MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 1, 2026) – Mike Stavrinos has enjoyed an impressive year in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports, but the standout has turned it on at a key time, leading the points race with only two events remaining heading into this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
It is the 10th of 11 races in the category and this weekend’s event is powered by M&M Transmission and Jerry Bickel Race Cars. It’s also the fourth of five races in Pro Mod’s Road to the Championship as the category closes in on the finale.
Stavrinos jumped into the lead with his victory on Sunday in Rockingham in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, giving him two wins this season and two final-round appearances over his last four races.
While the points lead is the ideal spot with two races remaining, Stavrinos knows not to get comfortable in the loaded NHRA Pro Mod field. Justin Bond is just nine points behind in second and Derek Menholt is 43 points back in third.
It will make for a thrilling final two races and Stavrinos is well aware of what he needs to do this weekend in St. Louis.
“Coming into St. Louis in this position is exactly where we want to be,” Stavrinos said. “The AAP team has really found its stride and the momentum we’ve built over the last few races gives us a lot of confidence. But the points are incredibly tight, so there’s no room to take anything for granted.
“We’re going to St. Louis focused on doing what we’ve been doing – qualifying well, making good runs and going rounds. At this stage of the championship, every point matters and we’re ready for the fight.”
The annual Pro Mod stop in St. Louis always comes at a key time and this year is no different with the championship hunt in full effect. It’s another loaded field that includes the likes of Billy Banaka, reigning world champion J.R. Gray, Stan Shelton, Stevie Jackson, Mike Castellana, Lyle Barnett and Jason Collins, with everyone looking to get the win at the penultimate race of the season.
“St. Louis is our home track, and after four consecutive years of supporting NHRA Pro Mod, this event has become an important part of our commitment to the racers and customers in this class,” said Mark Micke, owner and CEO of M&M Transmission.
“Our trackside maintenance and support are an extension of what we stand for every day — delivering the reliability, performance and technology these teams need to compete at the highest level. We’re proud to play a part in helping the quickest and fastest doorslammers in the world win races and set records.”
NHRA Pro Mod qualifying at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals will also feature an added battle this weekend with the $7,500 Aeromotive Showdown. The special qualifying award will go to the driver with the quickest average elapsed time across all four qualifying rounds, rewarding consistency throughout qualifying.
The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports features two qualifying rounds at 3:15 and 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday and the final two rounds of qualifying at 11 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 4:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, with eliminations continuing on Sunday.
A qualifying session from both Friday and Saturday, and a round of eliminations will be broadcast for free on NHRA’s YouTube page. Fans can subscribe to the channel to be notified when the class goes live on NHRA’s YouTube page.
Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under are free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more info on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
About M&M Transmission
When horsepower gets serious, racers turn to M&M Transmission. Founded by racer Mark Micke, M&M builds race-winning transmissions, torque converters and shifters trusted throughout drag racing. Designed, manufactured and tested in Jefferson City, Missouri — it’s proven performance, built by racers, for racers. Visit MandMTransmission.comand put M&M performance in your race program.
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
