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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.


She is hoping to better the current Empire Dragway Pro Modified eighth-mile record of 3.615 seconds established by the NOPMA’s Steve King in June of this year.

Spencer Hyde is also looking to establish himself at the IHRA-sanction facility with his Hyde Racing Camaro from Stratford, ON. Hyde is a former Quick 32 Top Sportsman driver who has been successful since getting behind the wheel of his Pro Modified. His accomplishments include the quickest Pro Modified run in Canada set at Napierville Dragway with a 3.67-second pass in the eighth mile in 2021, winning the NHRA National Open at Napierville Dragway as well as Fuel Tech Pro Modified Points Championship (2021), and qualifying seventh in the fastest Pro Modified field in history at 50th Annual Snowbird Nationals in Bradenton, Florida. Spencer was selected for Drag Illustrated 30 under 30 class of 2021.

Race organizers expect 18 Pro Modified to do battle at Empire Dragway, a class of drag racers which have been called “the world’s fastest doorslammers.”

Empire Dragway will also feature nostalgia nitro Funny Cars over the upcoming weekend, as well as passes by the popular Bone Shaker Jet semi-truck of Rick Kopp.

Pro Modified Teams competing include Bob Bauer, John Cerbone, Mike Decker Jr., Mike ” Hollywood” Decker III, Matt Deitsch, Jack Grainey, Matt Guenther, Tyler Hard, Spencer Hyde, Kevin McCurdy, Fifi Montround /Cody, Todd Moyer, Joe Newsham, Dave Norris, Louis Ouimette, Melanie Salemi, Dave Texido, Mike Thielen / Mike Janis, Derek Ward and Jason White.

Qualifying for the North East Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge III will be held Friday August 5 and Saturday August 6 with eliminations to follow.

Visit neopma.com for more information on the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association, facebook.com/promodifiedracing for information on the Pro Modified Racing Association and EmpireDragway.com for more information on Empire Dragway.

Written by: Tim Miller

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