because you want to SEE it

Melanie Salemi Racing

Click, Click, Boom! Melanie Salemi Motorsports Secures Steady Eddie’s as major sponsor for 2023

Buffalo, NY – Melanie Salemi and her Buffalo, NY based Pro Modified team have sealed the deal with ‘Steady Eddie’s Gun Shop and Emporium’. Steady Eddie’s based in the small-town Los Ybanez, Texas and owned by Edwardo Decapitono. Decapitono states, “Teaming up with the Salemi’s for 2023 really was a no brainer. We are looking to expand into new markets and with Melanie and her team we can accomplish just that. We want to be able to promote our vast inventory ranging from Water Pistols to Uzi’s. Steady Eddie’s also carry’s ammo, shooting range supplies, and the finest bandana face coverings in the world for that easy get away”.

Steady’s main goal in 2023 is promote their vast lines of apparel. First and foremost is the collection of leopard print gun holsters and secondly their multi pocket leather gun toting vests.

Team Boss, Jim Salemi seconds the apparel style and said, “In the off season I started my mission to expert marksmanship alongside Melanie who has been using sharp shooting techniques to work on her reaction times. It seems to be proving successful so far. Edwardo and his team at the emporium have me looking pretty sweet in their line of apparel, Yesterday I received my purple Leopard print pistol holster and a custom leather vest with purple name emblazonment. Much like our race team’s laser focus at the track and in my water pistol tournaments, it is key to success”.

Continue reading

Share

Melanie Salemi Holds on to Top Spot in Outlaw Pro Mod at Bradenton’s Snowbird Outlaw Nationals

BRADENTON, FL – Nobody could top Melanie Salemi’s 3.589-second blast in Outlaw Pro Mod Saturday night at the 51st annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Salemi’s 3.589 at 206.95 MPH from Friday held up through three Saturday qualifying sessions that saw just over 40 drivers attempt to make the 32-car field.

Salemi and her team had Eddie Whelan’s roots-blown Slice-and-Ice Camaro in the staging lanes for the fifth and final qualifying session, but when no one outqualified them, the team elected to sit out the run to be ready for Sunday eliminations.

“We’ve made nine test runs and four qualifiers already,” Salemi started, “so if we want to have things as fresh as they possible can be for tomorrow, we felt that if we were still No. 1 by the end of the night, we would sit it out. Unfortunately, that didn’t make for the greatest show for the fans, but I did go up there and throw out some t-shirts for the kids. Hopefully that pays off. Tomorrow morning, we’ll get up and everything is serviced already, so we’ll be ready for round one.”

Continue reading

Share

Melanie Salemi Leads Pro Mod Friday Qualifying at Snowbird Outlaw Nationals

BRADENTON, FL – After two rounds of Outlaw Pro Mod qualifying at the 51st annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, Melanie Salemi is the provisional low qualifier with a 3.589-second pass at 206.95 MPH in the second session Friday night at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

Along with two rounds of Pro Mod qualifying, the complete Snowbirds lineup, from Pro 275 to Jr. Dragster classes, also received one round of qualifying to kick off the historic event.

Salemi rolled into the Snowbirds with one of the quickest cars in Pro Mod, Eddie Whelan’s roots-blown Slice-and-Ice ’19 Camaro. Throughout the 2022 season, she reached the final round at multiple independent Pro Mod races, won a PDRA Pro Boost race, and qualified No. 1 four times in Pro Boost competition. Even with a weight penalty for her combination, Salemi and her family-based team, led by husband Jon and brother-in-law Jim, managed to take the top spot.

Continue reading

Share

PDRA Norwalk Didn’t Dissapoint

Norwalk,  OH – Melanie Salemi and her Buffalo, NY based Pro Modified drag racing team, gained more ground in the PDRA Racing championship points standings this Memorial Day Weekend. Stop number 3 on the PDRA schedule was Melanie Salemi Motorsport’s ‘hometown’ race in Norwalk, Ohio just outside of Cleveland.

She took to the track in the fashion that she and her team have for most runs during the beginning of the 2022 season. Setting the pace for testing and qualifying and taking the pole on Saturday morning after a rain delayed session. Melanie posted a stellar 3.61 second run at 205 mph down the fabled Summit Motorsports Park strip. Salemi stated, “Let’s face it. We race at some really great race tracks all year long but Summit Motorsports Park is near and dear and very special to me. To capture the number one qualifying position and set ourselves up for race day was nothing more than spectacular!”

