The Year in Outlaw Pro Mods (so far)

By Danny White

2006 has been a banner year for Outlaw eighth-mile Pro Mod racing in the United States. Three-second runs are now commonplace when it was just a few years back that Joey Moore ran the first three. I believe that there were progressive three-second times before Moore, but like others, I go with the first true three on an eighth mile track.

In 2006, there have been nineteen separate racers bust the giant four-second barrier out of 200 plus outlaw Pro Mods across the country. There have been well over 200 separate Outlaw Pro Mods so far this year in the United States alone according to Draglist files. And there are more racers we have not added to the lists yet or have yet to race. There were 70 Pro Mods cars alone at the ADRL Valdosta opener alone! There are many Pro Mod organizations these days like the ADRL, TOPMA, COTTS, Q8RA, DPSA, Q8QA, APMA, UDRA, WCPMA, and many other groups known by acronyms. I expect the number of racers to grow to over 300 strong.

In 2006, there have been many barriers broken like the first nitrous three, the first three on grooved slicks, the first three eighty run in a race, and the first 190 MPH pass. Jason Scruggs from Mississippi has been in a league of his own this year. Scruggs was the first to run a three with a small block Pro Mod. The father and son team built a Hemi powered car this year because they felt the potential had been tapped out with the small block car. In 2005, the car was tested and knocked the wall at Bradenton after severe tire shake. On that run, the new car ran a 3.89 pass according to reports.

In 2006 at the opening ADRL race, Scruggs ran another 3.89. The run of the year in Outlaw Pro Mod and drag racing this year in my opinion happened last week at Memphis. Scruggs ran an amazing 3.839 at 197.42 in less than great conditions. The run is .079 quicker than the next quickest racer, who is Bil Clanton in the Big Money Stude. Clanton has run a 3.918 at 189.37 to trail Scruggs in the timing department. Scruggs’ 197.42 run is even more amazing, as no one has come close to that time. The closest I have found is Quain Stott at 188 MPH in testing.

Another eighth mile milestone was Shannon Jenkins’ first three-second nitrous pass at Valdosta. Jenkins had run 4.00 flat with a zero in 2005 along with Dale Brinsfield in Jerry Williams’ Probe. Brinsfield had run his at a Q8RA race early last year. Jenkins unloaded his 3.92 at 186 run against Ken Thomas in the first round. Todd Tutterow ran the first three on grooved street legal slicks at Valdosta. Tutterow’s small block Mustang ran an amazing 3.955 at 187.51!

Other amazing runs were Annette Summers testing at the House of Hook, Carolina Dragway. Summers was testing her turbocharged ‘57 Chevy Pro Mod and ran a 4.15, which equaled Todd Tutterow’s time from 2005 from his now–defunct turbo Willys project. Ronnie Davis has been the quickest of the automatic Pro Mods racing this year with a 4.330 at 168.69. I know there have been some test runs faster than this, but I have been unable to confirm them. The 4.33 run is still far away from the 4.17 of Chad Hedgecock from 2005.

The fastest of the unblown small blocks in eighth mile racing is Sandy Wilkens, who races in the Piedmont Dragway Big Dog series with his small bock Cavalier. (At least I think it is still a small block). At any rate, Wilkens has cranked out an amazing 4.38 clocking! I could go on forever with various combos, but this is a good overview of Outlaw times of 2006 (so far).

Danny White