Racers for Christ Named Official MWPMS Ministry

TULSA, OK (Nov. 20, 2017) – The Frankenstein Engine Dynamics Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) is pleased to announce that Team RFC (Racers for Christ) has agreed to serve as its official ministry at all MWPMS and Mid-West Outlaw Radial Series (MWORS) events next year.

“It is our privilege to welcome Team RFC and all Racers for Christ personnel to our events,” series organizer and competitor Keith Haney said. “Prayer plays a big part in all forms of racing and I know the competitors and fans of the Mid-West Pro Mod Series and Mid-West Outlaw Radial Series will be equally happy and grateful to have Team RFC at their sides throughout our 2018 season.”

Team RFC was created to provide a non-denominational ministry that brings inspiration and comfort to everyone involved in the motorsports world, said Racer for Christ South-Central Regional Director Joey Keith.

“It’s an honor to serve the racing community and this series,” he stated, adding that Team RFC is no stranger to working with Haney at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park, which he co-owns and operates with fellow MWPMS racer Todd Martin.

“Racers for Christ does so much good for all of us, but it costs a lot just for them to make it out to the track and offer their unique brand of ministry and services. So I encourage all MWPMS and MWORS racers and their friends and fans to consider donating to Team RFC,” Haney suggested. “It’s a simple but valuable gesture that I know will pay back many times over.” 

To learn more about Racers for Christ, or to make a secure, online donation to Team RFC please visit www.teamrfc.org.

ABOUT THE MID-WEST PRO MOD SERIES

The Frankenstein Engine Dynamics Mid-West Pro Mod Series is an all-eighth-mile, no-profit organization that typically competes during each host track’s biggest event of the year. Its appearance is entirely funded by sponsorships passed along to benefit the host tracks (typically about $10,000). The Mid-West Pro Mod Series also provides trackside sponsor banners to be displayed at each event, on-site PA sponsor announcements, and links to each company on the MWPMS website (www.MidWestProModSeries.com), plus an extensive social-media presence, e-mail blasts and commercials during all events. Complete class rules are posted on the MWPMS website.

Frankenstein Engine Dynamics Named MWPMS Title Sponsor

TULSA, OK (Nov. 16, 2017) - The Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) proudly announced today that Frankenstein Engine Dynamics (FED) has signed on as title sponsor for the 2018 MWPMS season. Following a successful five-race season this year, the MWPMS recently released a confirmed seven-event
schedule for 2018, with a tentative eighth race still being negotiated.

"We couldn't be happier or more excited going forward with Frankenstein Engine Dynamics so prominently attached to the Mid-West Pro Mod Series," stated MWPMS organizer and promoter Keith Haney, who also competes within the series. "I really appreciate the confidence and commitment the guys at Frankenstein are showing toward us and believe gaining a major backer like Frankenstein really demonstrates the strength of our organization."

Chris Frank, president and development engineer at Frankenstein Engine Dynamics, said that after being part of the racing community for 12 years everyone at FED is equally excited to both sponsor and compete in the Tulsa-based MWPMS.

"You will see us testing our latest products at every event with two Pro-Mods piloted by veteran driver Brandon Pesz and newcomer Justin Jones. Later in the season you will also see us testing our radial car in the LDR and X275 classes," Frank said. "We also will have a booth set up at half track for every event, so people can come see the products we are running on our cars and talk to us about what we are developing next."

Among the state-of-the-art performance products FED will introduce to MWPMS competition is its unique "P-48 Evolution" Hemi Head, which was designed, developed, manufactured, and tested in its Weatherford, TX-based facility. "We gained over 400 rear-wheel horsepower on our Top Alcohol Funny Car with these heads against all competitors on our Mainline Dyno and invite any team to come try it for themselves," Frank said.

He added that Frankenstein Engine Dynamics is dedicated to helping all MWPMS teams realize their full potential and enters the series determined to offer an unmatched level of service and support on race day. "Whether you have our product or not, even if that means helping you beat us in the finals," Frank declared. "We look forward to bringing excitement to the sport and helping our local series pay out big time!"

