FOUR-CAR PJS RACING TEAM GETS REDEMPTION WITH SEMIFINAL FINISH
�Aside from some of the Pro Stock megateams , there was no bigger entourage than that of the PJS Racing team in the Pro Mod pits . Anchored by Jeff Jones and Brandon Pesz , the four-car operation was rounded out by Jones ’ son , Justin , and former drag boat racer Dustin Nesloney , who was making his quarter-mile Pro Mod debut in a ’ 69 Camaro with a Pesz-built-and-tuned roots-blown powerplant .
The trio of the Joneses and Pesz entered the inaugural World Doorslammer Nationals in 2020 , but Jeff was the only PJS driver to qualify .
With a full season of quarter-mile NHRA Pro Mod competition under their belts , the team returned to Orlando ready to show out for a chance at the $ 50,000 payday .
Jeff Jones , whose Imperial Construction was an event sponsor for the second year , out-qualified his teammates with a 5.756 at 248.48 in his red Imperial Construction Corvette to sit No . 5 . Pesz followed with his 5.818 in No . 13 , one spot above Justin with a 5.825 . Nesloney ended up on the bump spot of the 16-car field with a 5.902 .
The first-round chip draw couldn ’ t have gone much worse for Team PJS , as the elder Jones and Nesloney drew matching chips , as did Pesz and Justin Jones .
However , the pairings did ensure the team would have two cars moving on to the second
round . It would be Nesloney , running a 5.869 to beat Jeff ’ s 6.284 , and Justin , using a 5.815 to knock out Pesz and his 13.84 , getting the chance to represent the Weatherford , Texas-based operation in E2 .
Nesloney stepped up on the starting line and Pesz tuned him to an improved 5.825 , but fellow Texan Alex Laughlin was quicker with a 5.701 . One pair later , Jones made up for the loss with a 5.709 at 247.02 , establishing his silver Imperial Construction ‘ Vette as one of the quickest cars on the grounds .
Jones and Laughlin left the starting line with nearly identical reaction times in the . 020s in their semifinal race . Jones got out of shape shortly after leaving the starting line , though , allowing Laughlin to charge on to the final round with a 5.723 .
Despite falling one round short of the big money round , the Pesz , Jones & Sons group staged a remarkable turnaround from last year ’ s performance , going from one of three cars qualified to putting four cars in the show and racing into the semifinals . – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
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