Joe Boniferro captures PMRA event at Grand Bend

Courtesy Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

GRAND BEND, ON (September 3, 2006) – A large contingent of Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA) competitors showed up at the Grand Bend Motorplex to do battle in the track’s “Castrol Thunder By the Beach – PMRA Challenge” weekend show, and Joe Boniferro of Niagara Falls, ON, won his first PMRA event.

“We finally got one,” said the driver of the Smokin Joe’s Dodge Avenger Pro Modified. “The track was a little slippery there in the final. I saw him coming up on me, but was able to put a little more into it to stay ahead at the finish.”

The win was the first for Boniferro, and his win marked the eighth different team victory in nine PMRA events for 2005 and 2006.

Taking runner-up was new PMRA member Jerry Bowles of Gadshill, ON, in his Diamond Motorsports, 526 Alan Johnson-powered 1941 Willys.

Qualifying and eliminations were interesting, and Terry Brown of Caledonia, ON wowed the large crowd with a career- best 6.420-second, 226.07 mph qualifying pass in his 1971 Challenger.

But former PMRA event winner Mark Nielson of Brantford, ON was on a mission as he powered his Nielson Motorsports 2000 Camaro to a 6.381-second, 210.46-mph lap to set him as number one qualifier.

Brown was next, followed by Bowles, then Boniferro, and St. Thomas winner Kasey Janzen of St. Catharines. Former PMRA champ Joe Lilienthal of Kenmore, NY, broke the rear end in his Jeep Pro Modified first round of qualifying, and had to sit out.

In the upset of the event, Nielson was taken out by number eight qualifier Rob Laperriere of Oshawa who motored to a win in his 1972 Vega as Nielson got loose several times trying to gain traction.

Boniferro took out Janzen in the first round, and Brown got a by run as Mark Mitchell of East Otto, NY, couldn’t fire his Studebaker Pro Modified for the round. Bowles just nipped by Dave Earhart of Strathroy, ON, in the closest race of the event, Bowles running a 6.578-second, 213.98 pass against Earhart’s strong 6.656-second, 215.00 mph effort.

Brown broke his engine, and couldn’t make the semi-final, so Bowles got a bye run, and Boniferro ran another straight and strong lap with his BI Chrysler 510 to park Laperriere.

When the final was run late in the evening, the track was getting a little slick, but both finalists ran straight and true, Boniferro posting his winning 6.756-second, 195.49 mph race over Bowles’ 6.997-second, 190.11 mph run.