Pro Modified
Encyclopedia
Pro Modified, also known as Pro Mod, is a class or division in the sport of drag racing
used in the NHRA
(quarter-mile) and the American Drag Racing League (eighth-mile).
. Usually, the NHRA races Pro Mod cars on the 1/4 mile, resulting in high 5 to low 6 second passes, while the ADRL (American Drag Racing League) races strictly on 1/8 mile track setups, allowing for high 3 second-to low 4 second passes. Pro Modified has only been around for about 15 years, whereas other classes are much older. Despite Pro Modified cars being slower than the Top Fuel
or Funny Car
classes, it has become one of the most popular divisions of the sport. The Pro Modified division was a spin-off of the IHRA's Top Sportsman division but with fewer limitations, allowing for significantly higher performance. The American Drag Racing League's top three classes (Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, and Extreme 10.5) comprise Pro Modified vehicles, making the ADRL one of the fastest growing and most popular drag racing organizations. However, many adamant purists say that true drag racing should be 1/4 mile and shun the ADRL despite the free entry to races for fans. Due to the near-limitless engine/drivetrain
combinations and incredibly lenient rule system used by most Pro Modified racing organizations, competing teams in this series of drag racing have virtually every freedom to make their car as fast and competitive as it can possibly be.
Pro Mod has a rich history despite only being 20 years old, but the off season between the 2009 and 2010 seasons was the most controversial in years. The IHRA, known as the originators of the class, dropped the class in a move to focus more on nitromethane
powered vehicles. Picking up where the IHRA left off, the NHRA announced that through a partnership with Get Screened America, Pro Mod would become a full fledged professional class, running a limited schedule but still competing for national event trophies and a world champion.
The winningest drivers in Pro Modified history are Scotty Cannon, Mike Janis and Shannon Jenkins.
These engines put out an extremely large amount of horsepower, some at approximately 2500 to upwards of 4000 H.P. The engines propel the cars down the track at speeds of over 250 mph. Most supercharged engines are based on Chrysler's
426 Hemi engine. The exhaust system
is similar to that of a Funny Car. Simple short header
pipes bolted onto the engine block heads extend down from the motor and curve upward just before reaching the ground. The exhaust pipes are visible just behind the front wheels of the vehicle. Most of the time, each exhaust port on the heads has its own individual pipe, but occasionally the four pipes on each side of the engine block converge into one single header collector on each side of the motor, resulting in two exhaust pipes instead of eight.
race car, yet also radically different at the same time. Whereas Pro Stock cars retain street identification, Pro Modified cars' bodies are just that: modified. Pro Mod race cars have either a forward-facing (with the opening in front) hood scoop
for nitrous
injected cars, or the hood may be cut to allow a supercharger to be fitted through onto a blown motor. Also, a Pro Modified car is usually fitted with a long, flat wing extending from the base of the rear windshield
and past where the lip of the trunk lid would be on a normal car. This wing aids in downforce
and stability
, and helps keep the car on the ground. Many body styles are represented in the Pro Mod class. Everything from a Plymouth Superbird
to a Volkswagen Beetle
has been seen at the dragstrip in Pro Mod fitting. Some of the more common body styles include the Chevrolet Corvette
and Camaro, the Ford Mustang
, and Studebaker
vehicles. Small pick-up trucks, like the Chevrolet S-10
also make for popular Pro Mod vehicle choices. The material with which the body of a Pro Modified race car is constructed out of is a Carbon Fiber or similar composites, similar to the material used in the bodies of most race cars. In 2008, the IHRA banned any body style of a current legal Pro Stock car (Chevrolet Cobalt
, Dodge Stratus
, or Ford Mustang
, Holden Commodore
, or the former Pontiac G6 GXP) from being used in Pro Modified, but that rule disappeared when the IHRA ceased sanction of the class. Any legal body style is permitted in NHRA or ADRL sanctioned races, with former NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle
champion Matt Smith racing his father's (Trickie Rickie Smith's) 2010-style Chevrolet Camaro at the 2011 U. S. Nationals.
(more commonly used on 1/8 mile tracks) to a 5-speed transmission (used mostly on 1/4 mile tracks). An automatic transmission
or a manual transmission
may be used with any combination of rear-end gears.
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
used in the NHRA
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
(quarter-mile) and the American Drag Racing League (eighth-mile).
Overview
This division has specific rules about engines, components, bodies, etc. Pro Modifieds can either be raced on 1/4 mile or 1/8 mile tracksDragstrip
A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile tracks...
. Usually, the NHRA races Pro Mod cars on the 1/4 mile, resulting in high 5 to low 6 second passes, while the ADRL (American Drag Racing League) races strictly on 1/8 mile track setups, allowing for high 3 second-to low 4 second passes. Pro Modified has only been around for about 15 years, whereas other classes are much older. Despite Pro Modified cars being slower than the Top Fuel
Top Fuel
Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
or Funny Car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
classes, it has become one of the most popular divisions of the sport. The Pro Modified division was a spin-off of the IHRA's Top Sportsman division but with fewer limitations, allowing for significantly higher performance. The American Drag Racing League's top three classes (Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, and Extreme 10.5) comprise Pro Modified vehicles, making the ADRL one of the fastest growing and most popular drag racing organizations. However, many adamant purists say that true drag racing should be 1/4 mile and shun the ADRL despite the free entry to races for fans. Due to the near-limitless engine/drivetrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
combinations and incredibly lenient rule system used by most Pro Modified racing organizations, competing teams in this series of drag racing have virtually every freedom to make their car as fast and competitive as it can possibly be.
