SMACKDOWN AT FLYING H

to close in , with both Harris and Busato running 3.63 . But Micke quickly fired back with a 3.59 , the only driver to run in the 3.50s all weekend , and took home an extra $ 10,000 as the No . 1 qualifier .

“ We just came off a major rule change , so we struggled a couple of runs in testing ,” Micke admits . “ Then it just kind of fell together for us . We ’ ve got a little home-field advantage because we test there all the time . My mindset was to set the pace , get out in front of everybody , and let them play catch-up . That was my strategy , and it worked perfectly .”

On Friday , the temperature rose even higher , making for tricky track conditions in the first round . Upsets were the order of the day , with the lower-qualified cars taking nine wins , while the top half of the field only earned seven . Micke once again set the pace , running a 3.63 in a first-round victory over Scott Palmer .

However , as the day wore on , other top contenders closed the gap on Micke , culminating in an incredible quarterfinal round that saw four different combinations run within two-hundredths of each other . While Micke ( twin-turbo ) was low for the round again – as he was for every round of eliminations – with a 3.621 , Salemi ( screw blower ) was right on his heels with a 3.625 , while Harris ( ProCharger ) went 3.638 . In a losing effort to Micke , Haney ( nitrous ) also ran a very

stout 3.640 . It was a level of parity not often seen in Pro Mod .

“ I think the rules are better than everyone thought they were ,” says Micke . “ I know there was a little gap in qualifying , but I think part of it was we got ahold of the perfect run , and the other guys hadn ’ t quite got there yet . But by the quarterfinals , they ’ d figured it out . All those teams are equally good . And with this kind of money on the line , you can ’ t back off your shit . You gotta be willing to get after it or you ’ re not going to get anywhere .”

While the four remaining drivers split the prize money , one thing they can ’ t split is the championship belt Higgs had custom-made for the Smackdown champion . Micke says there have already been discussions between himself , Harris , Salemi , and Busato about getting together at another event – perhaps as soon as the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals in Bradenton , Florida – and settling who will get to wear it .

“ They ’ re allowing us to work it out amongst ourselves , and do what we want to do ,” Micke says . “ It ’ s a big race , and somebody wants that belt . You can split the money , but you ’ re not splitting the belt . I want to beat them for it and have that thing hanging on my shelf with all my other stuff .” DI

42 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 191