“ NHRA Pro Mod is totally different from what I used to do for all those years [ in Pro Extreme ]. We just feel like we ’ re getting better as a team and learning how to adapt to different conditions .” - JASON SCRUGGS

ONE FAST FIREBIRD : Jamie Hancock couldn ’ t be more thrilled with the performance of his nitrous-fed Radial vs . the World ‘ 68 Firebird , which recorded a career-best 3.56 off the trailer in testing and backed it up with a 3.58 in the opening round of eliminations at the U . S . Street Nationals .

PASSING TIME : Pro Mod and Radial vs . the World star Melanie Salemi ( left ) and crew member and friend Katey Knight play a game of cards at the back of Salemi ’ s pits between rounds .

TRACTION FARMER : Bradenton Motorsports Park dragway operations manager Wade Rich heads out to prep the track for another round of racing at the U . S . Street Nationals .

OFF TO A STRONG START : Mid-West Drag Racing Series founder Keith Haney is beaming after recording a career-best 3.65-second , 206.83 mph pass in his nitrous-assisted Pro Mod Camaro during pre-race testing at the U . S . Street Nationals .

SMALL-TIRE SMALL TALK : Radial vs . the World hitter turned Pro 275 winner Mark Micke ( left ) and Jason Rueckert , VP Racing Fuel ’ s Midwest regional manager and a co-founder of the Limited Drag Radial class , talk shop on the Bradenton starting line .

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS SEARS AND VAN ABERNETHY

42 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 165