NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In a dramatic, winner-take-all second-round race at the Dodge NHRA Finals presented by Pennzoil, defending world champion Steve Jackson clinched the 2020 championship in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Modified Series presented by J&A Service.

By defeating Snider, 5.77 to 5.78, Jackson and his supercharged Bahrain 1 Camaro earned a semifinal bye due to the 11-car field that ensured enough points to prevent the remaining challenger, Khalid alBalooshi, from surpassing him.

There have been six different winners in the season’s six races, and five different points leaders. The class, which like quite a few others was supposed to debut at the Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, but the pandemic forced the first race to Indianapolis at the third event after racing resumed.

Chad Green won that race to take the early lead but lost the lead to Kris Thorne at the next event after Thorne put together back-to-back semifinal showings. Jackson took the lead for the first time after winning the U.S. Nationals, but an early loss in Gainesville and a runner-up by Mike Janis boosted Janis into the lead

Jackson retook the lead in Dallas after a runner-up behind Snider, who had clocked semifinal finishes at the U.S. Nationals and Gainesville and took over second place. Jackson’s surprising first-round loss in Houston to Alex Laughlin and yet another semi by Snider put Snider into the lead heading into the finale.