RON GREEN TAKES TOP SPOT IN PRO 10.5 CHALLENGE In its WSOPM debut , the inaugural Pro 10.5 Challenge saw 24 drivers try to qualify for the 16-car , $ 25,000-to-win show . One of multiple father-son teams competing in the Pro 10.5 Challenge , Ron Green and Ronnie Green Jr ., threw down a hero run in the final qualifying session to take back their No . 1 spot from Friday night . Bill Lutz , led by son Kenny and co-tuner Patrick Miller , went to the top in the fourth session on Saturday with a 3.948-second pass . Green posted a 3.944 at 196.50 in his ProCharged 2000 Firebird in Q5 to secure the top spot .
“ This is very special ,” said Green , who earned a $ 500 bonus and custom baseball bat from Victus Sports and Kasper Performance Edge . “ We struggled a lot and have come a long way . It ’ s all thanks to my kid here . He worked really hard . We had to be a part of [ this race ]. Hopefully we have some luck [ Sunday ] and get through .”
Green Jr ., who ’ s just 27 , found it rewarding to put his father on top of the 24-car Pro 10.5 qualifying order . He ’ s quickly becoming one of the most respected young tuners in the class and is destined for the DI 30 Under 30 list .
“ That ’ s pretty awesome ,” Green Jr . said . “ We work real hard at the shop and at the racetrack ,
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so I ’ m just glad that ’ s all paying off .”
Lutz ’ s 3.948 at 194.04 in his screw-blown “ Big Boost ” ’ 67 Camaro put him second on the sheet . Two-time PDRA Pro Street world champion Tim Essick moved up late in qualifying to the third spot with a 3.969 at 187.89 in his ProCharged “ Brown Sugar ” ’ 18 Mustang . Florida resident Jerry Morgano just missed the 3-second zone with his fourth-ranked 4.001 at 197.77 in his turbocharged ’ 02 Cobra Mustang . Ty Kasper
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was also close with a 4.008 at 196.27 behind the wheel of his turbocharged Victus Sports “ Sinatra ” ’ 05 Mustang .
In eliminations , Green continued his class-leading performance by setting low E . T . of the opening round , a 4.043 at 198.35 , beating No . 4 qualifier Morgano in the process . He slowed to a 4.113 at 179.85 in the second round , losing to Joel Wensley Jr .’ s 4.068 , which set low E . T . of that round . — NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUKE NIEUWHOF |