This coming weekend we’re going to be LIVE streaming the Real Pro Mod Association Winter Warm Up from Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida. The NHRA’s best and baddest pro mods will be there testing all week and then for three days they will put on a great show for the fans both in the stands and for you at home. Recently, a little unofficial pro mod history was made when the new Frank Manzo tuned Al-Anabi Performance Corvette ran 5.73 during a race at the Quatar Racing Club track. That’s the quickest pass by an NHRA legal pro mod car by a bunch. It is not a record as it did not happen in NHRA competition but it sure was the shot heard ’round the world when it came to the class.
The tuning for the car is done by Frank Manzo and up until recently the car was driven in NHRA competition by Khalid Al-Balooshi. Word on the street is that Von Smith, who missed the 2015 season will return as the driver of this car. We’re working on details as to why that switch was made buy it is what we know so far. Frank Manzo is obviously a legend when it comes to blown alcohol engines, having amassed a win record in top alcohol funny car that will likely never be broken.
There are rules changes for the 2016 NHRA J&A Services pro mod season that we have been keeping up on. Nitrous cars lose some weight (25lbs), standard bore spacing engine equipped turbo cars are limited to 41psi of boost, non-standard bore spacing turbo cars are limited to 38psi of boost, all turbo cars can drop 50 lbs, and cars running a torque converter cannot vary the pressure being applied to it down track.
That’s what we know so far and we’ll know lots more this weekend when we bring you all the action. Turbos, nitrous, and blowers galore!
