PDRA Pro Boost Star Marc Caruso Bound for World Series of Pro Mod

Marc Caruso was being put on the spot, but his answer would have been the same regardless.

The PDRA Pro Boost standout was formally invited to the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod on Wes Buck’s weekly Facebook Live Show, creating a bit of breaking news in the process. But a live invitation can present plenty of possibilities. In this instance, though, Caruso already knew his answer.

“Is that a trick question? It would be our pleasure,” Caruso said on the show. “We’re locking it in. It’s a pleasure to be there and I’m honored.”

With that, you can count another big name for the biggest and richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe. It takes place Aug. 10-11 at Bandimere Speedway and Caruso now jumps into the mix of talented racers who will compete for the $100,000 prize.

Caruso’s inclusion also presents an “all-star” element to the WSOPM, adding another top driver from outside the NHRA Pro Mod ranks.

With a top name from the PDRA, as well as the list of stars from the NHRA Pro Mod ranks and others from other associations, it creates a diverse list of talent that Buck, the Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director, believes takes the race to an entirely different level.

“This is a huge deal for us,” Buck said. “For me, to have a representative of the PDRA come out, run quarter-mile, this is a big deal. We are thrilled beyond measure. Marc is a first-class person with a first-class hot rod and he’s a flag-flying PDRA guy, and that’s something near and dear to my heart. Finding a way to incorporate these other organizations into the World Series of Pro Mod and make it an All-Star event, that’s exciting and going to make it really special.”
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MagnaFuel Delivers Championship Payouts to Top Sportsman & Top Dragster at World Series of Pro Mod

Impressed with how the inaugural DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod went, MagnaFuel is back as a sponsor for the second year of the event, and it is bringing big-time Top Dragster and Top Sportsman purses with them.

DRAG ILLUSTRATED officials announced today that MagnaFuel has been named the title sponsor for both the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes at their fast-approaching World Series of Pro Mod, which takes place Aug. 10-11 at Bandimere Speedway. The winners in both the MagnaFuel Pro Star 16 for Top Dragster and Quick Star 16 for Top Sportsman will receive $4,000, an impressive purse that has already gotten the attention of racers in both classes.

“We’re very excited to again be part of the World Series of Pro Mod,” MagnaFuel’s Robbie Ward said. “We had a great response from Top Dragster and Top Sportsman racers a year ago, and it was a neat deal seeing how competitive they were at altitude. To a lot of these guys, Pro Mod is the next level for them, and it was great to see them run at a race where they are kind of the show, too. It’s going to be really exciting this year.”

Along with the $4,000-to-win purse, the entry fee for both classes is just $150, presenting a massive opportunity for racers to compete at a world-class event that is one of the most highly-anticipated in 2018.

“Top Sportsman and Top Dragster are two of the most incredible eliminators in drag racing right now,” said DRAG ILLUSTRATED Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck. “These categories are driving our industry forward, and the cars within – as well as the awesome drivers, owners and teams – are exactly the kind we want involved with the World Series of Pro Mod. As far as I’m concerned, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster are the perfect compliment to Pro Mod, and I’m over-the-moon that Robbie [Ward] and the team at MagnaFuel have made it possible.”
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Chad Green on WSOPM Invitation: ‘There’s No Way I Was Turning It Down’

Chad Green didn’t care one bit about what he had heard about nitrous cars trying to compete at Bandimere Speedway.

He had his DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod invitation in his hand and nothing was going to keep him from accepting. A year ago, while watching the inaugural event just outside of Denver, Green wondered how he could ever get opportunity to race in the $100,000 winner-take-all race.

So when Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck hand-delivered his WSOPM invitation at the NHRA race in Topeka, Green was blown away – and also had his answer ready.

“To get an invitation, I don’t know even how to describe it,” Green said. “It’s such an honor and I didn’t think twice about it. For me, it was a no-brainer. Everyone says the nitrous car won’t do well at altitude, but we’ll see what we can do. It’s just an honor to be invited to a race like this. I was not going to turn it down.”

It’s the latest accomplishment in what has become a brilliant rookie season for Green, even after overcoming some significant adversity in his NHRA Pro Mod debut at Gainesville.

He advanced to the semifinals in impressive fashion before disaster struck, crashing nose-first into the wall in his matchup against Mike Janis. How quickly Green bounced back has been just as remarkable, as Green got a new Camaro from Jerry Bickel Race Cars and didn’t miss a race.

He qualified No. 1 and advanced to his first career final round before losing to Rickie Smith in Topeka, and currently sits fourth in points.
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Alex Laughlin Dishes on 2018 World Series of Pro Mod Invite

A new challenge has always been appealing for Alex Laughlin.

