TJ Pruitt
GAINESVILLE. Fla. – Bob Rahaim raced to victory Sunday in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing portion of the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Pro Mod racing at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville was co-presented by the Real Pro Mod Association and Jerry Bickel Race Cars, Inc.
Rahaim powered his 2015 TLC Waste Disposal Corvette to a 5.957-second pass at 243.99 mph, defeating Pete Farber’s 8.965 at 107.26 in his ’69 Dodge Daytona in the finals. It was Rahaim’s first career Pro Mod win and seventh career race in the category. Rahaim was the No. 9 qualifier and defeated Mike Castellana, No. 1 qualifier Don Walsh and Troy Coughlin on the way to the final.
“We hadn’t even won a round of competition before yesterday,” Rahaim said. “First round of eliminations, we were fortunate enough to take that win. We didn’t beat ourselves. I guess the consistency of going down the track every time won this event for us.”
Farber entered eliminations as the No. 6 qualifier. He defeated Mike Knowles, Eric Latino and Troy Coughlin Jr. on the way to the finals. Farber has one career win in four career finals.
The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will head to Houston for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals, April 24-26. The event is the second of 10 races in the 2015 Pro Mod season.
***
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 46th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville. The first of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
PRO MODIFIED:
1. Bob Rahaim; 2. Pete Farber; 3. Troy Coughlin; 4. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 5. Bill Glidden; 6. Eric Latino; 7. Don Walsh; 8. Mike Janis; 9. Danny Rowe; 10. Steve Matusek; 11. Rickie Smith; 12. Mike Knowles; 13. Mike Castellana; 14. Kevin Fiscus; 15. Kenny Lang; 16. Khalid alBalooshi.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final round-by-round results from the 46th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, the first of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series:
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE — Bob Rahaim, Chevy Corvette, 5.946, 242.54 def. Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.994, 243.81; T.J. Coughlin, Corvette, 5.884, 251.53 def. Kenny Lang, Camaro, broke; Troy Coughlin, Corvette, 6.050, 246.08 def. Kevin Fiscus, Ford Mustang, 6.514, 181.13; Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 5.922, 245.85 def. Mike Knowles, Mustang, 5.977, 241.28; Bill Glidden, Mustang, 5.946, 242.71 def.
Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.962, 245.54; Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.906, 247.70 def. Danny Rowe, Camaro, 5.873, 249.21; Eric Latino, Camaro, 5.876, 243.77 def. Steve Matusek, Camaro, 5.913, 248.07; Don Walsh, Camaro, 5.829, 242.45 def. Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, broke;
QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.162, 249.26 def. Janis, 8.745, 116.93; Coughlin Jr., 10.932, 78.56 def. Glidden, foul; Farber, 5.885, 248.43 def. Latino, foul; Rahaim, 5.940, 243.94 def. Walsh, 5.985, 240.77;
SEMIFINALS — Rahaim, 5.996, 243.72 def. Coughlin, 6.196, 237.84; Farber, 9.787, 108.12 def.
Coughlin Jr., broke;
FINAL — Rahaim, 5.957, 243.99 def. Farber, 8.965, 107.26.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Point standings (top 10) following the 46th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, the first of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series –
Pro Modified
1. Bob Rahaim, 112; 2. Pete Farber, 94; 3. Troy Coughlin Jr., 77; 4. Troy Coughlin, 74; 5. Don Walsh, 58; 6. Bill Glidden, 52; 7. (tie) Mike Janis, 51; Eric Latino, 51; 9. Steve Matusek, 36; 10. Danny Rowe, 35.