Salemi chopped her way through the tough 16 car field setting low elapsed time of each of the first three rounds. That set her up against Johnny Camp for the final round.  As the tree dropped Camp gained a slight advantage and kept it for the length of the 660-foot dragstrip, taking the win.

Continue reading

Share

Melanie Salemi Motorsports to debut new marketing Partner at PDRA Season Opener

Leicester, NY – Melanie Salemi Motorsports, based in Buffalo, New York, will carry the livery of an all-new marketing partner to open the 2022 race season at GALOT Motorsports Park, April 7th-9th.

‘SLICE and ICE’, an Italian food trailer phenom based in Brooklyn, New York will occupy the prime real estate of the doors on the side of Eddie Whelan’s, G-Force Race cars built, Mike Stawicki Powered 2019 Pro Mod Camaro. Slice and Ice owner, Capacole Joel stated, “I’ve had my eyes on this team for some time and love the outlaw 1/8 Mile Pro Mod racing so for me, this was a no brainer.” Also, Joel said he wanted to “keep it in the family.” Pizza has been a family staple for the Salemi boys. Their Father had owned and operated numerous pizza joints throughout Buffalo and that was a major inspiration to Joel. He even uses the “Salemi’s Pizza and Subs” famous red sauce for his pizzas. “Being mobile, allows me to park my trailer and serve pizza wherever I want. The dragstrip seems like a perfect place. Fast paced, hungry crews and who passes up Italian ice on a warm day? Mangia!”

Salemi, who will start her 8th season behind the wheel of a pro mod said, “This partnership is like having your cake and eating it too, I won’t have to slave over the Blackstone after we are finished racing for the day and my guys love pizza almost as much as they love drag racing. Sì, perfetto!!”

Continue reading

Share

Melanie Salemi Scores $50,000 Pro Mod Win at 50th Annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park

BRADENTON, FL – A field of 50 Pro Mod drivers entered qualifying on Friday at the 50th annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, and after five rounds of eliminations on Sunday, Melanie Salemi was left standing as the $50,000 winner of the Bradenton Motorsports Park event. In the final round, Salemi recorded a 3.65-second pass at 206.83 mph to defeat Ken Quartuccio and his 3.692 at 198.12.

The other winners of the Snowbird Nationals were Daryl Stewart in Voss Wheelie Bars Pro Outlaw 632 presented by $hameless Racing, Manny Buginga in Pro 275 presented by FuelTech, Paul Gargus in Limited Drag Radial presented by Mickey Thompson Tires, DJ McCain in X275 presented by Precision Shaft Technologies, Jason Spina in Ultra Street presented by TRZ Motorsports, Charlie Farrar in 4.60 Bike, Tom Orr in 5.50 Index, J.T. Sheaffer in 6.50 Index, Austin Logan in 7.50 Index, James Cavanaugh in 7.90 Index Jr. Dragster, Cameron Rich in 8.90 Index Jr. Dragster, and Zandir Cook in 11.90 Index Jr. Dragster.

“This just solidifies the fact that our hard work pays off and we are still really good at what we do, regardless of what our season may have looked like to some people,” Salemi said. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs this season, and it’s always awesome to finish off on a high note like this.”

Continue reading

Share

Salemi, Oh So Close for Hometown Crowd

Leicester, NY – For the Melanie Salemi Motorsports team, racing close to their Buffalo NY shop is not something that happens very often, or wasn’t at all until 2019. The improvements and upgrades Empire Dragway has completed granted them a shot at a legit Pro Modified race for the 2021 season.

The Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association booked their 4th stop of the year at Empire Dragway and it was a pleasant success from the car count to fans in attendance. With over 20 Pro Mod entries and packed-out grandstands under perfectly blue skies, Melanie Salemi and her G-Force Race Cars Built, MSR Performance powered 68 Firebird snatched the second rung on the qualifying sheet with a 3.69 @ 202 mph blast down the famed 1/8 Mile. Jim Salemi, Owner of G-Force Race Cars said, “It was cool to be back at Empire in this setting. Mike Stawicki and I raced at all the IHRA Pro Mod races here through the late 1990’s and early 2000’s and to see it packed like it was today with appreciative fans and awesome performances was a sign that our sport we love so much is doing just fine!”

