NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In a wild final round, Billy Banaka picked up his first career victory in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, defeating Mike Castellana, Sidnei Frigo and Mason Wright in a chaotic final quad at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals.

It marked the second of the category’s four-race “Road to the Championship” playoffs and the event, which is the eighth of 10 in 2025, was powered by Shelton Insurance and Real Estate in Charlotte.

Banaka went red at the starting line, but Wright rolled the starting line beams before him and both Frigo and Castella left before the tree was activated. Banaka then went 6.551 seconds at 140.63 mph and narrowly missed crossing the starting line. But he still picked up the victory in what was the first-ever playoff four-wide race in NHRA Pro Mod history.

“It’s very memorable. It was a little screwed up, but I thought I’d lost, really,” said Banaka. “I think the whole thing was a mess up, but it worked out in my favor. I’d like to thank my wife for being here, my crew chief, my whole family at home, my kids and my whole crew. They did a great job.”

The wild win, which was the first of Banaka’s career in Congruity NHRA Pro Mod, also sent him into the points lead, as he now leads Mike Stavrinos by 34 points with two races remaining. Stavrinos, who won in Indy to open the postseason, didn’t qualify in Charlotte and was bumped to second. Frigo is currently third, 55 points back of Banaka, and Wright is 65 points behind in fourth.

Banaka went 5.714 at 250 to win his opening-round quad and he followed with a 5.715 at 249.21 to advance to the championship round.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 26-28 as part of the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.