LIGHTS OUT VIII
PRESENTED BY
Gone but Not Forgotten
“Mustang Mike” Modeste
3/6/1969 - 12/13/2016
‘M
ustang
Mike”
Modeste, a
pioneering
small tire
racer, multi-time NSCA champi-
on, beloved drag racing personal-
ity and irreplaceable ambassador,
passed away on December 13th,
2016, at the age of 47. Scoring
victories at Maryland Internation-
al Raceway’s World Cup Finals
and at Huntsville Dragway’s
Radialfest event, Modeste’s final
campaign perfectly demonstrated
his competitive spirit and talent
behind the wheel and in the pits.
March 2017
“Mustang Mike”,
who has been
on the leading
edge of drag
radial racing and
technology since
its inception, was
honored during
an emotional
starting line tribute
during Lights Out
8, with longtime
friend and racing partner Ralph
Fabbricino fired up and drove
Modeste’s notorious metallic blue,
twin ProCharger-equipped Ford
Mustang down the eighth-mile for
the last time while
racers and fans
stood in silence.
Longtime friend
Bill Miller of iconic
performance parts
manufacturer Bill
Miller Engineer-
ing also organized
the presentation
of the first-an-
nual “Mustang
Mike” Modeste Memorial Award
to be awarded to a racer who
represents the outgoing, selfless,
innovative and competitive nature
Modeste was known for, which
was presented to David and Tracy
Pearson. The Pearsons had raced
with Modeste for many years, and
were competing in his honor at
the 2017-running of Lights Out in
Valdosta.
Modeste, who earned his stripes
as part of his native Brooklyn,
New York’s street/strip scene, and
spent his youth working in ma-
chine shops, learning the engine
building trade before serving as a
Ford technician at the Manhattan
Automobile Company. Modeste
earned National Street Car Asso-
ciation championships in 2000,
20003, 2004 and 2007. - WES BUCK
DragIllustrated.com
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