PMRA: Wildgust to drive the Silbermann team entry

AJAX, ONTARIO (March 24, 2007) - One of the new PMRA teams is ready to make its mark on the Pro Modified Racing Association’s 2007 tour.

“All the testing is behind us,” said Pro Modified car owner Kirk Silbermann recently. “This will be our first full year with the car. We’ve only got two passes on it.”

The Silbermann car is the Ajax Engines/Mobil 1 1957 Chevy-bodied Pro Modified, running a 526-cid Brad Anderson Hemi, an SSI supercharger, and an ERD/Carl Spiering fuel system.

Last year the team, with Stratford’s Scott Wildgust at the wheel, made only a couple of runs getting the car sorted out. But this year the ’57 will be a familiar sight at the PMRA events. Wildgust, a former Alcohol Funny Car driver, will also be driving the Pro Modified this year when the team competes in two or three IHRA National events.

“We’re going to support the Pro Modified Racing Association series,” said Silbermann at his Ajax engine facility about the PMRA series. “We’re going back to having some good old fun.”

Silbermann mentioned he started racing himself in 1992, and by 1998 was running in the Top Sportsman and Pro Modified classes after purchasing a 1941 Willys-bodied car from fellow Canadian Gary Irving, one of Pro Modified’s early contenders.

As crew chief with the ’57 Chevy, Silbermann said he really has no desire to get back behind the wheel. “That’s over for now,” he said. “I enjoy the management part.”

Now in its third year of operation, The Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), www.ProModifiedRacing.com, has enjoyed strong fan popularity and will present some of the best in Pro Modified racing for 2007.

The PMRA will travel to several drag strips in 2007, including two dates at Toronto Motorsports Park, Lancaster Raceway Park in New York State, Sanair in Quebec, and the Southwestern Ontario track of Grand Bend Motorplex.

In 2006, the tour was a great success, and during the past two seasons of the PMRA, each event finished with a different winner. Joe Boniferro and Kasey Janzen tied in points last year and were crowned co-champions over the other Ontario, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania teams. Wix Filtration Products, Valvoline, a division of Ashland Inc., Uni-Select, and Moen Incorporated will sponsor the PMRA points series in 2007.

For more information, contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher: Mehlenbacher@ProModifiedRacing.com

From the PMRA