The 2018 Frankenstein Engine Dynamics Mid-West Pro Mod Series season will open Mar. 2-3, at the brand-new Xtreme Motorsports Park in Trumbull, TX, near Dallas.

Frankenstein Engine Dynamics offers access to a professional install shop with a multitude of services including custom CNC porting and machine work, chassis dyno, engine dyno, Spintron, and additional customer service and support. For more information on Frankenstein Engine Dynamics, call (817) 556-2434 or visit online at frankensteined.net.

 

ABOUT THE MID-WEST PRO MOD SERIES

The Mid-West Pro Mod Series is an all-eighth-mile, no-profit organization that typically competes during each host track's biggest event of the year. Its appearance is entirely funded by sponsorships passed along to benefit the host tracks (typically about $10,000). The Mid-West Pro Mod Series also provides trackside sponsor banners to be displayed at each event, on-site PA sponsor announcements, and links to each company on the MWPMS website (www.MidWestProModSeries.com), plus an extensive social-media presence, e-mail blasts and commercials during all events. Complete class rules are posted on the MWPMS website.

 

Mid-West Pro Mod Series Releases 2018 Event Schedule

TULSA, OK (Nov. 14, 2017) – Fresh off its inaugural, five-event season, the Tulsa-based Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) announced an expanded seven-race schedule for next year, with a tentative eighth event still in the works. Additionally, a sister organization, the Mid-West Outlaw Radial Series (MWORS), was created to race alongside the MWPMS, with a standalone Drag Radial event scheduled for March in Tulsa.

“What we’ve done is work together with the race tracks and promoters to create a points series for the Drag Radial guys. Instead of them just going from race to race, hoping to win or maybe finish runner-up, we wanted to give them the incentive to compete for a season championship,” Mid-West Pro Mod Series organizer Keith Haney explained.

The 2018 MWPMS/MWORS season will open Mar. 2-3, at the brand-new Xtreme Motorsports Park in Trumbull, TX, about 25 miles south of downtown Dallas.

“That’s a brand-new, all-concrete, state-of-the-art race track run by Gaylen Smith and we wanted to open up there in March to help give it a lift and really get it going,” Haney said. “If we bring all our great Pro Mod and Drag Radial racers down there I hope it’ll help to inspire the people around there to get out and keep supporting it.”

Next will be the Drag Radial-only event Mar. 30-31, at Tulsa Raceway Park, co-owned by Haney and fellow MWPMS competitor Todd Martin. From there, both series will visit historic Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, KY, for the first time Apr. 20-21, as part of the Outlaw Street Car Reunion event promoted by Tyler Crossnoe.

“When we were doing the schedule we looked at everything and one of the things we like about Beech Bend, beyond having a great track surface and such a rich drag racing history, is they have an awesome amusement park right there. We thought this would be the perfect place for MWPMS racers to bring their families and make a great weekend of racing and family time out of it,” Haney said.

A return to Tulsa follows May 11-12, with Gateway Motorsports Park, near St. Louis, two weeks later (May 24-26), followed by a June 29-30 visit to Heartland Park Topeka, in Kansas, where Pro Mod is a certainty, but Drag Radial is yet to be confirmed.

“Topeka is another track that’s not really known for Pro Mod racing, at least not since the ADRL was going there in the late 2000s, but now we’re going to this wonderful, exciting facility and giving them another big race they can sell to their loyal fans there,” Haney said. “That’s what I mean by saying we want to help the tracks and promoters succeed; we want to give them a great product to sell.”

Both series return to St. Louis Aug. 2-4, and unless the tentative event is established for September they will face a two-month gap before wrapping up the 2018 schedule Oct. 12-13, with a return to Tulsa for the MWPMS/MWORS World Finals.

