SPARTA, ON (July 26, 2006) – There’s going to be lots of hot rods on the grounds, and some quick hot rods on the track as the Pro Modified Racing Association heads to St. Thomas Dragway August 5 and 6.

As part of the track’s CANUSA Hot Rod Reunion – PMRA Challenge, the PMRA will highlight the weekend event. It is round two of the 2006 PMRA season, and the first time for the PMRA "the world's fastest door slammers" at the popular Southwestern Ontario National Hot Rod Association sanctioned drag strip.

“Pro Modifieds are really all the rage and we’re happy to have the PMRA group on board this year,” said St. Thomas’ Dave Mathers. “I know I can count on these guys to put on a good show.”

After the season opener at Toronto Motorsports Park, Mark Nielson of Brantford, ON, took his first PMRA victory by nipping by last year’s champ Joe Lilienthal of Kenmore, NY. Other regulars in the series include New Yorkers Jack Grainy and Mark Mitchell, along with the Ontario teams of Kasey Janzen, Bruce Boland, and Joe Boniferro.

PMRA qualifying is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.n. on Saturday, August 5, and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 6, with eliminations to start at 3:00 p.m. for the quickest eight entries. The semis are scheduled at 4:30 p.m., and the final at 6:00 p.m.

The CANUSA HOT ROD REUNION - PMRA Challenge at St. Thomas Dragway will be the second stop for the PMRA's season. Other races for 2006 are at Lancaster Raceway Park in Clarence, NY on September 15 and the Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to be running inaugural events at the Eaton PMRA Challenge at Sanair near Montreal scheduled for Saturday, August 19, and at the Grand Bend Motorplex, over the Labor Day weekend.

For information about the CANUSA HOT ROD REUNION - PMRA Challenge at St. Thomas Dragway call 1.519.775.2263  (Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET) or visit online at www.stthomasdragway.com

For more information, contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher mehlenbacher@ProModifiedRacing.com

About St. Thomas Dragway:

This Southwestern Ontario facility was built by the Harvey family in 1962, and is one of the oldest running drag strips in Canada. Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), St. Thomas Dragway runs its weekly series along with several specials during the season. The Harvey family sold the facility in 1989 when the name was changed to London Motorsports Park. In 1998 the track was sold to its present owners, the Mathers family, who took the track to its roots by returning to the St. Thomas Dragway name. The track has been undergoing renovations late in 2005, and these will continue into 2006. St. Thomas Dragway is situated on County Road 27, south of St. Thomas between Union and Sparta. For more information visit their web site www.stthomasdragway.com

About the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA):

The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.ProModifiedRacing.com, started late in 2004 and entering its second year of operation, the Pro Modified Racing Association ran five events in 2005 at four Ontario, Quebec, and New York locations, with a different winner at each track. The PMRA provides drag race fans the opportunity see, hear and to experience the popular Pro Modifieds, known as "the world's fastest door slammers".

The PMRA is a self-governing organization with its own set of technical and safety rules based on the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Pro Modified division. Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class is one of drag racing’s most exciting and volatile classes, capturing the true spirit of hot rodding and offering a wildly diverse group of racecars with different types of 2,000-horsepower engines. Combining classic body styles and modern equipment, constructors are permitted to extensively modify and enhance both appearance and performance. The cars burn gasoline or methanol, propelling them down the quarter-mile in low six-second times at over 225 miles per hour. The PMRA Pro Modified field is composed of the eight quickest teams from the qualifying rounds.

Photo Credit: Ian Rae - www.headsupracer.com