NHRA Pro Mod ET Record Falls to Justin Bond in St. Louis
By Rachael Everett
Justin Bond and Billy Banaka rewrote the NHRA Pro Mod record books during the second round of qualifying at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, both laying down record-breaking passes to claim the national elapsed time record.
The previous national ET record had stood for more than five years after Jose Gonzalez ran a 5.621-second pass at Gainesville Raceway in 2021.
With conditions in St. Louis setting the stage for a fast second qualifying session, the Pro Mod field headed into Q2 knowing there was plenty of speed on the table.
Derek Menholt came agonizingly close to breaking Gonzalez’s record, running a 5.627 just moments before Bond and Banaka took to the track.
Bond then became the first driver to break through the 5.621 barrier, laying down a blistering 5.619.
“I know the weather is supposed to be better tomorrow, so I don’t know if this record will actually hold,” Bond told NHRA Pro Mod.
“We brought the car back after Q1. Brad [Personett] spent a couple of hours tinkering with the keyboard. We changed our tires and wanted to try something a little different, and it all worked out.”
But the record books were not finished being rewritten.
Banaka followed with an incredible 5.619 pass of his own, matching the time set by Bond and capping off an extraordinary second qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway.
“Yeah, it was a good run. Today’s our 42nd [wedding] anniversary,” Banaka said.
“It drove to the centre line. If I could have held it, I think it cost a couple hundredths, and I would have had the record to myself.”
The performances by Bond and Banaka mark a new milestone for NHRA Pro Mod, ending Gonzalez’s five-year hold on the national ET record and further raising the benchmark for one of the quickest and most competitive categories in drag racing.
