Dirt
Changing Times
Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association completes first season after quarter-to-eighth-mile transition By Van Abernethy
Old habits die hard they say , but
if the changing times bring about success , it sure makes the transition a much easier one . Such is the case for Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod founder and president John Mazzorana , who decided that 2020 was the year to transition his time-honored quartermile racing series into a Pro Mod organization that sprinted to the 660-foot mark , then dump the chutes .
“ I was dragged kicking and screaming into eighth-mile territory , but I can honestly say that I ’ ve warmed up to it more than I ever thought I could ,” says Mazzorana , who launched the northern-based Pro Mod club in 1992 . “ I ’ ve grown to really enjoy it and I also understand where the racers are coming from who support this format .”
The switch to eighth-mile racing was brought about by a change in sentiment from Mazzorana ’ s own racers , who eventually flipped to a majority agreement that it was time to make the transition . The change brought an instant influx of cars from the very beginning and Mazzorana realized from the onset that it was no longer a problem to fill a 16-car field , as the series enjoyed car counts ranging from 17-25 this season . “ And this jump in car count was despite the pandemic and all the disruptions that came with it ,” Mazzorana points out .
The northeast region where this club is based has been especially hit hard with government regulations and quarantine requirements , so the robust racer participation was something Mazzorana found very encouraging .
“ We ’ re still learning a lot about eighth-mile racing with just five events under our belt ,” Mazzorana says . “ We ’ ve taken a look at PDRA , NHRA , NMCA , the Mid-West [ Drag Racing Series ] group , etc ., and examined their rules and came up with a blend of what you might say is ‘ the best of their world ’ and made it our world .”
Maintaining parity is a daunting task when you
PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAN ABERNETHY
30 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 162