Texas Pro Mods: Best of the Rest

By Danny and Gena White

Kenny Barnes' second Cutlass, an ex Pro Stocker built by Jerry Haas.

Jimmy Dickey's "God Is Awesome" Beretta bought from Carl Beal. Dickey is a T/S regular, but has run with the TOPMA on occasion.

Kenny Duke raced a few events in the TQ8A with this Camaro bought from Mary Neely. Duke ran a 4.89, 142 with this car. He now races with the Outlaw Top Sportsmen.

Louisiana based Earl Folse is now one of the best Top Sportsman racers in the country. He used to race with the TQ8A, running a 4.50 best.

Jimmy Freeman bought the "Must be Magic" Chevelle from Gaylen Smith. Freeman put a blown Rodeck in the car and ran a 4.34, 155.

"The Assassin" of David Gonzales did not race too much, but he did run a 4.71, 155 in the short Corvette. David Hugo is in the Lumina; he ran 4.45, 159 in the car.

Hugo's partner Conrad Ignasiak is in the Beretta . The ex Ash & Worden car has quickened the track with a 4.35 at 166. The "Trouble" of Junior Ibbert is in the far lane. This car has been driven by A.J. Rickrow to a 4.80, by Butch Lake to 4.50 at 156, and by Ronnie Rucker to low fives.

Landon Jordan was the toughest Texas Pro Mod with the Mauney built "The Kid" Corvette. This car ran 4.19 when hardly anybody else could in Texas.

Pontiac dealer Greg Lair was not a Pro Mod regular, but raced with the Pro Mods when not racing Top Sportsman.

Like Earl Folse, Robbie Murphy hailed from Lousiana and raced a rare Cutlass Ciera. The "Murphy's Law" ran 4.42 at 157.

Gaylen Smith raced the "Must Be Magic" for a year after it was sold by U.S. Customs. Smith ran 4.40 with the car before selling it to Jimmy Freeman.

Gaylen then bought the "Wild Child Dry" and became the "Texas Bounty Hunter."

Tony Thorn built this killer Pro Street Nova after wrecking his Camaro. He raced with the Pro Mods when the field was short.

The "Black Bat" Camaro was owned by Phillip Vallair. Phillip was very consistent with this auto trans car, running a 4.64, 152 best.

The one of a kind Pinto of Mark Walker stood out in a crowd. Walker ran 4.40 at 150 with the blown Rodeck powered Ford.

Charles Wooten has become a great tuner of Pro Mods. He is pictured next to the Corky Daily Beretta that ran 4.70 at 145 with one carb and a powerglide.

Don Wooten bought this car from Patterson and Pesz. The car was built to run Pro Street, but Don has taken the '52 Chevy to 4.40s as a Pro Mod.

Frankie Taylor ran 4.19 and set many track records in this '38 Chevy. Seth Devlin bought Darryl Warren's Cutlass Pro Stocker and ran 4.84, 144 in the car. Chassis builder Kim Smith went him one better, running 4.56 at 152 in the legal IHRA Pro Stocker.

Danny and Gena White