“The beauty of this schedule is that the race tracks are already holding most of these races; we’re just adding the Mid-West Outlaw Radial Series points on top of what they’re already doing, so it doesn’t mean any more travel, work or expense than what the Drag Radial teams were already planning on doing. That’s what you call working together to benefit everyone. It’s for the betterment of the sport; everyone wins with this deal,” said Haney, who also competes in Pro Mod and Outlaw Drag Radial with two nearly identical-appearing 2016 Camaros and actually won two 2017 MWPMS championships with them.

“We’re doing all this to give our racers some great places to race, but it’s also about helping the race tracks and promoters to make money and keep these tracks open and profitable. In order to make that happen we’ll be bringing $10,000 to each track we visit next year to go toward a $22,000 guaranteed MWPMS purse. And the entry fee for Pro Mods is $400, but even if you lose in the first round it’ll pay $500, so racers just have to qualify and they’ll get more than their money back,” he added.

“It’s important to note, too, that the Mid-West Pro Mod Series is a no-profit organization. This is not about us making money at the end of the year. We just want to have enough to pay our bills while providing our sponsors with great value for their support and passing along as much as possible to our partner race tracks, and of course to our race teams.”

Haney described the potential September event as something that could be “really big and special,” suggesting it may be somewhat of an MWPMS all-star event, open to invited racers only. It also may feature both Pro Mod and Drag Radial racing, or just Pro Mod. “None of that has been firmed up yet,” he said, “but we hope to have an announcement on that real soon.”

He emphasized, too, that the 2018 MWPMS/MWORS schedule conflicts with only one NHRA race (the national event in April at Houston), and not any PDRA or NMCA races, which feature similar cars. “Not one of them, so that allows guys the flexibility of going after those races and points championships, too, if they want to,” he stressed. “That’s one of our big goals as a series, to not hurt any other series or race tracks by splitting the fields and forcing racers to choose who to support.”

Haney said he’s enjoyed great response from MWPMS competitors about the new schedule and venues for next year. “I’ve probably had 50 phone calls myself in just three days about how happy they are with the schedule and that makes me very happy and excited about going forward,” he said. “I really think 2018 is going to be another huge year for the Mid-West Pro Mod Series, and now the Mid-West Outlaw Radial Series, too.”

MWPMS/MWORS 2018 Schedule

Date                    Venue                                     Location

Mar. 2-3            Xtreme Raceway Park          Trumbull, TX       (PM & DR)

Mar. 30-31         Tulsa Raceway Park             Tulsa, OK           (DR only)

Apr. 20-21          Beech Bend Raceway Park    Bowling Green, KY (PM & DR)

May 11-12          Tulsa Raceway Park             Tulsa, OK           (PM & DR)

May 24-26          Gateway Motorsports Park    St. Louis, MO      (PM & DR)

June 29-30         Heartland Park Topeka         Topeka, KS        (PM & ?DR)

Aug. 2-4            Gateway Motorsports Park    St. Louis, MO      (PM & DR)

September         TBD                                   TBD                   (TBD)

Oct. 12-13          Tulsa Raceway Park             Tulsa, OK           (PM & DR)

ABOUT THE MID-WEST PRO MOD SERIES

The Mid-West Pro Mod Series is an all-eighth-mile, no-profit organization that typically competes during each host track’s biggest event of the year. Its appearance is entirely funded by sponsorships passed along to benefit the host tracks (typically about $10,000). The Mid-West Pro Mod Series also provides trackside sponsor banners to be displayed at each event, on-site PA sponsor announcements, and links to each company on the MWPMS website (www.MidWestProModSeries.com), plus an extensive social-media presence, e-mail blasts and commercials during all events. Complete class rules are posted on the MWPMS website.

'Dream Weekend' for Haney at Throwdown in T-Town

TULSA, OK (Oct. 18, 2017) - Days later, Keith Haney still can't quite believe he won the final event of the 2017 Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) inaugural season, as well as wrapped up two MWPMS class championships during the Throwdown in T-Town, Oct. 13-14, at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park.

