FORMER PRO EXTREME STARS BATTLE IT OUT IN FIRST ROUND OF PRO MOD
�One of the unique matchups that arose from the chip drawing for pairings in Pro Mod was the first-round duel between Jason Scruggs and Tommy D ’ Aprile . It was the first time the two drivers met in legal Pro Mod competition , but they ’ d faced each other numerous times in ADRL and PDRA Pro Extreme action .
“ We ’ ve raced so many times before ,” D ’ Aprile said during the chip draw . “ Nothing but respect [ for Scruggs ]. I love this guy .”
When announcer Joe Castello asked D ’ Aprile about his record in races against Scruggs , D ’ Aprile admitted the multi-time Pro Extreme world champion was on the winning side . But as the driver for Caruso Family Racing , which won the inaugural World Doorslammer Nationals with Alex Laughlin driving and Lee White tuning , D ’ Aprile felt confident that he could add a notch in his win column .
“ He ’ s got me pretty good in the Pro Extreme class , but hopefully today we can pull one out ,” said D ’ Aprile , who qualified No . 8 in the Whitetuned Right Trailers ’ 21 Camaro .
Scruggs had the upper hand in the matchup as the No . 2 qualifier in his roots-blown “ Mississippi Missile ” ’ 19 Camaro . He left the starting line first by . 009 , but both drivers had to pedal before reaching the 330-foot mark . The veteran wheelmen quickly recovered , with D ’ Aprile crossing the quarter-mile finish line first with a 5.89 at 248.07 . Scruggs wasn ’ t far behind with his 5.906 at 248.89 for a . 007 margin of victory in D ’ Aprile ’ s favor . – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
INAUGURAL WDN RUNNER-UP GREG ANDERSON SETS PRO STOCK PACE
�For a second straight year , Orlando Speed World Dragway provided an excellent platform for Greg Anderson to showcase his considerable Pro Stock skills . It also got him ready for another classic Anderson moment just a week later .
The four-time Pro Stock world champ took top honors in qualifying with a run of 6.531 at 210.14 at the second annual World Doorslammer Nationals . His KB Racing Camaro looked like the car to beat throughout the weekend in Orlando , posting the quickest run of the weekend and becoming the only car to dip into the 6.40s as well .
Unexpected tire shake sent him home in the semifinals , but not before he collected the $ 1,000 top qualifier bonus sponsored by Chilly Willys at a track where he continues to impress .
“ As racers , you just want to go fast . I can ’ t say enough about the track , too . It ’ s fantastic ,” Anderson said . “ It ’ s a great place to race and they ’ re all about racing down there as well . They love racing , they love Pro Stock and it ’ s my kind of people . It just makes you feel really good .”
Anderson and the standout KB Racing team looked a step ahead of everyone in Orlando , going as quick as 6.497 at 212.86 in his second-round victory against Dallas Glenn . He fell in the semifinals in surprising fashion to Fernando Cuadra Jr ., causing him to miss out on the $ 75,000 after losing in the finals a year ago by a narrow margin , but Anderson still appears at the top of his game .
A week after the World Doorslammer Nationals , he opened the 2021 NHRA season in impressive style at the Gatornationals , earning his 95th career win , and on his 60th birthday , no less .
A $ 75,000 victory would have been nice , but that will have to wait until 2022 . For now , Anderson can take solace in the fact he continued to perform on a high level in Orlando and grabbed the No . 1 qualifier in front of a huge Pro Stock-friendly crowd .
“ A race like this makes you feel good about the class and , in my opinion , Pro Stock is the best class going right now ,” Anderson said . “ We had a big group of fans in the stands and I ’ m proud of the class and the way people have supported it . I wouldn ’ t miss this race for the world . It ’ s just my kind of race .” – JOSH HACHAT DI
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