FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action in Charlotte at Race Powered by Culp Lumber Company

CONCORD, NC – April 27, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The wild and exciting FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports returns to action at one of the biggest spectacles in drag racing, bringing their unpredictable action to zMAX Dragway as part of this weekend’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

It’s the first event for the category since the season-opener in Gainesville in early March and the second of 10 races during the 2023 season. This weekend’s event is powered by Culp Lumber Company and will be featured during Sunday’s broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), which begins at 6 p.m. ET.

The defending event winner of the four-wide race in Charlotte is defending world champion Kris Thorne, but Justin Bond has the early-season momentum after picking up the victory in Gainesville.

A year ago, Stan Shelton also advanced to the final quad a year ago and the Pro Mod driver works closely with Culp Lumber Company. His wife, Amy, is an executive at the company, which is excited to sponsor the category for the first time at this weekend’s race at zMAX Dragway.

“Charlotte is our home track for NHRA, so it was a logical decision to utilize the sponsorship afforded to NHRA Pro Mod to raise awareness for our family-owned company. Culp Lumber began in the early 1920’s by Henry W Culp Sr. and now employs over 100 employees,” said Amy Shelton, an executive at Culp Lumber.

“We are proud to be a third-generation, family-owned company, situated in London, N.C. We produce 125 million board feet of pine lumber each year. This lumber is shipped mainly to northern markets into New England and west to the Mississippi River. Our family has spent many years watching drag racing at Charlotte and even though we come from a tractor pulling background, NHRA Pro Mod is now our passion!”

A victory in Charlotte would mark the biggest moment in Shelton’s career and he impressed last year with his performance in a four-wide setting, which presents one of the most unique challenges in the sport. But it won’t be easy in a loaded field that will include an impressive 21 cars in Charlotte. That includes class newcomers, as well as talented drivers like Thorne, Bond, Lyle Barnett, who also advanced to the final quad last year in Charlotte, multi-time world champ Rickie Smith, J.R. Gray, Sidnei Frigo and former world champ Khalid AlBalooshi.

Bond got the best of everyone in Gainesville, qualifying second and then knocking off…