STEVIE JACKSON GETS BACK IN FUELTECH NHRA PRO MOD WIN COLUMN AT CHARLOTTE RACE POWERED BY PEE DEE FLEET

CONCORD, NC – Two-time world champion Stevie “Fast” Jackson picked up his first win in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon since early in the 2021 season, driving to an impressive victory on Sunday at zMAX Dragway as part of the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

The event, which was powered by Pee Dee Fleet, was the eighth of 10 races during the 2022 FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon season. Jackson came to life at the perfect time, beating Topeka winner Justin Bond in the final round with his pass of 5.715-seconds at 254.62 mph in his screwblower-powered Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro.

That was Jackson’s quickest run of the weekend, giving the talented driver his 12th career victory and first since the four-wide race at Charlotte early in the 2021 campaign. To reach the finals, Jackson, who qualified fifth, knocked off Khalid AlBalooshi, Indy winner Lyle Barnett and defending world champion Jose Gonzalez, posting back-to-back reaction times of .016 and .017 to reach the championship round.

He led wire-to-wire against Bond, getting a crucial win that also pulled him to within 125 points of leader Kris Thorne with two races remaining this season.

“I didn’t know if we still knew how to win. The NHRA Pro Mod class has the absolute best competitors in the world, and this is the top of the heap,” Jackson said. “You get your teeth kicked in by these guys for a year and a half and you’re not sure if you’ll win another one. I feel like I drove pretty well, and we got a tremendous outpouring of support from the fans, and to get this win, it means a lot and we’re about to celebrate. This was an awesome event and we’re going to keep swinging at it.”

Bond advanced to the finals for the second time this season and seventh time in his career by defeating Jerico Balduf, Brandon Snider, and Virginia winner Tylor Miller. Thorne’s points lead also dwindled to just 46 over multi-time world champ Rickie Smith heading into the final two events.

The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon returns to action as part of the NHRA Midwest Nationals, which takes place Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

– Final finish order (1-16) at the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the eighth of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon.

PRO MODIFIED:

1. Steve Jackson; 2. Justin Bond; 3. Jose Gonzalez; 4. Tylor Miller; 5. Lyle Barnett; 6. Rickie Smith; 7. Brandon Snider; 8. Mike Castellana; 9. Stan Shelton; 10. Jerico Balduf; 11. Khalid alBalooshi; 12. Mike Thielen; 13. Doug Winters; 14. Kris Thorne; 15. JR Gray.

– Sunday’s final results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the eighth of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon.

Pro Modified — Steve Jackson, Chevy Camaro, 5.715, 254.62 def. Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.745, 249.90.

– Final round-by-round results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the eighth of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE — Rickie Smith, Ford Mustang, 5.736, 251.39 def. Doug Winters, Chevy Chevelle, 5.813, 247.43; Steve Jackson, Chevy Camaro, 5.746, 253.28 def. Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.786, 247.47; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.745, 248.84 def. JR Gray, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Brandon Snider, Camaro, 5.731, 254.23 def. Stan Shelton, Mustang, 5.751, 252.47; Jose Gonzalez, Camaro, 5.709, 251.34 was unopposed; Lyle Barnett, Camaro, 5.748, 255.39 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.752, 250.09 def. Jerico Balduf, Chevelle, 5.758, 240.59; Tylor Miller, Camaro, 5.721, 253.37 def. Mike Thielen, Camaro, 5.797, 244.38;

QUARTERFINALS — Jackson, 5.747, 253.66 def. Barnett, 5.761, 255.00; Miller, 5.759, 252.99 def. Castellana, Broke; Bond, 5.763, 248.75 def. Snider, 7.734, 123.18; Gonzalez, 5.739, 250.46 def. Smith, 6.056, 180.86;

SEMIFINALS — Bond, 5.767, 248.29 def. Miller, 12.265, 57.77; Jackson, 5.735, 253.85 def. Gonzalez, Foul – Red Light;

FINAL — Jackson, 5.715, 254.62 def. Bond, 5.745, 249.90.

– Point standings (top 10) following the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the eighth of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon.

Pro Modified

1. Kris Thorne, 664; 2. Rickie Smith, 618; 3. Steve Jackson, 539; 4. Jose Gonzalez, 463; 5. Justin Bond, 455; 6. Lyle Barnett, 432; 7. JR Gray, 361; 8. Doug Winters, 326; 9. (tie) Mike Castellana, 307; Mike Thielen, 307.