Pro Mod has a rich history despite only being 20 years old, but the off season between the 2009 and 2010 seasons was the most controversial in years. The IHRA, known as the originators of the class, dropped the class in a move to focus more on nitromethane
Nitromethane
Nitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
powered vehicles. Picking up where the IHRA left off, the NHRA announced that through a partnership with Get Screened America, Pro Mod would become a full fledged professional class, running a limited schedule but still competing for national event trophies and a world champion.
The winningest drivers in Pro Modified history are Scotty Cannon, Mike Janis and Shannon Jenkins.
Engines
There are 3 different engine combinations available for the Pro Modified category. A car utilizing a supercharger as its power adder is limited to 526 cubic inches and must have a minimum weight of 2,650 lbs with the driver. Cars utilizing turbochargers as a power adder are limited to 540 cubic inches with the turbochargers having a maximum size of 88 millimeters each. They too must adhere to the same 2,650 lb minimum weight with driver as the supercharged vehicles. Currently vehicles using nitrous oxide have no cubic inch limit but must weigh 2,425 lbs with the driver. Both nitrous and turbocharged cars use high octane racing gasoline as fuel while supercharged cars use methanol as a fuel.These engines put out an extremely large amount of horsepower, some at approximately 2500 to upwards of 4000 H.P. The engines propel the cars down the track at speeds of over 250 mph. Most supercharged engines are based on Chrysler's
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
426 Hemi engine. The exhaust system
Exhaust system
An exhaust system is usually tubing used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes...
is similar to that of a Funny Car. Simple short header
Header
Header may refer to: Computers and engineering* Header , supplemental data at the beginning of a data block** E-mail header** HTTP header* Header file, a text file used in computer programming...
pipes bolted onto the engine block heads extend down from the motor and curve upward just before reaching the ground. The exhaust pipes are visible just behind the front wheels of the vehicle. Most of the time, each exhaust port on the heads has its own individual pipe, but occasionally the four pipes on each side of the engine block converge into one single header collector on each side of the motor, resulting in two exhaust pipes instead of eight.
Bodies
The body of a Pro Modified car is somewhat similar to a Pro StockPro Stock
Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
race car, yet also radically different at the same time. Whereas Pro Stock cars retain street identification, Pro Modified cars' bodies are just that: modified. Pro Mod race cars have either a forward-facing (with the opening in front) hood scoop
Hood scoop
A bonnet/hood scoop is an upraised component on the hood of an automobile that either allows a flow of air to directly enter the engine compartment, or appears to do so. It has only one opening and is closed on all other sides...
for nitrous
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
injected cars, or the hood may be cut to allow a supercharger to be fitted through onto a blown motor. Also, a Pro Modified car is usually fitted with a long, flat wing extending from the base of the rear windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
and past where the lip of the trunk lid would be on a normal car. This wing aids in downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
and stability
Flight dynamics
Flight dynamics is the science of air vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. The three critical flight dynamics parameters are the angles of rotation in three dimensions about the vehicle's center of mass, known as pitch, roll and yaw .Aerospace engineers develop control systems for...
, and helps keep the car on the ground. Many body styles are represented in the Pro Mod class. Everything from a Plymouth Superbird
Plymouth Superbird
The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird was a highly modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner with well known graphics and horn. It was the factory's follow up stock car racing design for the 1970 season to the Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969, and incorporated many engineering changes and...
to a Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
has been seen at the dragstrip in Pro Mod fitting. Some of the more common body styles include the Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
and Camaro, the Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
, and Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
vehicles. Small pick-up trucks, like the Chevrolet S-10
Chevrolet S-10
The first compact pickup from General Motors was the rebadged Isuzu KB sold since 1972 as the Chevrolet LUV. The 1973 Arab oil embargo forced GM to consider designing a domestically-produced compact pickup truck. As usual, parts from other GM chassis lines were incorporated. The first S-series...
also make for popular Pro Mod vehicle choices. The material with which the body of a Pro Modified race car is constructed out of is a Carbon Fiber or similar composites, similar to the material used in the bodies of most race cars. In 2008, the IHRA banned any body style of a current legal Pro Stock car (Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced both the Cavalier and the Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....
, Dodge Stratus
Dodge Stratus
The Dodge Stratus was a mid-size 4-door sedan introduced in 1995. It was based on the Chrysler JA platform Cab forward . The Stratus, Breeze, and Cirrus were all on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1996 and 1997. It received critical acclaim at launch, but ratings fell over time...
, or Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
, Holden Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
, or the former Pontiac G6 GXP) from being used in Pro Modified, but that rule disappeared when the IHRA ceased sanction of the class. Any legal body style is permitted in NHRA or ADRL sanctioned races, with former NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the globe. Their 1st Points...
champion Matt Smith racing his father's (Trickie Rickie Smith's) 2010-style Chevrolet Camaro at the 2011 U. S. Nationals.
Transmissions
A Pro Modified car may have anywhere from a 2-speed transmissionTransmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
(more commonly used on 1/8 mile tracks) to a 5-speed transmission (used mostly on 1/4 mile tracks). An automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
or a manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
may be used with any combination of rear-end gears.
See also
- Top FuelTop FuelTop Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
- Funny CarFunny CarFunny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
- Pro StockPro StockPro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
- IHRAIHRAIHRA may refer to:*International Human Rights Administration*International Hot Rod Association*International Hotel & Restaurant Association*International Human Rights Association*International Harm Reduction Association*Illinois Human Rights Act...
- Scotty CannonScotty CannonScotty Cannon is the innovator of drag racing and shaping the Pro Modified class in the International Hot Rod Association . He currently holds the record for having the most wins in IHRA pro-mod with 27 national event wins...