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Travis‘ The Carolina Kid’ Harvey cuts. 0000 light to win IHRA Pro Mod Mania at Milan By Craig Cook
Over the course of the weekend at IHRA’ s Pro Mod Mania, Travis Harvey consistently said he wasn’ t worried about special bonuses or qualifying position. The man better known as the“ Carolina Kid” wanted the ultimate prize – a $ 125,000 payday for being the last driver standing at Darana Dragway – Milan. And after five rounds of grueling competition, one round of rain, and one perfect reaction time, that’ s exactly what he received. Harvey saved his best performance for the biggest moment, using a perfect. 0000 reaction time in the final round to earn a holeshot victory over Melanie Salemi and her screw-blown“ Purple Reign”’ 68 Firebird. Salemi was no slouch on the tree either with a. 023, but her 3.602-second elapsed time at 208.04 mph fell just short of catching Harvey’ s 3.605 at 208.24 mph in the screw-blown Martin Technologies Camaro owned by Vaughn Myles and Eric Holland.
“ I feel great. Thank God for giving me the blessings,” Harvey said on the top end immediately after securing the victory.“ We raced against a lot of tough competitors. I gotta thank my car owners, Vaughn Myles and Eric Holland – if it weren’ t for them two, I couldn’ t be here. Danny Perry and his sons, they’ ve been taking care of me all year. Danny is the man. He can build a car, he can drive it, he can paint it, he can build engines. They do whatever we need to do. I’ m not lacking anything there.”
As for his reaction time that featured not just three, but four zeros? Harvey admits that despite
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being known for getting up on the wheel, those numbers don’ t necessarily reflect his skills.
“ Four zeros? That’ s just luck,” says Harvey.“ When I let go, I know I felt good, and I have to be against Melanie. She’ s great. It just worked out for us.”
Harvey started the weekend by qualifying solidly in the 25-car field in the No. 9 spot with a 3.628 at 206.90 mph. While he admits he would’ ve liked the No. 1 spot, and the $ 2,000 bonus that would’ ve come with being the quickest car in Q3, his main goal was making solid passes for race day.
In the opening round, Harvey would uncharacteristically leave second – the only time it occurred all day – behind his opponent, Keith Goolsby. His car’ s performance was more than enough, however, as he used a 3.602 at 207.47 mph to track down Goolsby’ s 3.681 at 201.43.
Harvey then defeated Don Klooster in round two, setting up a huge quarterfinal matchup against Randy Weatherford and his Harts Charger-powered WS Construction’ 69 Camaro. In his first of two holeshot victories on the day, Harvey’ s. 011 light to Weatherford’ s. 049 was enough to outlast the veteran, despite Weatherford being slightly quicker with a 3.619 to Harvey’ s 3.627.
In the semifinals, Harvey faced Paige Coughlin, who had been impressive in just her second career Pro Mod race. Harvey won on both the tree and at the stripe, with his 3.618 at 207.85 mph propelling him into the finals over Coughlin’ s 3.629 at 209.89.
“ I’ m looking at the big picture. We want that $ 125,000,” Harvey said after his semifinal win.“ This car’ s been amazing. Danny Perry and his boys have been doing a great job. We’ ve been racing it for a few years and couldn’ t get out of the semis, so we finally made the next step to the finals and I’ m just glad to be here.”
On the other side of the bracket, Salemi had
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a bracket car all day, running a 3.61 in each of the first three rounds of competition en route to wins over“ Disco Dean” Karns, 2025 / 26 Drag Illustrated Winter Series points champion Peter Norton, and Greg Blevins Jr. She then stepped it up even more in the semifinals, running a 3.598 at 206.80 mph to send home Jason Harris and his“ Party Time”’ 69 Camaro, who threw away his own 3.599 when he went-. 014 red.
After sharing a hug with Salemi in the top end following an incredible final round, Harvey made sure to also acknowledge two very special people in his life: his parents.
“ There’ s two people at home that I really want to thank, and that’ s my mom and my dad,” said Harvey.“ She’ s always praying for me, and Dad … I’ ve been racing for 30 years, and he’ s one of the reasons I’ m here right now.”
When asked what his plans are for the rest of the season with his newfound $ 125,000, Harvey can only laugh.
“ I don’ t get it. It goes back into this thing. It eats it up,” says Harvey regarding the money.“ I’ m just happy to get money to keep on going racing. That’ s the main thing. We got a hot rod and they better watch out all year, because this thing’ s bad. You’ re gonna see more of these [ trophies ].” DI
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT RICHARD |