The Pro Modified Racing Association Countdown to the 2013 Championship – Derek Hawker – Fourth Place

CAYUGA, ON – Driving a new car for most of the 2013 Pro Modified Racing Association Series, Derek Hawker placed fourth in the Championship Point Award Series for the season.

Hawker, of Corbyville, Ontario competed in all of the PMRA points races of the year, using his 1963 Corvette and then a new 1968 Firebird-bodied Pro Modified after a crash during the season.

Derek Hawker3He qualified fifth with his Corvette at the season opener in Martin, Michigan, and was eliminated in the semi-final. He did not participate in eliminations during the second race after crashing his Corvette at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park, but with his new Firebird ready to go for the next event, qualified third and was taken out in the first round.

Hawker’s luck improved during the Canadian Nitro Nationals at Cayuga, qualifying second and making laps until the final round where he lost to winner Rocky Di Lecce of Mississauga, Ontario.

For the next race, held at the Grand Bend Motorplex, Hawker qualified seventh but could not make the elimination rounds, but for the next and last race, also at Grand Bend, he qualified fifth and went to the final round once again, only to lose to Paolo Giust of Osgoode, Ontario.

Derek Hawker2The Firebird body sits on a Vanishing Point Race Cars chassis and is powered with a supercharged Alan Johnson 481-cubic inch engine with a Lenco three-speed transmission. The fuel system is from Atchison Machine and a PSI screw supercharger sits atop the engine, and so far the car is capable of low six-second passes at 235 mph.

Sponsored by Hawker Construction, Pennzoil and Empey Tire, crew chief for the team is Scott Sager, with Corrie Hawker, McKenzie Hawker, Brittany Hawker and Eli Mayhew making up the rest of the crew.

The Annual “Night of Champions” Championship Point Award Series Banquet for the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), the Quick 32 Sportsman Series and the Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) will be held at the Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre in Burlington, Ontario on Saturday, November 16, 2013.

The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, www.Quick32.ca and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, www.PBSS.ca travel and compete together throughout the racing season, offering an exciting and diverse package of drag racing action.

For more information contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher at Bruce@PMRA.ca

Photo Credit: Dave Erauw Photography ~ www.erauw-photo.com and Brennan Shortall ~ www.DragRaceCanada.com