Salemi ripped through the field on Saturday by defeating Jack Grainy, Matt Dietsch and Derek Ward before losing a great race to Tommy Gray in the final round. Both Gray and Salemi ran 3.66 second runs in the semifinal with Gray getting lane choice by .003.  This set up a Classic Pro Mod Final. Corvette Vs Firebird, Screw Blower Vs Roots Blower, Male Vs. Female. This was almost a dead heat to the stripe with every incremental almost identical, but it was Gray taking the win light by .006 of a second.

Continue reading

Share

Melanie Salemi to Return to Mid-West Drag Racing Series Pro Modefied action this weekend

Martin, MI – Pro Mod and RVW standout Melanie Salemi and her Buffalo, NY based team will venture a little off of their common path and head to US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan this weekend. Salemi will campaign her “Purple Reign” 68 Firebird Pro Mod and compete for the $10,000 winning prize. “We haven’t raced at US 131 in about four years so we are really looking forward getting back on the track there. It’s a beautiful facility and the weather looks great for the weekend. We look forward to running against some different  but yet stout competition, which always makes it exciting”, stated Melanie.

“Although most of the Mid-West Series races are far travels from Buffalo, NY,  Martin, Michigan is only about 8 hours.” Jon Salemi said, “It’s a great area of the country, pretty close to home for us and new potential cliental for all of our business’. At the end of the day we run our car to promote, Resolution Racing Services, G-Force Race Cars and MSR Performance Racing Engines as well as our dedicated marketing partnered companies. It’s a great way to reach out and race in a familiar but not often traveled to area.”

The event kicks off on Thursday with testing for all classes followed by qualifying Friday evening with eliminations on Saturday.

Continue reading

Share

No Rest for Melanie Salemi Motorsports 

Female Pro Mod standout Melanie Salemi and her Buffalo, New York based team plan to set the stage once again as Salemi will debut the Eddie Whelan owned, screw blown Radial Vs. The World 2019 Camaro at the World Street Nationals in Orlando, Florida November 7-12, 2019.

Salemi will become the first female to aggressively campaign in the wildest class in Doorslammer racing. She states, “I’m extremely excited for the awesome opportunity for my team brought forth by Eddie Whelan. We owe all of this effort to him and his Al-Lee Installations team. He continuously provides us the opportunity to have the best of the best. I don’t doubt that in due time this car is going to be at the top of the class”.

The Al-Lee Installations state of the art 2019 Camaro was built and assembled by Melanie’s Brother in law Jim Salemi of G-Force Race Cars. Power for the new ride will be brand new C rotor screw blown Hemi from Mike Stawicki, owner of MSR Performance Racing Engines. The engine will be backed by a five speed transmission from Liberty’s Gears coupled to a QuickDrive Lock up drive unit managed by a Neal Chance billet torque converter. The car will also feature the brand new V2 Masterspline billet 11 inch rear end housing dressed in Strange Engineering brakes and hubs.

Continue reading

Share

THIS WEEKEND! EMPIRE DRAGWAY! MID SUMMER MAYHEM!

Leicester, NY – The Mid Summer Mayhem race kicks off tomorrow with Pro Modified testing followed by all qualifying and elimination rounds on Saturday. If you are anywhere close to Western New York this weekend, make sure that a stop at Empire Dragway is on your agenda. Some of the hottest Pro Mod cars in the country will be facing off for a $5000 prize along with Nostalgia Nitro Burning Funny Cars and Outlaw Dragsters. It will be a fun filled couple of days for everyone.

“After the last Pro Mod Mania event got rained out, we collectively came up with a new date for the Pro Mod’s to race at Empire and with the Funny Cars and Dragsters being already scheduled we figured it was a perfect fit. The stands will be full and friends and family will enjoy seeing a variety of cars.” Explained Melanie.

Before testing begins on Friday, be sure to tune into Buffalo’s FM 103.3 The Edge. Melanie Salemi and Mike Janis will be on air with Shred & Regan at 9:20am to talk about this weekend’s race and all things PRO MOD! It should be a great segment.

Share
  • MBE Button 290x
Team/Series News
Follow Us On Facebook
Facebook Pagelike Widget