IHRA: Harper has Pro Mod in hand

Billy Harper's sinister-looking black Dodge Viper is driven by a guy who is anything but sinister-looking. The Paducah, Kentucky resident is cheerful, amiable and approachable anytime – except when he's behind the wheel.
Back home, Harper is president of Harper Industries, a holding company for eight construction-related companies that do business in the southeast.

A degreed engineer, Harper began drag racing at the age of 16 near his home in Paducah. His first national win came in 1987 at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis.

As one of the few nitrous-equipped Pro Modifieds, Harper's Viper runs a Sonny's-built V-8 on a Bickel chassis. He set the IHRA quarter-mile ET record at Maryland International Raceway with a time of 6.832 seconds in June.

Harper currently has 344 points, meaning about all he has to do to take the championship is show up at the IHRA Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsplex in Martin, Michigan, August 12 and 13.

But from second place on, there's a battle raging that will be settled in Michigan. Second at present is Rupert Tetsoshvili, who has 166 points. Just two points back in third is Adam Flamholc. And fourth, with 149 points, is Jerico Balduf.

U.S. 131 is one of the top tracks in the country, and the surface can typically take all the power thrown at it. Will records fall in Michigan? We'll know in a few weeks.