Courtesy NHRA (Photo Courtesy NHRA)
CHICAGO (May 19, 2024) – Filling in for former world champion Jose Gonzalez, Eric Dillard picked up the victory in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ on Sunday as part of this weekend’s 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway.
It was the third of 10 races during the 2024 season and this weekend’s event was powered by PGT Trucking, Inc. Facing off with Khalid AlBalooshi in the final round, Dillard went 5.766-seconds at 249.95 mph in the Q80 Chevrolet Camaro, picking up his second career win in the category.
After qualifying second with a 5.732 at 246.62, Dillard was impressively consistent throughout eliminations, going either 5.75 or 5.76 in every round, defeating Stan Shelton, Justin Bond and Billy Banaka to reach the final round. He left with AlBalooshi and then drove off for the victory to finish off a stellar weekend.
“It’s crazy I even get to come out here and do this,” Dillard said. “I’ve got to thank Jose and this team. They carried me today and I’m just blessed to be able to come out here and race. I can’t thank everybody enough for supporting what we do. This is awesome and I appreciate everyone on this team. It’s all the people behind me. This thing was on point all day. At the end of the day, that’s what teamwork is all about. I got carried today and it felt pretty good.”
To reach his first final round this season and the ninth in his career, AlBalooshi, a former world champion, knocked off Jason Lee, Ken Quartuccio and Kris Thorne.
The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ returns to action May 31-June 2 with the 14th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.
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Final round-by-round results from the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, the third of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE — Khalid alBalooshi, Chevy Camaro, 5.725, 248.75 def. Jason Lee, Camaro, 5.840, 237.63; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.700, 249.16 def. Mason Wright, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Jordan Lazic, Camaro, 5.687, 253.04 def. Mike Thielen, Camaro, 5.752, 251.11; Ken Quartuccio, Camaro, 5.716, 166.11 def. Dwayne Wolfe, Camaro, 8.492, 109.10; Eric Dillard, Camaro, 5.769, 250.69 def. Stan Shelton, Ford Mustang, 6.943, 146.18; Billy Banaka, Camaro, 5.741, 249.67 def. Dmitry Samorukov, Camaro, 5.772, 245.32; Kris Thorne, Camaro, 5.777, 248.52 def. JR Gray, Camaro, 7.704, 130.62; Lyle Barnett, Camaro, 5.759, 249.49 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Mustang, 7.463, 126.03;
QUARTERFINALS — Banaka, 6.019, 193.68 def. Barnett, 8.866, 101.71; alBalooshi, 8.086, 111.07 def. Quartuccio, Foul – Red Light; Dillard, 5.758, 250.09 def. Bond, 5.850, 249.49; Thorne, 5.762, 250.64 def. Lazic, 7.829, 118.66;
SEMIFINALS — alBalooshi, 5.788, 248.80 def. Thorne, Foul – Red Light; Dillard, 5.765, 249.67 def. Banaka, 5.824, 246.62;
FINAL — Dillard, 5.766, 249.95 def. alBalooshi, 11.656, 70.29.
