PHOTOS: JOE MCHUGH, SCOTT ARNOLD |
Guys like Menholt shaped their entire racing season around the WSOPM. For that to happen, there has to be a secret sauce involved. It can’ t just be a regular race and, by all accounts, the World Series of Pro Mod is no typical race.
One thing every driver would say is the race is the most fun they have all year. But there’ s also $ 100,000 on the line, meaning it’ s also the biggest single-race payout they’ ve raced for in their successful careers.
How do those mix? It’ s an interesting conundrum, but also probably the most enviable for anyone associated with the event. It’ s low-pressure, big fun, laidback, high-stakes – and all at the same time.
It takes something special to get to that point, meaning you need an incredible group of racers combined with people who are passionate
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about putting on a heck of a show while making sure to treat everyone in a memorable way.
The Bandimere family has that covered, going to the ends of the world to ensure every racer, team member and fan feels like they won the lottery. The scenery at the track speaks for itself, setting the stage for the racers to put on a show. In the two years of the WSOPM they’ ve done that and upped the ante almost every time down the track.
It’ s mind-boggling we’ re already in the 5.80s with these Pro Mod
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beasts in the mountains, but it simply speaks so highly of the special group of drivers and teams competing in Pro Mod. It is truly the golden age of the Pro Mod class and we’ re honored to give them a stage. |
Back to Bowman, he had likely heard what Menholt had ran during testing, yet they were both chatting it up just a short time before they were facing off. It’ s that type of camaraderie that makes the event special, yet when they lined up they were ready to tear each other’ s throats out. That’ s simply how this class works and it’ s awesome to see.
As it turned out, Menholt went red and then unfortunately crashed into both walls. Almost immediately, Menholt was talking about a new
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car and being back at the World Series of Pro Mod in 2019. Like his opponent – the guy who spent days away from home to get his car ready – this race is on his“ Do Not Miss” list.
Bowman didn’ t make it backto-back wins, falling in the race of the weekend in a thrilling duel against Stevens, but he said he had a better time this year than his $ 100,000-winning year in 2017. That, folks, is progress as an event, and a sign that the best is yet to come. Stevens reveled in the glory of winning the event, a career-making victory where he went an incredible 5.856 at 246.26 mph to beat Danny Rowe in the final round. It was a magical moment and the reactions from Stevens to his dad, Carl Sr., to team owner Jim Bell were genuine and will be treasured forever.
But, then again, it’ s really how we all felt when the event was over. They were just the ones enjoying an extra $ 100,000 with it. DI
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