For Jon Salemi, pulling off one Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod win was already the stuff of dreams. Going back-to-back—securing victories at the richest Pro Mod race on the planet in consecutive seasons—felt almost too good to be true. Yet that’s exactly what Salemi and his group at Resolution Racing Services have done, most recently guiding Steve King’s screw-blown entry to victory lane.
During a recent appearance on The Wes Buck Show, Salemi shed light on the secrets behind those back-to-back WSOPM wins—and why “consistency over hero runs” is the mantra that’s carried his team to the top.
Salemi’s operation, which partners with G-Force Race Cars and MSR for chassis and power, has earned a reputation for delivering results on the sport’s biggest stage. He believes a key factor is having logged countless laps at Bradenton Motorsports Park, site of the WSOPM.
“We’ve been going to Bradenton for years,” said Salemi. “I’ve probably missed only a handful of seasons since 2005. But you don’t just show up and blast it. You have to make sure you survive. The track changes when the sun’s out, then changes again at night. You need a setup that can handle it all.”
His description of “surviving” is no exaggeration. The high-pressure environment of the WSOPM involves several days of testing, tight turnarounds between rounds, and little margin for error. Whereas some tuners aim to top the sheets in qualifying, Salemi’s strategy prioritizes making consistent, A-to-B passes when it counts.
“It’s not about being the quickest in qualifying,” he explained. “I used to be all about home-run shots, but when you look at the World Series, the name of the game is methodical tuning. Round after round, you just have to keep going down the racetrack. If you can pull off a nine-oh 60-foot at the right time, that might win you the round.”
Salemi’s approach was most visibly validated in 2024 when he tuned Derek Ward to an upset victory. But it was 2025’s success with King that truly cemented his back-to-back status.
A major piece of the puzzle, Salemi says, is trust and collaboration among everyone on the team. His son Evan, brother Jim, and engine builder Mike Stawicki form a cohesive unit capable of sorting through data at lightning speed. Even when conditions at Bradenton throw a curveball—like midday heat or a sudden drop in track temperature—they remain calm, adjust the tune, and keep moving forward.
“We preach consistency. That doesn’t happen by accident. There’s a ton of prep work before we ever get there. Then at the track, you’ve got to manage variables—weight, ride height, even eighth-inch changes to the suspension. You can’t leave anything to chance.”
Salemi also credits the savvy scheduling and format of the Drag Illustrated Winter Series, which groups multiple high-profile races into a tight window. By the time WSOPM eliminations roll around, Salemi and his crew have a trove of data from the two preceding events—a critical advantage when every matchup is a potential minefield.
His ultimate takeaway? The World Series of Pro Mod rewards the total package more than any single aspect of performance. Winning once is a major feat. Doing it twice—especially in fields loaded with 80+ cars and some of the biggest names in the sport—speaks to a true marathon-racer mentality.
“I still can’t believe we’ve gone back-to-back,” Salemi admits. “I just know if you want to be there at the end, you’ve got to make your best run every single time up. The crowd may go wild for a record-setting qualifier, but if you can’t repeat it in eliminations, you’re going to be watching from the sidelines.”
With two WSOPM titles in as many seasons, Salemi has established himself as one of the can’t-miss tuners in door-slammer drag racing. And while he’s proud of the milestone, he’s also dead set on making history again. In a class that thrives on unpredictability, don’t bet against Salemi fine-tuning another World Series upset when the next high-stakes eighth-mile showdown rolls around.
This story was originally published on March 21, 2025. 
