Melanie Salemi Racing
Melanie Salemi Looking Forward to Hometown Event this Weekend!
Melanie Salemi’s 68 Firebird Pro Mod will make a rare appearance in the Western New York area this weekend at 
Empire Dragway in Leicester, New York July 5th-6th. Salemi, who is fresh off her runner-up performance at the PDRA Summer Nationals in Valdosta, Georgia, will be joined by an impressive bunch of other national and regional based Pro Mod’s to do battle on the famed Empire Dragway track.
She stated, “I haven’t raced at Empire since the 2014 season when I competed in my Top Dragster so I’m excited to get back and race locally for all of our family, friends and fans. Owner Jerry Scaccia and track manager Patrick Budd have been working hard on all of the great improvements at the facility and each year it gets better and better. There is nothing that builds our sport more than having a quality facility and they are on point with that. It’s also very special to be able to compete at a track that Jim Salemi and Mike Stawicki competed at on a weekly basis back some 30 years ago to build the foundation for Jon and I to carry on the tradition and love for this sport”.
Melanie Salemi Storms Through PDRA World Finals
Melanie Salemi had a couple of objectives to focus on as her team rolled through the gates of Virginia Motorsports 
Park for the final race of the PDRA season. First and foremost was to continue the strong performances that her G-Force Race Cars built 68 Firebird has been known for. Secondly was to capitalize on the great atmospheric conditions that this event continually produces year after year. That was taken care of as she staged her Resolution Racing Services tuned ‘Purple Reign’ Pro Boost entry and ripped right from A to B on its first test run with a staggering 3.64 at 205 mph run. That set the stage for what was going to be an epic race for the team based in Buffalo, New York. Melanie would also produce another 3.64 but this time at 206 mph to close out Thursday testing.
As qualifying run number 1 approached, Salemi would have her one slip up at this event. Husband and tuner Jon Salemi stated, “I just missed the tune up on Q1. The car was too slow early and it set the car to the right and when the lock up came in it forced the car into a huge power wheelie and was close to the wall so Melanie was forced to lift subsequently, giving up the top spot in qualifying. As conditions through qualifying changed the MSM team made low ET runs for each session of the race in every round.
Salemi’s 3.66 at 206 ended up #2 on the sheet and then she systematically removed each opponent with an onslaught of runs between 3.66 and 3.62 all between 204 to 206 mph. In round 2 Melanie blasted to a national Pro Boost record of 3.624 @ 206.20 mph. She then went on to win the event which couldn’t have been a better way to close out the 2018 PDRA season.
Salemi & Team Victorious at The Shakedown at The Summit
The Shakedown at the Summit has been one of Melanie Salemi’s favorite races ever since she made her first ¼ mile 
pro mod blast down Summit Motorsports Park’s surface in 2015. Although she had made many ¼ mile runs in her dragster over the years, being in her pro mod was a new learning experience. Going 5.88 at 239 on her first full lap was something she had only dreamed of.
Fast forward to 2016 when Melanie saw herself in the final of the first $40k Shakedown at the Summit. Her and her team were quite confident they had what it was going to take, to take the win as Melanie had made consistent 5.80 passes throughout eliminations. That was quickly halted as Kevin Fiscus motored on down the track for the win in the final as Melanie struggled to get off the starting line. Ever since that day Melanie and her team has been determined to go back to the shakedown to redeem themselves.
2017 Melanie qualified #1 with a 5.71 @ 250 and saw herself out in the semi final after a red light start.
In drag racing we always say there are so many ways to loose, and only one way to win. With a little luck on Salemi’s side this weekend her team was able to conquer their goal of finally winning the Shakedown at the Summit.
Salemi to Compete at Upcoming PDRA Firecracker Nationals
After a short time away from the driver’s seat, Melanie Salemi will be back behind the wheel this weekend, for the 
Firecracker Nationals in Virginia, the next stop on the PDRA 2018 tour.
Salemi and her team are planning on attending the Firecracker Nationals and then will re-evaluate what will happen from there. A lot of time and effort has gone into working on their NHRA program, so they are not going to be totally shelving it, but right now, getting the car back out there and going back to a familiar combination should help the team stay afloat.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the Pro Boost class again, I have enjoyed the few NHRA races we attended, but like one of my fans recently reminded me, PDRA is my home. We wanted to be able to run both NHRA and a few of the PDRA races but as things became a reality there just wasn’t enough funding to do that. With that being said, our businesses needed tending to and that’s what we have all been focusing on the last few weeks. ”Stated Salemi.
Retuning to PDRA competition in the Moroso Pro Boost class is something that Melanie and her team are excited about. “I’ve missed driving my car in “outlaw trim”” explained Salemi. “The quarter mile will always be my favorite but driving the car with the 5 Speed Liberty, the Neal Chance lockup torque converter and Quickdrive has always been really fun. It’s like a whole different car between the 2 different set ups.”
