Bruce Boland wins second
consecutive PMRA Pro Modified Championship
2008 PMRA Champion goes
out on high note, sells car and retires from racing
HAMILTON, ONTARIO (September 25, 2008) –
To celebrate his 2008 Pro Modified Racing Association championship, Bruce Boland
went out and bought himself a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
“I bought a new Harley yesterday,”
Boland said the day after he won the PMRA Championship, his second such title in
two years.
The driver of the B&B Racing 1963 Corvette has also
sold his car, less engine, and plans to be a part of the local Pro Modified
scene next year, but will not be racing on a regular basis.
“Right now I’m 90 percent certain I’m not going to be
racing,” commented the racer. “But I’m going to be around and observe. Let’s say
I’m semi-retired.”
Boland has been a member of the Pro Modified Racing
Association since its inception, and while he has not outright won many events,
he has almost always qualified and made rounds. For the six events of 2008, he
was declared co-winner of the race at New York International Raceway Park (with
Mike Stawicki), and for the other five events he was a
semi-finalist.
Boland held a slim lead in the points over Terry Brown of
Caledonia, Ontario in the latter stages of the season, and after last weekend’s
racing at Cayuga Dragway, finished 50 points ahead of Brown and his 1971
Challenger.
Boland’s strategy in 2008 was simple, and a repeat of his
2007 season: stay consistent, attend all the races, and don’t beat up on the
race car.
“Our game plan was the same for this year as last year,”
he said. “Sure, I wanted a couple of wins, but I tried to remain in the hunt the
whole season. You don’t go out there and try and kill yourself and your car
trying to be number one all the time.”
Boland also mentioned he would like to
see the PMRA points structure altered in terms of attendance. “I’d like to see
fewer points for attendance. I think it would work better that if you missed a
race you still had a chance. Right now if you miss one race it’s very difficult
to play catch-up.”
Boland was quick to mention that his success would not
have happened without the help of his team and several others.
“I want to thank my crew, Brad Short, Robbie Cesario, and
Mark and Effie Dochstader of Backwoods Excavating. I also want to thank my wife
Laura for her support.”
Boland also was appreciative of the help and support from
Carl Spiering, Terry Vince, and Rob Becker from the Engine Research and
Development (ERD) shops. “Carl helped immensely this year, with tune-ups, parts,
and advice.”
Placing third for 2008 behind Boland and
Brown was Joe Boniferro of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Jeff Roth of Kitchener,
Ontario was fourth.
“The PMRA has been a great series for racers like me,” he
continued. I want to thank Bruce (Mehlenbacher), his team and all the sponsors
of the series for their support.”
The PMRA is pleased to have Wix Filtration Products,
Valvoline, Uni-Select, and Moen Incorporated as sponsors of the 2008
Championship Point Award Series.
Bruce Boland will be honored at the upcoming PMRA
Champions Banquet on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at The Best Western Cairn Croft
Hotel in the Oak Room in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
About the Pro Modified Racing Association
(PMRA):
The Pro Modified Racing Association,
www.ProModifiedRacing.com
, was
organized late in 2004, started racing operations in 2005, and is entering its
fifth year of operation in 2009. The PMRA is a self-governing organization with
input from its teams, and adheres to the technical and safety rules as outlined
by the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and the National Hot Rod
Association (NHRA). The series has event venues in Ontario, Quebec, and New York
State.
Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding,
and the class is one of drag racing’s most exciting and colorful classes,
offering a diverse group of race cars with different types of 2,500-horsepower
supercharged, nitrous powered and turbocharged engines.
Combining classic body styles and modern equipment,
constructors are permitted, within established rules and parameters, to modify
and enhance the cars in both appearance and performance. The cars are fuelled by
gasoline or methanol, propelling them down the quarter-mile in low six-second
times at over 200 miles per hour. The PMRA provides drag race fans the
opportunity to see, hear, and experience the popular Pro Modifieds, known as
"the world's fastest door slammers".
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