heading into Atlanta, and stay right up there in the hunt. Overall, we're really running well, and I'm very pleased," Baker said. "I really want to thank Royal Purple and Muscle Motors for all their support this season, because they have been really helpful in getting us where we are right now."
Next on the ten-race Pro Mod Series schedule is the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, May 14-16 in Atlanta.
OFFICIAL POINTS STANDINGS AFTER THREE OF TEN PRO MOD EVENTS
1. K. Lang 176
2. V. Smith 175
3. JOE BAKER 172
4. D. Rowe 171
5. J. Payne 156
6. T. Coughlin 150
7. M. Troxel 143
8. T. Pontieri 141
9. D. Radford, 140
10. T. Tindle 129