 

"It was an absolute dream weekend; everything went just the way we planned, if that's even possible," Haney declared. "We didn't break anything, both cars were perfect, my crew chief, Brandon Switzer, he made all the right calls, and I don't want to sound like I'm bragging but the driver did his job, too. I really can't believe how smooth everything went. It just could not have gone any better."

 

Haney prevailed in the Pro Mod final thanks to a starting-line advantage over Jim Sackuvich to cap off a come-from-behind, championship-winning campaign in "Notorious," his nitrous-boosted 2016 Camaro. He doubled up with a semi-finals finish in "Enigma," a nearly identical-appearing second car that delivered the 2017 MWPMS Radial vs. the World crown for Keith Haney Racing (KHR).

"It was easily the biggest weekend of my drag racing career. And to be at home and have my friends and my kids, Logan, Madison and Alexis, here with me made it even more special," said Haney, a local new car dealer who also owns the Tulsa track with fellow racer Todd Martin. Additionally, he emphasized the "invaluable contribution and hard work" of crew members Dale Hancock, Cody Moore, Shane Goodnight, Trey Eberle, Cal Hancock, Farrah Fulps, Cole Pesz and Kimmy Pesz. "We had an honorary crew member with us, too, Eli Ramirez, a special-needs 5th grader from Jenks West Intermediate School, so it was really cool for everyone to have Eli share in the excitement with us."

A record 32 Pro Mod entries showed up for the 2017 MWPMS finale, with 28 making official qualifying attempts. Despite opting out of the third and final qualifying round on Saturday afternoon in order to coach his 10-year-old son's football game, Haney started on top of the 16-car race day field after running 3.77 seconds at 200.14 mph over the Tulsa eighth mile.

"I felt good about the time we ran in Q2 and obviously it wasn't going to get bumped out, but even if we hadn't been qualified I still would've left to coach the game. I have a lot of fun racing, but family comes first and I've also made a commitment to all my son's teammates and parents to be there as head coach, so that was never in question," Haney stressed.

Incredibly, Eddie Rogers, the MWPMS Pro Mod points leader heading into the Throwdown, struggled mightily throughout qualifying and failed to make the cut for eliminations. Then, in round two of competition, second-place qualifier Ron Muenks took out Jonas Aleshire, who was right behind Rogers in points, paving the way to the championship for Haney, who was third overall when the race began. 

Rick Wilson and his '69 Camaro rounded out the quickest Pro Mod field in history with a 3.96 qualifying run at Tulsa, but slowed to 4.04 seconds in the opening round of racing against Haney, who went 3.84 to advance to the second round. Once there, he ran a solid 3.80 to easily defeat an off-the-pace Taylor Lastor before facing Branden Lewis and his supercharged '57 Chevy in the semi finals. Haney admitted he did a "classic bad job at red lighting," as he left with a no-margin-for-error .001 reaction that allowed his 3.81-seconds pass to beat a much quicker 3.77 by Lewis.

That set up the final-round match with Sackuvich, who started his nitrous-fed '69 Camaro from the number-three slot before running low elapsed time for each round in dispatching Clint Satterfield, Wayne Roberts and Muenks with a 3.766 pass in the semis that gave him lane choice over Haney. When the green light flashed for the final time, though, Sackuvich posted his worst reaction time of the day while Haney left with a sizable .067 advantage prior to making his quickest and fastest run of the weekend at 3.77 and 200.68 mph to negate a quicker and faster 3.75 at 200.80-mph pass by Sackuvich in the left lane.

In Radial vs. the World, Texas racer Brandon Pesz had been driving "Enigma" for Haney at four previous MWPMS events this year and based on the strength of one win and a runner-up finish, he had the car on top of the points standings. With a prior racing commitment, however, Pesz was unable to compete at the Throwdown, so Haney stepped in for his first "twofer" experience as a driver in competition. And unlike Pro Mod, where points are not transferable between drivers, the MWPMS awards RvW points to team owners since multiple drivers throughout the year are common in the class.

