NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Dating back to the end of last season, there’s been no driver in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series who has been as impressive as Justin Bond. He’s advanced to three of the past four final rounds, including the first two events of 2021, picking up two wins in the process in his ProCharger-powered Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro.
 
The latest win came at the most recent event in Atlanta when Bond beat two-time defending world champ Stevie “Fast” Jackson on a holeshot in the final round, furthering the strong momentum the Canadian standout has built. Now, he’ll look to win at zMAX Dragway at his four-wide debut as part of this weekend’s NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.
 
“I would say the biggest thing for our success is we’ve got a team that never gives up,” Bond said. “This team has had that ability to keep making runs and keep moving forward, and that makes the car more predictable. That allows us to just worry about the race and not have to worry about anything else.”
 
The race is the third event of the 2021 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season and will be shown on Fox Sports 2 (FS2). Former world champ Mike Janis won the four-wide race in Charlotte in 2019, which was the most recent four-wide race in the class. Bond will look to keep his hot streak going at drag racing’s biggest spectacle and he’s eager to take on the four-wide challenge.
 
That confidence has been bolstered by a terrific run of events, which dates back to last year. Bond didn’t make his debut until Houston in October, but he won that race in impressive fashion and advanced to the semifinals in Las Vegas. He opened the 2021 campaign with a final round showing in Gainesville, also qualifying No. 1, and took over the points lead in Atlanta with his second career win. Bond hasn’t qualified worse than third in that stretch, which has him confident he can continue to perform well even while facing a new challenge.
 
“I’m looking forward to it,” Bond said. “I’m going to take what’s in front of me and realize that I can make some mistakes, but so can everyone else. The thing about drag racing is you have to be prepared to beat everyone there. I’m not going to let racing in a four-wide event make me shy.”
 
To win in the loaded E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Bond will have to be on his game in a new setting. But he’s been impressive on the starting line as of late and that will be a key factor during the four-wide race this weekend. Bond will also have to get by the likes of Jackson, Gainesville winner Jose Gonzalez, Alex Laughlin, class newcomer J.R. Gray, teammate Khalid alBalooshi and Brandon Snider.
 
“I’m able to go out there and have fun, and I’ve got a good rapport with the crew and team,” Bond said. “It’s kind of like the more you do something, the more comfortable you get with it. We’re just dealing with one lap at a time and we’re not worried about points or all that. We’re just trying to get through each round and when it’s your day to win a race, it’s your day.”
 
Featuring the world’s fastest doorslammer race cars, the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast. The class is highlighted by historic muscle cars, as well as a variety of late-model American muscle cars.
 
The first of three qualifying sessions for the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service takes place at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 14, with the final two rounds scheduled for 12:45 and 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. The first round of Pro Mod eliminations are slated for 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 16.
 
Tickets are on sale for Friday’s and Sunday’s action at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals and may be purchased by visiting www.zmaxdragway.com or calling 800-455-3267. Children 13 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.