Back in late April , the 2024 Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association ( NEOPMA ) season started just like it did in 2022 : with the father-son duo of Mike Decker Jr . and Mike “ Hollywood ” Decker III facing each other in the final round . This time , though , the younger Decker walked away with the win , which was also his first-ever Pro Modified win . The all-Decker final set the tone for what has been another strong season for the 2021-2022 NEOPMA championship-winning Decker ’ s Salvage team . At the season-opening Door Wars at Maryland International Raceway , Decker Jr . and Decker III
|
qualified No . 1 and 2 , respectively , in their matching screw-blown , late-model Camaros . Decker III defeated Matt Deitsch and Jay Santos before lining up with reigning World Series of Pro Mod champion and NEOPMA reigning champion Derek Ward in a semifinal match decided by just 13 thousandths of a second .
“ That race against Derek was the race ,” Decker III said . “ If I won that round , a Decker was going to win the race . If I lost that round , it was going to be between him and Dad . Winning that round was more important than winning the round against my dad because by beating Derek , we were going to lock it up . There was a lot of pressure
|
there . He ’ s been on his game . He just won the World Series , so he beat the best of the best , so therefore you could call Derek the best out there right now . To beat Derek , it was an awesome feeling . He ’ s an awesome competitor and a great friend . It was very rewarding to get it done .”
In the final round , Decker III fired off low E . T . of eliminations , a 3.597 at 207.82 , to get the decisive win over his father , who started to get sideways and lifted to a 4.924 at 100.90 . Decker III collected a $ 7,000 payday for his win .
“ Three times we ’ ve met in the finals , and finally I had the upper hand ,” Decker III said . “ I ’ m still behind on the scoreboard – he ’ s 2-1 . Racing Dad
|
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID HILNER , AJ PINDER AND RICHIE COURY / PRIMETIME VIDEO & PHOTO |