After finishing as the runner-up at the opening race of the 2021 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season, Justin Bond finished the job on Sunday, beating back-to-back world champ Stevie “Fast” Jackson on a holeshot in the final round of the final race at Atlanta Dragway.
The race, which was presented by Alsum Farms/Wisconsin Potato, is the second event of the 2021 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service season, and Bond picked up his second career victory.
He went 5.738-seconds at 249.49 mph in his ProCharger-powered Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro to beat Jackson, who went a quicker 5.724 at 252.43 at his home track. After qualifying third, Bond, whose first win in the class came a year ago in Houston, beat Alex Laughlin, Dwayne Wolfe and Brandon Snider to reach his fourth final round. He posted a .038 reaction time in the championship round against Jackson to hold off the standout driver and grab the victory.
“This feels awesome and I can’t thank my guys, including (crew chief) Brad Personett, and all the people who are behind us for supporting me,” said Bond, who also moved into the points lead. “I’ve just had an awesome time down here.”
Jackson, who didn’t qualify at the opening race of the 2021 season, advanced to his 18th career final round by beating Doug Winters, Mike Castellana, who had won the previous two races at Atlanta, and Justin Jones.
The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service returns to action May 14-16 as part of the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.
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COMMERCE, Ga. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the second of 12 events in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
PRO MODIFIED:
1. Justin Bond; 2. Steve Jackson; 3. Brandon Snider; 4. Justin Jones; 5. Jose Gonzalez; 6. Mike Castellana; 7. Rickie Smith; 8. Dwanye Wolfe; 9. Alex Laughlin; 10. JR Gray; 11. Lyle Barnett; 12. Jeffery Barker; 13. Doug Winters; 14. Chad Green; 15. Khalid alBalooshi; 16. Eric Latino.
COMMERCE, Ga. — Sunday’s final results from the 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the second of 12 events in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
Pro Modified — Justin Bond, Pontiac Firebird, 5.738, 249.49 def. Steve Jackson, Chevy Camaro, 5.724, 252.43.
COMMERCE, Ga. — Final round-by-round results from the 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the second of 12 events in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE — Justin Jones, Chevy Corvette, 6.422, 195.65 def. Khalid alBalooshi, Chevy Camaro, Foul – Centerline; Steve Jackson, Camaro, 5.786, 250.27 def. Doug Winters, Chevy Chevelle, 6.073, 226.81; Jose Gonzalez, Camaro, 5.721, 249.21 def. JR Gray, Camaro, 5.778, 249.12; Justin Bond, Pontiac Firebird, 5.721, 248.07 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 5.752, 249.30; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 8.078, 112.89 def. Lyle Barnett, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Dwanye Wolfe, Camaro, Foul – Red Light def. Eric Latino, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Brandon Snider, Corvette, 5.758, 249.16 def. Jeffery Barker, 6.021, 199.67; Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.754, 249.53 def. Chad Green, Camaro, 6.089, 232.87;
QUARTERFINALS — Jackson, 5.748, 250.23 def. Castellana, 5.762, 248.75; Snider, 5.761, 249.49 def. Gonzalez, 5.748, 249.21; Bond, 5.739, 248.89 def. Wolfe, Broke – No Show; Jones, 5.828, 245.85 def. Smith, 6.209, 184.17;
SEMIFINALS — Jackson, 5.771, 250.46 def. Jones, 5.876, 243.77; Bond, 5.746, 248.80 def. Snider, 5.807, 246.53;
FINAL — Bond, 5.738, 249.49 def. Jackson, 5.724, 252.43.
COMMERCE, Ga. — Point standings (top 10) following the 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the second of 12 events in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
Pro Modified
1. Justin Bond, 214; 2. Jose Gonzalez, 173; 3. Khalid alBalooshi, 110; 4. Brandon Snider, 107; 5. Steve Jackson, 105; 6. JR Gray, 103; 7. (tie) Jeffery Barker, 85; Rickie Smith, 85; 9. Alex Laughlin, 84; 10. (tie) Justin Jones, 81.
Dwanye Wolfe, 81.
This story was originally published on May 3, 2021. 
