After taking off the month of May, the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) will return to action this weekend at the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VI, June 21-22, at Empire Dragway. The rural New York track has become a staple on the NEOPMA schedule since the first edition of the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge in 2021. Empire will also host the NEOPMA in August.
“It’s always a joy to come back to Empire Dragway for the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge,” said John Mazzorana, founder and president, NEOPMA. “Empire can be a long tow for some of our racers, but they make the drive because the Empire Dragway staff and fans treat them so well. The fans in this area have really embraced our club over the last few years. Track owner Jerry Scaccia and his team roll out the red carpet, providing a fantastic racing surface and great hospitality. We’re in for an exciting weekend.”
The 2024 NEOPMA season opened at Maryland International Raceway’s Door Wars in late April. The father-son duo of Mike Decker Jr. and Mike “Hollywood” Decker III met up in the final round, where Decker III scored his first Pro Mod win. Both drivers are expected to compete in the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VI, along with standouts like Derek Ward, James Beadling, Andy Jensen, Kenny Lang, Dave Texido, Melanie Salemi, Mike Stawicki, and John Vergotz. Canadian Pro Mod hitters like Jay Santos, Paolo Giust, and Cedric Beaulieu are also expected to attend.
“We’ve had quite a few Canadian teams race with us over the years, and that attendance always goes up when we’re close to Canada at Empire,” Mazzorana said. “Between our touring regulars and some of the local teams that will join us this weekend, we should see a full field of fast cars. Numerous drivers on the entry list are capable of running into the low 3.60s and even the high 3.50s at over 200 MPH.”
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.
The Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VI will also include the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, featuring a 32-car qualified field of Top Sportsman and Top Dragster entries, and Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS), featuring a 16-entry field of motorcycles and snowmobiles.
Qualifying sessions at the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VI are set for Friday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., as well as Saturday at noon. Eliminations will follow at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Spectators can find more info at www.NEOutlawProMods.com and www.EmpireDragway.com.
This story was originally published on June 20, 2024. 
