I was not at all disappointed with a semifinal. “We’ll test again before Charlotte and see how it goes. “We tested in Bradenton, and the car ran really well, but once we got to Gainesville, we just couldn’t get a handle on it,” Thorne said. Even though he lost in the semifinals in Gainesville, he was mostly satisfied with the performance of his ProCharged Bahrain1 Camaro. Then again, I’ve stocked up on parts, so we’ll see what happens.”īounty or not, Thorne didn’t expect to make adjustments to his program either prior to or during the Charlotte event. I just think I’m in their heads a lot more than they’re in mine. We do stage sometimes first, but sometimes you get in a rhythm, and you stick to what works. Personally, I think there’s no reason for it. “I guess some guys feel as though they’re at a disadvantage, so they’re going to try and get in my head. That means, at a bare minimum, the first round of eliminations in Charlotte might take a bit longer than normal.Īll of this begs the question, how does Thorne feel about being the center of attention? As the reigning class champion, he certainly came into the new season expecting to have a target on his back, but he’s now got the entire class chasing him like a pack of angry hornets. Jackson has also made it abundantly clear that the bounty would be paid even if a driver happened to be disqualified while attempting to make Thorne light the stage light first. But just in case one needed a reason to upset the apple cart, Jackson and Barnett have provided an enticing one. Remember, this is a class that lists “Tricky Rickie” Smith as one of its cornerstone drivers. Historically, Pro Mod racers are a unique group of individuals, and most of them don’t need financial incentive to be stubborn or engage in starting-line shenanigans. Jackson, along with co-conspirator and fellow Pro Mod driver Lyle Barnett, announced a bounty that is currently reported to be in the $2,500-$3,000 range. The controversy hasn’t ended there.įormer Pro Mod champ Stevie "Fast" Jackson, who is never one to let a sleeping dog lie, quickly added his two cents (and then some) when he posted a video on his popular YouTube channel announcing a hefty bounty that would be awarded to any Pro Mod driver who could make Thorne stage first. Miller quit on the spot, telling Buginga, “This isn’t what I signed up for.” For the record, there were no lingering hard feelings between Thorne and Buginga, who shared a good laugh over the whole incident in the Gainesville shutdown area.Īll of this happened at the first race of the season, but unlike Las Vegas, what happens in Gainesville apparently doesn’t stay in Gainesville. In the immediate aftermath, Buginga lost his crew chief, Jamie Miller, who also tunes Thorne’s Bahrain1 Camaro. Whatever the reason, Thorne was quick to rub salt in his wounds not only by leaving first but also taking the win, 5.76 to 5.86. Reportedly, Buginga went to reposition his leg on the brake pedal and rolled into the beams, avoiding an almost certain disqualification. With his temperature gauge nearly pegged, Buginga finally staged first, although he apparently didn’t intend to. ![]() “My trick was to get him out of his comfort zone and put his car in the beams first,” Buginga later said. Buginga attempted to force Thorne’s hand, and as a result, the two drivers sat motionless in the pre-stage beams for two minutes. During the first round, Thorne faced off with veteran small-tire racer Manny Buginga, who was making his first appearance on the NHRA tour. To provide a little context into the debate, we need to go back a few weeks to the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. How it will play out is anyone’s guess, and it’s not even a given that the bounty will be in effect for the unique four-wide race, but it will most certainly be entertaining. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Thorne’s opponents, who are so determined to force his hand that they’ve posted a bounty (reported to be in excess of $2,500) to any driver who can make him stage first. At the center of the controversy is reigning class champ Kris Thorne, who has a bit of a reputation as a driver who prefers to stage last. Note to spectators who plan to watch the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports at this weekend’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals: Bring your popcorn and find a comfortable seat because you might just be there a while.Īs if Pro Mods aren’t entertaining enough on their own, there is a battle brewing in the class, and it’s likely to come to a head this weekend when the class races under the four-wide format for the only time in 2023.
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