A long offseason is coming to an end this weekend for the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA), which will make its 2024 season debut at Maryland International Raceway’s 16th annual Atomizer Racing Injectors Door Wars presented by ATI Performance Products, April 26-28. Door Wars is NEOPMA’s first of two races at MIR and first of five points-earning events on the 2024 calendar.
“We’re always excited to kick off a new season at Maryland International Raceway,” said John Mazzorana, founder and president, NEOPMA. “Many of our teams have already been out this season, like our 2023 champion, Derek Ward, winner of the World Series of Pro Mod, but we also have a lot of teams that will be seeing the track for the first time this weekend. We’re expecting a strong car count and good weather, so it should be a fantastic race. I encourage the fans to come out and join us for a good time.”
Fans can expect to see NEOPMA’s standout drivers like Ward, as well as two-time series champion Mike Decker Jr. and his son, Mike “Hollywood” Decker III, Tommy Gray in the “Undertaker” Corvette, Matt Deitsch, Andy Jensen, James Beadling, Dave Texido, Bubba Greene, and Nick Montana. Canadian drivers like Jay Santos and Cedric Beaulieu, as well as Brazil’s Roderjan Busato, will represent the international Pro Mod scene.
“Assuming the weather is good, I would say we’ll see a few guys running in the 3.50-second range like Derek Ward and the Deckers,” Mazzorana said. “Some of the new guys coming in are very fast too, so we should have a pretty quick field. It will be a good mix of the power adders too – blowers, turbos, and nitrous.”
Throughout the weekend, NEOPMA will pay tribute to Chris Miller, whose untimely passing struck the MIR community and drag racing world in general. Miller was one of the sons of track owner Royce Miller, and after working at the track for many years, he served as the co-owner of Miller Brothers Productions, the Xtreme Dragbike Association, and the World Cup Finals.
“We’re going into this weekend with mixed emotions,” Mazzorana said. “We’re going to dedicate this race to the memory of Chris Miller. We’ve been holding events at MIR since the early ‘90s, and quite honestly, Royce Miller is one of the people we love the most. Losing a child is probably one of the worst things in the world. We want the Miller family to know we’re here for them.”
The 2024 NEOPMA season is made possible by ATI Performance Products, American Racing Headers, Jerry Bickel Race Cars, VP Racing Fuels, USA Auto Supply Inc., as well as club member sponsors Fred Scriba and Kurt Steding.
Along with NEOPMA action, Door Wars will include the Warriors Outlaw Drag Racing Team, MPC Real Street, the DMV N/T Heavy Hitters, and J&R Promotions Top Sportsman Quick 16, as well as the 1320 Fabrication ET Series presented by East Coast Collision classes Top ET and Mod ET.
NEOPMA Pro Mod qualifying at Door Wars will kick off Friday with one session at 8 p.m. Qualifying continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. One round of eliminations will be contested at 8 p.m. Saturday, while eliminations will continue Sunday at 11 a.m.
For more info on the NEOPMA and MIR’s Door Wars, visit www.NEOutlawProMods.com and www.GoRaceMIR.com.
This story was originally published on April 25, 2024. 