NEW ERA CAP TEAMS UP WITH PRO MOD DRAG RACER MELANIE SALEMI FOR NEW PARTNERSHIP
Pro Mod Drag Racing Team Gets New Look In Headwear
Buffalo, NY – New Era Cap, who currently partners with NASCAR and INDYCAR in the motorsports world, has 
expanded to the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) as the official headwear of Melanie Salemi Motorsports (MSM) in the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
New Era will provide headwear to the MSM team for all 12 races in the 2018 season. Melanie Salemi, who drives the “Purple Reign” Firebird, brings over 20 years of racing experience to the Pro Mod line-up. Most recently, she completed a three-year stint in the PDRA Pro Boost where she placed third in points for 2016 and 2017 and earned a Spring National Championship last year.
Salemi has been the only female to compete in NHRA Promod since 2012. Fans can purchase all driver headwear and MSM team product through www.neweracap.com starting in February.
Salemi Ready to Redeem Herself at This Weekend’s Shakedown at the Summit.
Fresh off a final round finish at last weekend’s PDRA Drag Wars at GALOT Motorsports Park, Melanie Salemi is 
ready to race her “Purple Reign” 68 Firebird in quarter mile trim for the upcoming Shakedown at The Summit this weekend. “My team has worked around the clock to be able to make it possible to compete in both eighth and quarter mile trim this month, I have to give all the praise to them especially Mike Stawicki and Jim and Jon Salemi, they go above and beyond to do whatever it takes and that just makes my job that much easier in the car.
This will mark 3 races in a row for us so while tending to business and the race car, it has made for quite a few late nights in the shop.” Explained Melanie.
Melanie Salemi Motorsports welcomes Strange Engineering as a Marketing Partner for 2017Melanie Salemi
Motorsports is happy to announce a marketing partnership with Strange Engineering for the 2017 race season. Strange Engineering, a leading manufacturer of high performance driveline parts is based in Morton Grove, Illinois and has served the racing industry since 1964. Salemi states, “This is a great opportunity to represent a great company.
Both of our family businesses, G-Force Race Cars and Resolution Racing Services have proudly track tested and sold the Strange Engineering Product for close to 30 years. My team and I are excited to have the Strange logo on the side of “Purple Reign” in our quest for the 2017 PDRA Pro Boost championship”
Melanie Salemi finishes strong in 2016 PDRA Pro Boost Championship Points Chase
The Melanie Salemi Motorsports Pro Modified team based in Buffalo New York recently competed in the final PDRA 
race of the season in Richmond Virginia. Salemi and her “Purple Reign” G-Force Race Cars built, 68 Firebird closed out the PDRA season in fine fashion with a semi final finish. She posted a new personal best performance record of 3.76 at 198 mph and most importantly took a 3rd place spot on the podium for the points championship in the extremely competitive Pro Boost class. Salemi exclaimed, “I’m beyond excited for my team to have accomplished these goals this season. It’s a testament to everyone’s tireless efforts, dedication and sacrifice.
When it comes to my guys, it’s always “whatever it takes” and like I’ve said before I believe we have the most versatile team out there. Everything is under one roof. From building the complete car, to building the engines and all of our between race maintenance it is all handled by G-Force Race Cars, MSR Performance, and Resolution Racing Services. My team knows what it takes to do well and I think that was proven this season. We should be able to keep our momentum going through the off season with testing and come out strong in the beginning of 2017″.
Salemi a Strong Competitor at Shakedown 14
Melanie Salemi and her Buffalo, NY based Melanie Salemi Motorsports Pro Mod team entered the 2016 Shakedown 
at the Summit last weekend with high expectations to take home the richest Pro Mod purse in the history of the class. Summit Motorsports Park Owner Bill Bader Jr. vowed to make the “Shakedown” a race that everyone would place on their schedules for years to come because simply “you just can’t afford not to be there.”
With all that being said after only 2 qualifying sessions Melanie Salemi ended up in the 4th slot with a 5.91 at 238 mph during the rain shortened stages of the race. As first round approached on Sunday morning the weather had turned for the better. The rain was gone and sun was shining so it was time to “Put up or Shut up” in true Shakedown lingo.
Melanie Salemi Motorsports to Race at Toronto Motorsports Park This Weekend
This weekend Melanie Salemi and her 1968 G-Force Race Cars Firebird will head back to her homeland to race for 
the first time with the NAPA Ultimate Showdowns group. Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario Canada will host the inaugural 1/8 mile race on the NAPA USDS 2016 Schedule.
“I’m looking forward to racing with the USDS group this weekend. I haven’t raced at Cayuga in a few years and it will be nice to be back there again.” Stated Melanie. “This will be the closest race for all of my friends & family to attend and that always makes for a good time at the track” Salemi and her team are hoping to have success at this race. “We have been doing a lot of 1/8 mile racing and we have a pretty good set up that we are confident with, We will just have to see how conditions are and go from there. “ Melanie’s brother-in-law Jim explained.
