Empire Dragway
PMRA and NEOPMA renew partnership at Empire Dragway
CAYUGA, ONTARIO – The Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, and the Pro Bike and Sled Series (
PBSS) are pleased to announce the confirmation of four race dates on the 2024 calendar.
The self-governing organizations of the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) and the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA) are excited to announce the renewal of their partnership for the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge events at Empire Dragway in Leicester, NY, for 2024.
The PMRA/NEOPMA, Quick 32 Sportsman Series and Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) will compete at the eighth-mile track on June 21-22, 2024 and August 16-17, 2024. The Quick 32 Sportsman Series and Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) are also scheduled for June 7-8, 2024 and September 13-14, 2024.
Canada’s Scott Wildgust Victorious at Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge III
LEICESTER, NY – In a side-by-side final round, Scott Wildgust nosed out Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) veteran Kevin 
McCurdy to pick up his first-ever NEOPMA win at the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge III Saturday night at Empire Dragway. Wildgust recorded a 3.705-second pass at 204.82 MPH in his screw-blown Smokie’s Garage ’67 Mustang to beat McCurdy’s 3.71 at 201.70 for a .006 margin of victory.
“That was probably one of the closest rounds I’ve been on the winning side of in a long time,” said Wildgust, who was making his NEOPMA debut at the series’ fifth race of its 30th anniversary season. “We both had killer lights. Just nipped him in the lights. It was tough to see at night when the win light came on. It was definitely a close race, that’s for sure.”
The Empire Dragway event was somewhat of a home race for Wildgust, who lives across the border in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Wildgust’s Mark Savage-tuned ’67 Mustang steadily improved through qualifying, ending up with a 3.7323 at 203.62 to edge out Mike “Hollywood” Decker III’s 3.7328 for the No. 4 spot.
Scott Wildgust and the Smokies Garage Race Team to compete at Empire Dragway’s Mid-Summer Mayhem
Large Pro Modified contingent from NEOPMA and PMRA return for round two of eighth-mile action August 5-6
CAYUGA, ON – The Pro Modified entry list continues to grow as this popular class of drag racing returns to Empire Dragway in Leicester NY 
August 5-6 for North East Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge III with cars from the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) and the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA).
Running in conjunction with the NEOPMA will be PMRA teams which have competed in the Southern Ontario-based series and are making a return.
Southwestern Ontario native Scott Wildgust will be competing in this weekend’s event in the Smokies Garage Race Team entry, the 1967 Mustang Pro Modified owned by Mike Clark. Wildgust, along with Melanie Salemi of Buffalo, NY, and Spencer Hyde of Stratford, ON are former Top Dragster and Top Sportsman drivers who now compete in Pro Modified. Salemi and Hyde competed in the PMRA-associated Quick 32 Sportsman Series and Wildgust was a regular competitor in the PMRA.
Wildgust and his team have attacked the PDRA ranks with gusto, currently sitting eighth. The team also won the NMCA season opener in Bradenton, Florida, and qualified fifth at the Snowbirds event last December.
Empire Dragway’s Mid-Summer Mayhem to feature North East Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge III
Cars from NOPMA and PMRA return for round two of eighth-mile action August 5-6
CAYUGA, ON – Pro Modified racing returns to Empire Dragway in Leicester NY August 5-6 for round two with cars from the Northeast 
Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) and the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA).
Running in conjunction with the NEOPMA will be PMRA teams which have competed in the Southern Ontario-based series and are making a return.
Two prominent drivers who competed in the PMRA-sanctioned Quick 32 Sportsman Series are Melanie Salemi and Spencer Hyde.
Based in Buffalo, NY, Salemi drives the Eddie Whelan-owned, Jim and Jon Salemi-prepared Camaro with Melanie Salemi Motorsports.
A former Top Dragster driver, Salemi has become a prominent Pro Modified driver. Melanie currently sits as the PDRA Pro Boost record holder 3.568, 207 mph which she clinched at GALOT Motorsports Park earlier this season. She has held the Pro Boost record three separate times in her career. Not only was Melanie the first female to win in Pro Boost at Rockingham Dragway in 2015 but she comes into this race as the champion of the PDRA Summer Shootout at Virginia Motorsports park earlier this month and has also recorded notable wins at the last 1/4 mile Shakedown at The Summit In 2018 and at the 50th anniversary of the infamous Snowbird Outlaws race for $50,000.00 which was contested this past winter.
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.
