Jason Hamstra wins Knoll Gas Motorsports Park IHRA Pro Modified Title in Martin

“It’s a great feeling to win one of these deals”

Courtesy of Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

MARTIN, MICHIGAN (August 6, 2007) – For the first time in his short professional racing career, 20 year-old Jason Hamstra won the Pro Modified title at the IHRA Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at the Knoll Gas Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.

“I’m thrilled, it’s the first national event win for me and the first time in history that a converter driven entry has won on the professional drag racing circuit,” said Hamstra, from DeMotte, Indiana. “It’s a great feeling to win one of these deals, we worked hard, and had the tune-up figured out this weekend.”

In the CompetitionPlus.com Pro Modified final, Jason Hamstra and Matt Hagan from Christianburg, VA in their 1963 Corvettes completed their burnouts, but Hagan’s car would not go into reverse to get back to the starting line. After his crew pushed him back, the car could not stage. Hamstra made a single to collect the championship with a 6.176-second, 229.55-mph pass to take his first career IHRA Ironman.

“I really wish we could have run Matt in the final round,” Hamstra said. “He’s a great racer and a great competitor, but the starter waved me in so I had to go. We ran a good number anyway so we’ll take it.”

Hamstra’s supercharged Pro Modified 1963 Chevrolet Corvette qualified eighth in the 16-car field with a 6.158-second, 231-mph run, and is the quickest and fastest torque converter driven Pro Modified race car in the world.

Jason Hamstra and Matt Hagan had tough routes to the final. Hamstra took out Carl Spiering’s Eaton Road Warrior, Kenny Rucker and point’s leader Scott Cannon Jr. Matt Hagan defeated former IHRA World Champion Mike Janis, Mark Nielsen, and Ed Hoover.

“I am one proud father,” stated Kevin Hamstra, Jason’s father, owner and crew chief of the Hamstra Racing entry. “We had great power from our ERD (Engine Research & Development) 526-cubic inch supercharged Hemi.”

The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette G-Force Race Cars Pro Modified powerplant is united to a Coan Torque Converter with Lenco Drive Transmission.

“We had a bunch of help this weekend,” added Jason Hamstra, who has been running selected IHRA national events for the past two seasons. “Thanks to Kelly the welder, Carl Spiering and Terry Vince of ERD, Jim Salemi of G-Force Race Cars, Steve Bareman, Tom Block, Ed Hoover and of course Evan Knoll.”

The race was the sixth of 11 in the International Hot Rod Association’s $19.5 million 2007 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series

Coan Torque Converters, ERD (Engine Research & Development), G-Force Race Cars, and Hoosier Tires are sponsors of Hamstra Racing.

For more information, please contact Bruce Mehlenbacher at Bruce@JAJEntertainment.com

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