NORWALK, Ohio – Todd Tutterow appeared headed to a rough back-to-back stretch after not qualifying in Richmond and following it up by barely squeaking into the field in the No. 16 spot at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service race in Bristol.
But Tutterow made an impressive turnaround in eliminations, knocking out the No. 1 qualifier in the first round and advancing to the final. It was precisely the race Tutterow needed in his WYO Motorsports/Ty-Drive Camaro, and the Pro Mod veteran hopes that momentum continues as the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service starts the second half of its season as part of this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.
“It was a pretty good boost for us,” said Tutterow, who is currently eighth in the points standings. “We ran good all weekend in Bristol, we just missed it on the fast qualifying session. There’s just so many good cars and that’s about the only time we didn’t go down the track. But we were able to put out the No. 1 qualifier and I felt strong the rest of the weekend. It was very exciting for us.”
The race, which is presented by J&A Service, is the seventh of 12 events during the 2018 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season and will be shown on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). Shane Molinari is the defending winner at the event in Norwalk, and like Molinari did in 2017, Tutterow aims to grab his first career win in the class at the race.
He appears to be close, even after the struggles in Richmond and not qualifying high in Bristol. But Tutterow has enjoyed immense success in the Pro Mod ranks in various organizations, making a handful of appearances at NHRA Pro Mod events over the years. This year marks the first season where Tutterow will race the entire 12-race schedule, an aspect that has him thrilled, especially if he can build on the significant progress he made during eliminations in Bristol.
“This class is so competitive and it’s a lot of fun to do,” said Tutterow, a Lewisville, N.C. native. “This is my first opportunity to do a full season and it’s really the crown jewel of Pro Mod drag racing. I’ve never had that opportunity before, so it’s really great for us and we’re excited about it. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off in Norwalk. Being at Bristol, we were able to go home and freshen things up, so maybe that will give us a little advantage.”
Competitors need every edge they can find in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service, as another 30-plus drivers are expected in Norwalk. That loaded lineup includes points leader Mike Janis, as well as Khalid alBalooshi, who beat Tutterow in the final round at Bristol, three-time world champion Rickie Smith, who has two wins this season, Jose Gonzalez, who won in Charlotte, Chad Green, Danny Rowe, Stevie Jackson, Jim Whiteley, Steven Whiteley and defending world champion Troy Coughlin.
Tutterow has long thrived in summer conditions and has experience at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, which gives him confidence he can end this three-race stretch on a strong note.
“The field is so close and it gets better every year,” Tutterow said. “It’s definitely a challenge, but we enjoy it. Having 30 cars there makes it tough just to qualify, but it’s a real good show. Norwalk is a beautiful place and they’ve got a brand new track surface, so it should be a good weekend.”
Featuring the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer race cars, the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast. The class is highlighted by historic muscle cars, like ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds and ’69 Camaros, as well as a variety of late model American muscle cars. With more than 3,000 horsepower, the suspended door pro mod cars travel the quarter-mile in less than six seconds at speeds exceeding 250 mph.
E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. on Friday and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sunday.
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