LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29, 2023) \u2013 Mike Castellana clinched his first career world championship in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and then finished off his magical weekend with the victory as part of the weekend\u2019s 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals.<\/p>\n
It was the last of 10 events during the 2023 season and the fourth race in the category\u2019s Road to the Championship. This weekend\u2019s race was powered by JBS Equipment and Saturday belonged to Castellana, a longtime Pro Mod veteran.<\/p>\n
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Castellana clinched the championship in the second round on Sunday, knocking off Dmitry Samorukov with a run of 5.693-seconds at 251.30 mph in his Western Beef Camaro, making the quickest pass of the weekend in the process. Moments later, Justin Bond fell to Kevin Rivenbark, handing the world title in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports to Castellana for the first time.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s totally awesome. I had no clue. I knew I was third in the points. I didn\u2019t want to think about what we had to do,\u201d Castellana said. \u201cI knew we had to win the race, that was our goal. I had no clue we could win the championship. I have to thank my whole team, those guys are just amazing. This is awesome. It means a lot. Over the years, we\u2019ve won championships in other circuits, but we\u2019ve been chasing this one for a long time. We came so close a few years back, but we got it this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Castellana, who was also the No. 1 qualifier in a dominant final weekend of the year, then finished off his day in style, taking down St. Louis winner Jordan Lazic in the semifinals to move to the finals.<\/p>\n
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In the championship round, Castellana went 5.703 at 250.74 to easily hold off Kevin Rivenbark, capping his championship year off with his first victory of the season. It was the ideal ending to Castellana\u2019s season, as his late-season run helped clinch the world title in the talent-filled FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s an amazing story. I just can\u2019t believe it,\u201d Castellana said. \u201cWe came into this weekend and we wanted to win the race. I didn\u2019t have any thoughts about the championship but everything came together. Everybody did an awesome job on this car, and we won the race and the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Kevin Rivenbark reached the final round for the first time by knocking off Ken Quartuccio, Bond and Sidnei Frigo. The 2024 schedule in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports will be announced later this week.<\/p>\n
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LAS VEGAS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.\u00a0The race is the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.<\/p>\n
PRO MODIFIED:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Mike Castellana; 2.\u00a0Kevin Rivenbark; 3.\u00a0Sidnei Frigo; 4.\u00a0Jordan Lazic; 5.\u00a0Khalid alBalooshi; 6.\u00a0Justin Bond; 7.\u00a0Dmitry Samorukov; 8.\u00a0Mason Wright; 9.\u00a0Stan Shelton; 10.\u00a0Mike Thielen; 11.\u00a0Ken Quartuccio; 12.\u00a0Adriano Kayayan; 13.\u00a0Nick Januik; 14.\u00a0JR Gray; 15.\u00a0Jason Lee; 16.\u00a0Kris Thorne.<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS — Sunday’s final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.<\/p>\n
Pro Modified — Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.703, 250.74\u00a0def. Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 8.536, 109.77.<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS — Final round-by-round results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.<\/p>\n
PRO MODIFIED:<\/p>\n
ROUND ONE — Jordan Lazic, Chevy Camaro, 5.881, 242.93 def. Jason Lee, Camaro, 7.043, 131.64; Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 5.812, 240.94 def. Ken Quartuccio, Camaro, 5.835, 245.40; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.732, 250.00 def. Stan Shelton, Mustang, 5.779, 245.45; Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.745, 248.84 def. Adriano Kayayan, Camaro, 5.874, 238.64; Sidnei Frigo, Camaro, 5.881, 243.37 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, Foul – Outer Boundary; Mason Wright, Camaro, 5.838, 243.37 def. JR Gray, Camaro, 6.181, 237.92; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.755, 245.05 def. Nick Januik, Chevy Corvette, 6.023, 206.42; Dmitry Samorukov, Camaro, 7.654, 124.57 def. Mike Thielen, Camaro, Foul – Red Light;<\/p>\n
QUARTERFINALS — Lazic, 5.895, 243.28 def. alBalooshi, 5.755, 248.84; Castellana, 5.693, 251.30 def. Samorukov, 6.055, 232.19; Frigo, 5.858, 243.50 def. Wright, 7.303, 104.85; Rivenbark, 5.748, 251.11 def. Bond, 5.755, 245.67;<\/p>\n
SEMIFINALS — Rivenbark, 5.866, 247.84 def. Frigo, 5.875, 243.37; Castellana, 5.799, 248.61 def. Lazic, 9.649, 102.17;<\/p>\n
FINAL — Castellana, 5.703, 250.74 def. Rivenbark, 8.536, 109.77.<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS — Point standings (top 10) following the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.<\/p>\n
Pro Modified<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Mike Castellana, 1,148; 2.\u00a0Justin Bond, 1,075; 3.\u00a0Kris Thorne, 1,060; 4.\u00a0Jason Lee, 999; 5.\u00a0Dmitry Samorukov, 990; 6.\u00a0Khalid alBalooshi, 979; 7.\u00a0Stan Shelton, 976; 8.\u00a0Sidnei Frigo, 946; 9.\u00a0Kevin Rivenbark, 940; 10.\u00a0JR Gray, 905.<\/p>\n