Mile-high racing at Thunder on the Mountain was going to be a whole new experience when the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod Racing Series presented by J&A Service rolled into Bandimere Speedway just outside Denver. Located at the edge of the Rocky Mountains, the premier track opened its gates in 1958. Since that opening day, the quarter-mile dragstrip has been a fan favorite; and each year proudly hosts the NHRA’s Dodge//SRT Mile-High Nationals. To add to the excitement of coming to a new track, racing at altitude can be tricky. When it comes to adjusting for engine power and aerodynamics, this can leave the most seasoned crews and veteran drivers struggling to find the right setup.
The final qualifying session for racers in the E3 Pro Mod Series featured a lot of drama as defending series champion Stevie “Fast” Jackson posted the first five-second run at Bandimere Speedway in his Bahrain1 Camaro; but all eyes were on Pro Mod rookie J.R. Gray, who went for a wild ride behind the wheel of Mike Janis’ supercharged Camaro. Gray discovered racing at more than 5,800 feet presents unique challenges and can make for spectacular moments like this 250 mph tumble captured by Dragzine Video. Both Gray and Janis praised Wally Stroupe and SRC Motorsports for building safe Pro Mod cars for the team to drive.
For Gray, the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series has been a new experience every race weekend. Nonetheless, J.R. Gray Jr. came to Denver looking to establish his place in the Pro Mod field after suffering a trio of first-round losses. Moreover, the seasoned grudge racer had dropped to eighth in the Championship points in what has become a loaded 2021 Pro Mod class. E3 Spark Plugs was honored to be a part of the race weekend as the title sponsor for the first ever Pro Mod event held at Bandimere Raceway for the Dodge//SRT Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
The race was the fifth event of the 2021 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lambert
NEXT UP:
Lucas Oil NHRA Brainerd Nationals
The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service returns to action Aug. 18-22 as part of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway at Brainerd, MN.
