NHRA President Tom Compton, right, and Roger Burgess of ProCare Rx and Get Screened America announced the new series in Las Vegas. Photo by Roger Richards

What began as an exhibition in 2001 has become a full-fledged series for 2010, it was announced today by NHRA. Made possible by funding from ProCare Rx and its current Get Screened America initiative, the 2010 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will compete at 10 NHRA Full Throttle Series events and be televised on a tape-delay basis on ESPN2.

“We have been conducting Pro Mod exhibitions for quite some time,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “Clearly, they bring entertainment value to our fans, and we believe now is the time to highlight this popular form of drag racing. Now, competitors can race for the coveted Wally trophy and an NHRA world championship title.”

The formation of the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series wouldn’t have been possible without the financial commitment of ProCare Rx and Get Screened America. A multiyear commitment by the group to fund the series made the series possible.

“I want to thank NHRA for working with us and especially Tom Compton for making the bold decision to add a new series that has been talked about for many years,” said Roger Burgess. “I look forward to working with NHRA to grow the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series into a fan favorite for many years to come.”

An integral part of the series will be 10 half-hour broadcasts on ESPN2 on a tape-delay basis. The half-hour shows will air around current NHRA programming on the worldwide leader in sports and will feature competition from the 10 series events. Talent for the shows will be announced at a later date.

With body styles ranging from ’41 Willys to '53 Corvettes, ’57 Chevys to ’70 'Cudas, and first-generation Camaros and Firebirds to profiles as racy as the latest Dodge Viper along with show-quality themed paint jobs, Pro Mods have been crowd-pleasers at NHRA events for several years as an exhibition. With huge slicks at the rear and superchargers poking through the hoods, there’s no doubt that these cars are a whole lot more than souped-up classics.

The inaugural NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will kick off in Gainesville. The schedule includes stops at some of the biggest events on the circuit, including Houston, Madison, Atlanta, Englishtown, Bristol, and Norwalk. In the second half of the season, the 240-mph machines will race at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the second Charlotte event and conclude their series at the second Las Vegas event in October.
 
The series will conform to the NHRA Rulebook, and competitors will race to the quarter-mile. Each event will feature 16-car fields, in which, thanks to the Get Screened America sponsorship, racers will compete for world championship points and an overall purse, including event purses and year-end bonus monies, of $470,000.

In addition to the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA national events feature the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the premier series of the sport, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, featuring Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.