Drag Illustrated Issue 136, September 2018 | Page 100
20 REASONS
DO-IT-YOURSELF
9 NITRO RACERS:
SHOWING UP &
SHOWING OUT
No.
No.
7
S
MID-WEST PRO MOD SERIES
CONTINUES TO THRIVE
elf-promoter extraordinaire
Keith Haney has successfully lent his
hype machine to the Mid-West Pro
Mod Series he founded in 2017, and
the horn-tooting online and in print is
paying dividends. More of a booked-in
show than a standalone series, the MWPMS rolls
into race tracks with a $10,000-to-win Pro Mod
shootout and a 16-car qualified field that is the
perfect headlining attraction for many a strips’
major events. Racers and track operators have
spoken out – loudly and proudly – in support of
the series; racers happy to have a place to race
for good money against tough competition, and
tracks thrilled to have a surefire winner.
Interestingly, Haney and a sharp group of
racers and tuners formed a rule committee in
the early stages to work together in an effort
to maintain parity and keep performances in
check. Their goal, collectively, is to keep cars
running in the 3.70s across the board - some-
thing that, unbelievably, is seemingly rather
attainable by a large number of racers with a
slew of different combinations. Also of note
is the inclusion of screw-type superchargers,
which have very few other places to roam, al-
though they are burdened with overdrive limits
and weight minimums. - WES BUCK
N
ot only are fan-favorite racers like
Scott Palmer, Terry McMillen, Mike Sali-
nas and the Lagana Brothers consistently
showing up to race NHRA Top Fuel – they’re
going rounds on race day. It’s racers like these
who are fighting the good fight (racing against
“the factory”, so to speak) that will undoubt-
edly inspire others to do the same for years to
come. Racers like Palmer and his band of good
ol’ boys from Missouri also champion the out-
law spirit that made drag racing cool 60-plus
years ago, and it’s incredibly refreshing in this
increasingly sterile, politically correct envi-
ronment we live and race in. Plus, Palmer still
whacks the throttle of his 11,000-horsepower
nitro digger when they seat the clutch in the
pits and, well, it’s awesome. The NHRA gives
out leather jackets, big checks and a massive
trophy to their champions at the end of the
season. We hope they have something special
in mind for Scott Palmer no matter where he
finishes in the points. - WES BUCK
No.8
F
rom Megan and Rachel Meyer to Justin
Ashley and Corey Michalek, amongst several
others, it seems that the NHRA’s Top Alcohol
Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes are
chocked full of superstars and superstars in the
making. While many of sportsman racing’s top
youngsters are showing promise on the drag strip,
it’s the marketing and promotion arena where they
are truly shining. It’s our belief that more can and
should be done to present TAD/TAFC as the or-
ganic nitro feeder league that it should be, but these
fiercely competitive and determined-to-succeed
next-generation racers are perpetually mak