It’s already taken him to new places like Top Alcohol Dragster, a drag radial car at the biggest radial events in the country and a spot on the popular “Street Outlaws” television show.

Now, that thrill ride curiosity is sending Laughlin to the biggest and richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe.

Laughlin, a standout in the NHRA Pro Stock ranks, officially accepted his invitation to the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod, which takes place Aug. 10-11 at Bandimere Speedway. Final details of what he will be driving on “Thunder Mountain” are still being worked out, but, for the time being, that’s beside the point. Laughlin will be in Denver in August in a Pro Mod car with a chance to win $100,000, and that’s more than good enough for him.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity,” Laughlin said. “It was something I wanted to be a part of, even last year. It is an absolute dream come true, to be honest. Just the whole deal with Wes [Buck] coming to the pits, presenting my dad and I with an invitation – it’s just over the top. It might be the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

“We’re working out some details on the car that I’ll be driving, but I’ll be there no matter what.”

That need for speed will be quenched in a major way at Bandimere Speedway, as Laughlin makes his Pro Mod debut alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.
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2018 WSOPM Invitee Steve Matusek Talks High-Stakes, Magical Moments & Seeing Pro Mods at the Top of the Food Chain

It’s been nearly a year and Steve Matusek still gets an uneasy feeling when he thinks back to the inaugural DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod.

It’s certainly not about his overall feelings on the event. That, in Matusek’s eyes, was one of the more enjoyable experiences in the standout’s lengthy career.

But what eats at Matusek is the matter of leaving $100,000 on the table. It’s a predominant thought and one Matusek is none too happy to recall.

“I missed an opportunity,” Matusek said. “I should have won that race. It’s all on me.”

The saving grace is Matusek will get his chance for redemption at this year’s WSOPM, which takes place Aug. 10-11 at Bandimere Speedway. Improving on last year’s semifinal appearance is a clear motivation for Matusek, who hopes to finish the job in 2018.

A year ago, Matusek felt he had the car to beat, running well in testing and early on during the weekend. But he lost on a holeshot to eventual runner-up Steven Whiteley in the semifinals, putting an immediate damper on what otherwise was a thrilling and memorable weekend.

“I’m going back with a purpose,” Matusek said. “We felt like it was our race to lose and we lost it. We had a good, competitive car and I got beat by a holeshot. I’m 99.9% percent confident we would have beat (Mike) Bowman in the final round if I would have done my job. We want to get back there and pick up where we left off.”
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Pro Mod Powerhouse Shane Molinari Talks Potential Six-Figure Payday at WSOPM 2018

There were a multitude of reasons why Shane Molinari quickly accepted his invitation to return to Bandimere Speedway for the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod for a second straight year. But he couldn’t find a bigger one than the six figures written on the oversized check that goes to the winner.

“It’s a no-brainer. It’s $100,000 to win,” said Molinari, who advanced to the semifinals of the inaugural event. “Money talks. I wish they had 4-5 of them a year. It’s all I would do.”

Of course, the chance to win six figures at a miserable event with a subpar atmosphere may have changed Molinari’s tune.

But for the Pro Mod standout, that wasn’t a concern in the slightest at the WSOPM, which takes place this year on Aug. 10-11. In fact, Molinari considered the inaugural event in 2017 a massive success.

Despite the intense pressure of trying to win $100,000 on “Thunder Mountain” and staying focused to do so, Molinari had no problem enjoying himself, which is, ultimately, priority No. 1 when he attends a race.
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Pro Mod Star Eric Latino Talks Suspense & Tension at WSOPM

Eric Latino discovered last year, when DRAG ILLUSTRATED Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck puts on an event, he doesn’t play. The World Series of Pro Mod, hosted at Bandimere Speedway for the second consecutive year, is Aug. 10-11 and the Canadian Pro Mod ace looks to build on his round win there from last year.

Latino has been re-invited to the second running of the event, as have all the racers from last year. More than just a race, the DRAG ILLUSTRATED World Series of Pro Mod is a gathering of the best of the best in Pro Mod racing. So it goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway), getting invited is a big deal.

“It’s one thing to tell somebody ‘Hey man, I want you to come to my race,’” Latino said Monday during a phone call. “But he handed me an envelope with my name typed and printed on there, so he already had plans to have me there before he even came to Charlotte.

“That was pretty exciting because I didn’t realize…he was going to have the same 15 invited out. I thought he might pick a whole new crew just to change things up, so I was pretty excited to be invited again.”

