NHRA News: Billes earns top billing in Bristol with Pro Mod win (5/4/2004)

Billes earns top billing in Bristol with Pro Mod win

5/4/2004

In an all Chevrolet Corvette final, Canadian Al Billes ran an impressive 6.243 second pass at 226.24 mph to win his second NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge title of 2004. Billes beat Radiac Abrasives driver Mitch Stott in the trophy round, handing Stott his second straight runner-up finish at Bristol Dragway.

En route to his second final round of the year, Billes, from Barrie, Ont., defeated Ed Hoover's '63 Corvette and Fred Hahn, the No. 1 qualifier and driver of the Jim Oddy-owned '01 Corvette.

"We all have our ups and downs," Billes said. "It's great when things are going your way. The car is working well and our team is performing great. Our car works great and Tim McAmis builds a heck of a consistent car. The car has been the key to our success."

Stott, from Mill Spring, N.C., turned back Thomas Patterson in a '41 Willys and Von Smith the driver of the Tommy Lipar Racing '04 Ford Mustang to earn a shot at the title.

Monday's starting field was made up of three drivers – Hahn, Patterson, and Mike Castellana – who qualified for their first event of 2004, one driver, Scotty Cannon, who has now qualified for two of the three events contested and four drivers – Stott, Ed Hoover, Billes, and Smith – who have qualified for every event.

Seven of the eight starting cars utilized supercharged engines. The lone nitrous-assisted powered car belonged to Castellana, who qualified No. 8. But the Westbury, N.Y., driver was shut-off at the starting line with an oil leak leaving only supercharged Pro Mods to contend for the title.

Hahn in the Summit Racing Corvette took top honors for quickest elapsed time and fastest speed of the event with a 6.201 at 228.65 mph.

The next event for the NHRA AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge is the NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., May 20-23, 2004.

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