Pro Modified Points Leader: Khalid Al Balooshi
By: NHRA
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 24, 2024) – The Road to the Championship in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ hits the finish line next weekend in Las Vegas and only one thing is certain: the championship picture is wide-open and loaded with contenders.
With 16 drivers still mathematically alive in the title chase, an epic finale is in store for the thrilling class as part of the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
It is the last of 10 events during the 2024 season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and the championship could come down to the final run of the season on Sunday in Las Vegas. Former world champion Khalid Al Balooshi is the current points leader, but there’s a host of contenders all within striking distance, especially with the points-and-a-half scenario in play in Vegas.
Round wins are worth 30 points and a there’s a maximum of 179 points available at the final race of the year. Justin Bond is just 12 points behind in second, with Jordan Lazic, who advanced to the semifinals in St. Louis, just 24 points out of first. Ken Quartuccio is only two points behind Lazic, with Mason Wright rounding out the top at just 35 points – or just more than one round – behind Al Balooshi.
Minus Al Balooshi, all four drivers are seeking their first NHRA Pro Mod world championship. Bond and Lazic have been remarkably consistent in the loaded category, while Quartuccio picked up a thrilling win at the world’s biggest drag race, the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy. Wright, meanwhile, picked up the victory in Epping and was also runner-up at the most recent Pro Mod event in St. Louis.
But they’re hardly the only contenders. Former world champion Kris Thorne (-38) and Kevin Rivenbark (-50) are both within two rounds of Al-Balooshi, with the likes of Billy Banaka, Dmitry Samorukov, and former champions Mike Castellana and Jose Gonzalez close behind. Castellana clinched the title last year in Vegas, picking up the event win in the process and he’s hoping for another spectacular finish in 2024.
Thorne has advanced to three final rounds, winning in Bristol, while Gonzalez won the season-opener in Gainesville and Rivenbark took the victory at the category’s first-ever appearance in Phoenix. To add even more drama to the mix, just getting into the field will be difficult, as 23 cars are on the entry list in Las Vegas.
From there, it should be a spectacular and intense finish among the contenders, with each driving willing to do whatever it takes to finish with a championship.
Featuring the world’s fastest doorslammer race cars, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ offers something unique and exciting for every drag racing fan. The class continues to grow in popularity and is highlighted by historic muscle cars and a variety of late-model American muscle cars, as well as a number of different power adders.
The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ will kick off with two qualifying rounds on Friday, Nov. 1 at 11 AM and 5:10 PM PT, with the final two qualifying rounds set for 10:45 AM and 5:10 PM on Saturday, Nov. 2. The first round of eliminations is slated for 8:40 AM PT on Sunday, Nov. 3.
To purchase tickets to the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, call 800-644-4444 or visit www.lvms.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admissions areas with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Points Standings
1 Khalid Al Balooshi 956
2 Justin Bond 944
3 Jordan Lazic 932
4 Kenneth Quartuccio Jr 930
5 Mason Wright 921
6 Kristopher Thorne 918
7 Kevin Rivenbark 906
8 Billy Banaka 887
9 Dmitry Samorukov 881
10 Mike Castellana 876
11 Jose Gonzalez 875
12 Stan Shelton 858
13 JR Gray Jr 855
14 Michael Stavrinos 836
15 Lyle Barnett 796
16 Mike Thielen 780
17 Nicholas Januik 751
18 Tony Wilson 715
