Nashville, TN, (May 15, 2018)…One of today’s most exciting classes in NHRA drag racing has become the Pro Mod series that is now in its first season, sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs. The 2018 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service is the only one that allows multiple makes of cars, builders and engines to compete on a level playing field. This combination is now drawing ever increasing throngs of fans to each city that Pro Mod races at NHRA. The 2018 season is shaping up again as one packed with thrills as barely hundredths-of-a-second divides the number 1 with the 16th qualifier, from entries topping 30 cars per event.
One of the competing racers is Clint Satterfield, from Albuquerque, NM. After racing all his life, Clint started racing full time Pro Mod 7 years ago. He says he was born into drag racing, claiming “my Dad was racing before I was born, and years thereafter into the mid 70s. I grew up around the sport and then once my kids were older, I could spend the money and do what we wanted, my dad then decided he wanted to start racing again. So, cool, we decided we should do this!”
Satterfield developed his years of racing at different levels, beginning in an S10 truck in Super Pro local Bracket Racing. Satterfield recalls, “…but I didn’t like breaking out by one or two thousandths, and losing the race; if you beat me to the other end, you beat me to the other and I’m good with that. So I started looking for different series’ in Texas. There was an automatic 4.70 Pro Mod class, heads up on the tree and I really liked it and started racing that. Then moved over to the Holly Springs 4.50 class. But you keep going faster so I went into TOPMA – Texas Outlaw Pro Mod, with Frankie Taylor, Gaylen Smith, Doug Riester and a lot of those fast guys. They handed me my butt, and I decided, I still need to go faster yet. I like the heads up stuff, first to the finish, my need for speed has kept me in it ever since and it has now lead me to NHRA. When we stepped up we changed from nitrous to the twin turbo, had to lose some of the weight and we campaigned a ’68 Camaro for a bout a year and half; before I crashed and killed it. Then we went thru a couple ’68 Firebirds and gained some loyal Pontiac fans, but the shape of the body didn’t lend itself to these really big tires. Plus, the move to NHRA was one I really liked; I’m a former military man and I like the NHRA structure and rules packages.”
Having found an environment in which he likes to work, Satterfield now commands the speed of his new twin turbo HEMI, ‘69 Camaro. “It’s a show piece,” says Clint. “This is the first year in our combination of an all new chassis design by Larry Jeffers, beautiful paint by Jeff Hoskins, Xtreme Racing Engines by Carl Stevens, switched to MoTeC Data Systems and Mark Micke transmissions. We have a good 40+ hits on it and the car is awesome. The power is insane and I wish I would have switched to the MoTeC system so many years ago.
Satterfield fills his trophy room with quite a few accolades from along the way with awards such as an NHRA win at Houston in 2013. Prior, he won quite a few of his heads up 4.70 classes, won his super pro races and did well in TOPMA (not necessarily winning, but “cutting some damned good lights!”)
Satterfield plans to compete in the full 12-race NHRA series in 2018. “I’ve only missed one race in 7 years,” he says. “My fault because I missed entry by a day. Now I buy the whole season within 5 minutes of it opening up.” Also in his sights for the year is the Throw Down in T-Town. “Tulsa is considered our home-town track. But our dedication is NHRA; the same track preps and I’m not changing the car from an NHRA set up.” Satterfield claims his top speed in the ¼ = 5.86 @ 252 MPH, and a 3.83 @ 202 MPH 1/8 mile hit. We think the latest, greatest stuff we have now is going to be faster. Carl Stevens has been driving at 257/258 MPH and we think we have more power than even those set-ups.
Of all the time spent at the track, Satterfield recalls his favorite personal memory as winning NHRA Houston that day. Satterfield says, “It’s not always the fastest car that wins – it’s the car that gets down the track. I wasn’t the fasted that day (5.98/5.99/6.0), but I went down the track and cut lights. The track that year was junk but my car went down every single time. It was a great day and a fun car, until I killed it.”
Ask Satterfield his favorite motorsports hero and he’ll tell you it’s probably cliché, but he states John Force. “He has done more for the sport, probably more than anyone just because of his personality, his perseverance, his will to be out there, his determination; and he’s a winner. I admire him for being able to do what he does, be at the top, and he’s just done incredible things for us.”
Satterfield says he is interested in testing E3 Spark Plugs once they have the car set up and able to read the results in their tuning. In their work-to-date the Satterfield team highlights BAC Enterprises (Albuquerque, NM), Menards, Yearwood’s Speed Shop (Albuquerque, NM), Mark Micke and Larry Jeffers.
Satterfield says, “Basically right now, my life is racing, racing and racing. When I’m not racing, I’m thinking about racing.” And just for a fun fact that many may not know, all Satterfield’s intentions in racing are to have fun. “We have fun in the pits, we enjoy entertaining the spectators and laugh and joke with everybody. I do my best to stay positive and always have fun at what we do. It was in the very first conversation with my crew chief that we ever had; we are here to have fun – can’t spend this much money and NOT have fun!”
Clint Satterfield has built a formidable career over the years and says that he is very appreciative of E3 Spark Plugs’ sponsorship. “We are self-funded,” says Satterfield. “Jim and Annie (J & A) have come through and the fans love Pro Mod. NHRA also helps but we really appreciate a big sponsor and we know our fans are loyal to our sponsors too.”
Just like Clint Satterfield, E3 appreciates the support from the racers/teams/participants competing in the E3 Spark Plug Pro Mod class of the NHRA and we are excited for the 2018 season. ?Rob Fisher, E3 Director of Motorsports says, “We are very thankful for everyone in the sport and everyone in the stands!”
For more information about E3 spark plugs and performance ignition products, visit www.e3sparkplugs.com. For the latest company and product news follow E3 on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Instagram, or subscribe to E3’s You Tube Channel.
ABOUT E3
E3 is a true high-performance aftermarket manufacturer providing high-performance spark plugs and ignitions systems for drag racing, off-road, late model, street rod and muscle car, tuner, sports car, marine, lawn and garden and powersports. E3 Spark Plugs are the product of years of fundamental research in the combustion field. The unique patented electrode configuration of the new E3 spark plugs increases the amount of combustion pressure created during each power stroke of an engine, which results in a marked increase in power output, fuel economy, and reduced emissions in gasoline engines.
