JOHN DEFLORIAN | PART 2
show. There is a PM point series and purse.
When the NHRA announced the MMPS series with Johnson’ s Horsepowered Garage backing the program through Elite Motorsports, DeFlorian knew it was going to be expensive. While there would be no specific MMPS television show, their final round would be featured in each race’ s FOX coverage. The series was expanded from four races to six events. The purse would be $ 10,000 to win each race with every other qualifier, including the runner-up, receiving $ 2,000. The point fund would pay $ 15,000 to second place and $ 25,000 to win the championships. The entry fee? $ 3,500 per race for three crewman and the driver. The only way to earn more than the entry fee was to win the event but it was still better than racing for free as John had for the past six seasons. For comparison, the PDRA’ s Extreme Pro Stock category charges a $ 400 entry for a graduating purse which pays $ 1,200 for runner-up and $ 6,000 to win … but with much more limited exposure.
However, there was no way John could afford the NHRA’ s $ 21,000 entry fee. Once again, the independent owner / driver was facing a brick wall keeping him from even competing in the NHRA. It was during a phone call with close
Still using the“ attack attitude”, John again committed to every race and, with extra sponsorship from Jeff Graber’ s Cincinnati concrete company, felt the team could battle for the championship. However, it was a rough season. The sole bright spot came from a runner-up at the NHRA Bristol race. DeFlorian had a career-long reputation as one of the best-reacting drivers in the class but his reaction times began to slow and a mysterious clutch problem cast a pall over his tour. Already disappointed at not being able to produce at least one event win for new sponsor Total Seal, DeFlorian still had a shot at making $ 15,000 for second place in the point standings at the final series race in Las Vegas. Although he gained a reaction time advantage, DeFlorian lost in the semi-finals to eventual 2024 NHRA MMPS World Champion Johnny Pluchino by a mere two thousands of a second, dropping him to third place and zero awards.
It should be remembered the NHRA retained the 2013“ technology freeze” when they adopted the MMPS category in 2018 and also allowed,( but did not mandate), electronic fuel injection. Unlike the NHRA’ s 500-inchers, the MMPS cars were still required to use engines which matched the body manufacturer. The success of
MATT HARTFORD, THE OWNER OF TOTAL SEAL PISTON RINGS, SIMPLY SAID,‘ I’ LL TAKE THE DOOR,’ MEANING HE WANTED TO BUY THE DOOR SPACE OF JOHN’ S CAMARO FOR ADVERTISING. IN AN INSTANT OF DISBELIEF, JOHN DEFLORIAN HAD A SPONSOR AND HIS ENTRY FEE.
all parties were required to remain silent about any compensation,( and, to date, nobody has defied that order), but it was a hugely expensive resolution for the NHRA. Because of this case, everybody inside the sport knew the NHRA would never again expose themselves by creating a new class or dropping an established one.
Also in 2001, the NHRA began a Pro Modified Eliminator series at the peak of that division’ s popularity. However, that program was contingent on a sponsor providing the purse and all expenses to support it. Since then, the NHRA has added the Factory Stock Showdown, Top Fuel Harley-Davidsons, Factory Experimentals and Top Fuel Motorcycles to their roster but each is a“ supporting category”. In fact, each is a“ track rental” to an outside group.
Using Pro Modified as an example, the NHRA charged an organized racers’ group or a series sponsor a specific amount which included the amount of time their presentation were on the track for qualifying and eliminations, the use of NHRA facilities and staff including safety crews, technical scrutiny and promotional activity. From the very first NHRA PM race at the 2001 NHRA Gatornationals, the Pro Modified program also included a stand-alone thirty-minute television show which was produced outside the NHRA and often aired on networks other than NHRA’ s standard TV partners. All of this, of course, added up and the expense was paid by the entrants.
While the NHRA took the Pro Modified television show in-house in 2018, the series has had a variety of sponsors including its current program backed by Congruity,( a human resources company), and the Pro Modified racers association,( known under different names for the past quarter-century). While the racing remains under the NHRA’ s control concerning rules and procedures, the series actually has nothing to do with the general NHRA hierarchy of classes and is not recognized in its season-ending awards ceremonies in either sportsman or professional form.
In 2025, the Pro Modified Eliminator series cost a lot and spent a lot. However, few individuals outside Pro Modified itself realize the purse for each Pro Mod event included $ 10,000 to win but no substantial round money or runner-up cash. Pro Modified entries pay $ 3,250 per race with a discount if the racers enter all ten events before the start of the season for $ 27,500. This entry pays for everything including the television friend and NHRA Pro Stock racer Matt Hartford,( who was also the 2010 ADRL Extreme Pro Stock Eliminator World Champion), in which John lamented his situation. Hartford, the owner of Total Seal Piston Rings in Phoenix, Arizona, who had dealt with John at JHRC for years, simply said,“ I’ ll take the door” meaning he wanted to buy the door space of John’ s Camaro for advertising. In an instant of disbelief, John DeFlorian had a sponsor and his entry fee. the moratorium is evident. At the end of 2012, the quickest and fastest Mountain Motor Pro Stock run was by Pete Berner’ s Pontiac GXP at 6.20 / 225.97. Going into 2025, only two human beings had ever run quicker with the best run coming in October, 2020, when J. R. Carr pushed his Chevy Camaro to a 6.17 / 228.23 in atmospheric conditions of three hundred feet below sea level. The other pass was a slightly quicker 6.20 by Bo Butner’ s Camaro. In eighthmile racing, Berner had gone 4.03 / 179.06 in 2010 while the best current effort is Randi Lyn Butner’ s barrier-busting 3.997 in her Camaro and the fastest speed is Jeff Dobbins’ Dodge Avenger at 181.20 mph.
The only change permitted in NHRA MMPS was the option of a Liberty clutchless transmission, an expensive piece which can cost $ 20,000. While only a few racers,( including the Elite team cars), switched to the Liberty, even those retaining the older LenCo clutchless transmissions were still faced with buying new engines which retail at $ 140,000 each, drivetrains which exceed $ 50,000 and rolling race cars which can be built for $ 180,000 to $ 200,000 including wiring, onboard computer, and paint or a vinyl wrap.
154 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 198