With upwards of 30 drivers regularly attempting to qualify for one of 16 spots at the 12 NHRA Pro Mod races, there is no shortage of doorslammer vets ready and willing to compete against the best of the best. Latino said Buck explained why he and his fellow drivers were chosen for the second running.

“What Wes [Buck] told me is, that he’d literally rather not have the race than not have the original guys back out for the second-running; that our participation in the inaugural event meant that much to him,” Latino said. “And that means a lot to me and my whole team. We can’t wait.
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Derek Menholt: “My Entire 2018 is Planned Around WSOPM”

Derek Menholt figured he had a spot secured for the 2018 DRAG ILLUSTRATEDWorld Series of Pro Mod. After all, the Billings, Montana, native did claim the $10,000 Aeromotive Wild Card Shootout at the inaugural event a year ago, winning his way into the main event.

But Menholt still hoped for official confirmation when a certified letter showed up from DRAG ILLUSTRATEDFounder and Editorial Director Wes Buck inviting him to participate in this year’s running of the event.

Just like that, Menholt had his marquee event for 2018 secure.

“I really wanted to do it because it would be our Super Bowl for the year,” Menholt said. “This is definitely the U.S. Nationals for our team. There’s not a race I would rather be at. Until that letter showed up, I was nervous, but I was really excited to get that letter from Wes inviting us to come. I was extremely excited.”

This time, Menholt won’t have to race his way into the main event of the World Series of Pro Mod, which takes place Aug. 10-11 at Bandimere Speedway just outside of Denver.

His participation in the inaugural place secured Menholt’s spot in the main event for 2018, Buck’s way of saying thanks for believing in the race and the vision he had for holding the biggest and richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe.
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Jim Whiteley Locks In Support for WSOPM as Racer and Presenting Sponsor

There have been a lot of great racing moments recently for Jim Whiteley, including picking up his second career NHRA Pro Mod win less than a month ago. But there’s still one weekend the veteran keeps coming back to and that was the inaugural Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod. In fact, it was such a memorable weekend that Whiteley had no problem clarifying just how enjoyable it was.

“That particular race was the funnest race that I’ve ever been to in 20 years of racing,” Whiteley said on Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck’s Facebook Live show. “That’s what it’s all about, people hooting and hollering. It was a show, the fans had a great time (and) as racers, we’re ecstatic and we can’t wait to do it again. It’s an honor to open the door and say let’s do it again.”

Whiteley recently received – and then promptly accepted – his invitation to the second annual Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod, which again takes place at Bandimere Speedway on Aug. 10-11.

For Whiteley, who competed in the inaugural event with his son, Steven, it was a no-brainer to accept the invite, in part because of the $100,000 winner-take-all prize. But Whiteley, who received the first official invite, hinted that his reasoning went far deeper than that.

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Lazydays RV and Bandimere Speedway Launch Ultimate Race Day Tailgating Sweepstakes

Lazydays, The RV Authority™, and world’s largest dealership, announced today the Lazydays RV Ultimate Race Day Tailgating Sweepstakes for the upcoming 2018 Bandimere Speedway race season, which will mark the speedway’s 60th Anniversary.

Race fans and RV tailgating enthusiasts can enter for a chance to win the tailgating experience of a lifetime, which includes tailgating at track accommodations in a decked-out Lazydays RV luxury motor home, tickets to the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod race on Saturday, August 11th, and a special staring-line experience at the beginning of the race.

“Partnering the biggest, richest Pro Mod race in the history of the known universe with the World’s largest RV dealership shows the commitment of Lazydays RV to motorsports and entertainment fans, not just in Colorado, but from Arizona to Florida,” said John Bandimere III, Bandimere Speedway’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Lazydays RV is all about top-rated products and services and Bandimere Speedway is proud to connect our two brands through one of the most exciting promotions of the season.”

“We are proud to partner with Bandimere Speedway to enhance fans’ race-day excitement,” said John Lebbad, Chief Marketing Officer for Lazydays. “Tailgating gives race fans a fun and exciting way to enjoy this spectacular race event, and we’re honored to be providing the winner with a VIP RV experience as a part of the World Series of Pro Mod festivities.”

The Lazydays RV Ultimate Race Day Tailgating Sweepstakes runs through July 15th, 2018. Sweepstakes is open to all U.S. citizens 18 years or older as of 4/1/18. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited. Visit http://www.lazydays.com/racedayfor sweepstakes rules and details.

To purchase tickets for the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod and to learn more about the event, visit worldseriesofpromod.com or bandimere.com.







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