CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 18, 2025) – Coming off the biggest win of his career in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Michael Stavrinos is primed for a run at the championship in the class.
His victory in Indy at the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals was the perfect start to the four-race “Road to the Championship” playoffs in the category and Stavrinos is eager to continue his hot streak at this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
The four-wide spectacle adds a whole new thrilling dynamic to the playoff race in Pro Mod and Stavrinos can’t wait to get the weekend going in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro.
“Winning at Indy is the highlight of my career so far and to come out of such a historic race with the Wally and the points lead is an incredible feeling,” Stavrinos said. “Our team has worked tirelessly to get here and carrying that momentum into Charlotte gives us a lot of confidence.”
This weekend is the eighth of 10 events during the 2025 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod season and the second of four playoff races. This weekend’s event in Indy is also powered by Shelton Insurance and Real Estate.
“We are excited to be part of the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals and support the NHRA Pro Mod category,” said Stan Shelton, President. “Just as NHRA Pro Mod represents power, performance and precision, we take pride in delivering protection, security and peace of mind for our clients across North Carolina.”
It’s the first-ever four-wide race in Pro Mod’s “Road to the Championship” and it’s a loaded 20-plus car field coming to Charlotte. Travis Harvey is the defending winner of the Charlotte fall race, but there’s an added dynamic this time around with the four-wide setup.
Stavrinos’ teammate, J.R. Gray, who had a dominating regular season, will look to get on track after suffering an early exit in Indy. He’s currently 61 points back in second, with multi-time world champ Rickie Smith 68 points behind Stavrinos. Billy Banaka is just a point behind Smith, while Derek Menholt, who was the runner-up in Indy, rounds out the top five.
The rest of the loaded lineup includes past champs Jordan Lazic, Mike Castellana, Stevie Jackson and Mike Janis, and standouts like Ken Quartuccio, Justin Bond and Mason Wright. It all adds up to a challenging weekend, but Stavrinos is ready and locked in on the task at hand.
“The competition in Pro Mod is as tough as it gets,” Stavrinos said. “But we’re focused on keeping the points lead and trying to win the championship.”
The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will kick off with two qualifying rounds on Friday at 3 and 5:45 p.m. ET, with the final two qualifying rounds set for 11:30 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, please visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
About Shelton Insurance and Real Estate
Since its founding in 1982 by Oscar Shelton, Shelton Insurance Center has been dedicated to protecting families, individuals, and businesses with reliable insurance solutions. In 2018, the company expanded its services to include real estate, further strengthening its mission of supporting and serving the community. For more information, please go to www.sheltoninsurancecenter.com.
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 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock 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.