"That's what allowed me to step in and help win the championship for our team," Haney said. "It was my first time ever driving both cars at a race, but Brandon would have been in it if he could have so I'm just happy I could help him out and finish what he started for our team."

Oklahoma's own DeWayne Mills arrived for the Throwdown second in MWPMS RvW points behind KHR and earned the number-one start over 11 other racers with a 3.821-seconds pass at 208.46 mph in his twin-turbocharged '68 Camaro. Starting second in Tulsa was Daniel Pharris, with third-place points contender Mark Micke also third in qualifying, Haney qualified fourth in his Enigma machine, and fourth-place points man Mark Woodruff fifth on the qualifying list.

Along with Scott Lowery, Mills, Pharris, Micke, Woodruff and Haney advanced from the first round, but in round two Mills would defeat Lowery, Haney would take down Micke and Pharris put an end to Woodruff's title hopes. The win also earned Pharris a bye through the semis and though Mills put Haney on the trailer, he had become mathematically out of reach of the KHR team for the championship. Unfortunately, however, threatening weather arrived late Saturdaynight just before the RvW final between Mills and Pharris, so the race was cancelled and the purse split.

Haney said he donated half of the $10,000 he received for winning the Pro Mod race to Chad Reynolds of Bangshift.com, who was running the live online feed from the Throwdown, as well as racing the Chevy station wagon previously campaigned by his wife, Daphne, who recently succumbed to cancer.

"I don't do this for the money," Haney said shortly after the Throwdown race win and MWPMS championships were secured. "I do it because I love drag racing and I want to see it prosper and flourish. I want to keep racers and fans interested in what we're doing and I want them to have fun, too.

   

"Right now, though, I'm honestly at a loss for words, and that doesn't happen too often, as anyone who knows me could tell you. It was a truly amazing weekend, the best I've ever had since 2007 when I got started in racing. I don't know if I'll ever be able to top it, but it's one that I'll never, ever forget, that's for sure."

Photos courtesy: MWPMS/Jimmy Biggs/Red's Drag Racing Photos 

TULSA, OK (Oct. 10, 2017) - Fresh off a second-round finish with his drag radial-equipped entry at No Mercy 8 in Valdosta, Georgia, veteran driver Keith Haney now has his sights set on returning home for Throwdown in T-Town at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park. Haney, a local new car dealer who also co-owns the Tulsa drag strip with fellow racer Todd Martin, will compete this weekend (Oct. 13-14) in two cars entered in two distinct classes for the Throwdown, which promises to be one of the biggest races nationwide this year.
 

With a 3.91-seconds pass at 197.36 mph over the eighth mile at South Georgia Motorsports Park (SGMP),

Haney qualified "Enigma," his nitrous-oxide-boosted 2016 Camaro 

19th for the event's top-level, 32-car Radials vs. the World field.

"No excuses, but we were trying out a whole new setup and that put us a little behind in qualifying," Haney explained. "Then, just before the final round of qualifying we realized we were nearly 150 pounds overweight with the car so we took more than a hundred pounds off, but didn't compensate enough for it and the nose came up and stayed up and I had to get out of it and that's what put us so far down the ladder."

After his first-round opponent was unable to make the call to race, Haney posted a solid 3.92 on a solo pass, but knew he'd have to step up again in round two against third-place qualifier Steve Jackson in his supercharged 2015 Camaro. With crew chief Brandon Switzer calling the tune-up, Haney opened with a stellar .013 reaction time, then made his quickest run of the weekend at 3.89 seconds, but finished just 17-thousandths of a second behind Jackson, who went on to finish runner-up in the final against DeWayne Mills

Haney purges the Nitrous from Enigma at No Mercy 8

"We didn't win but we made a respectable run against Stevie and it was good to see a fellow Oklahoman take home the race win, so congratulations to DeWayne," Haney said. "I also want to thank the track owner Ozzy Moya and everyone at SGMP and Lights Out; they were all super awesome to our race team and really made us feel good about being there."

That said, Haney is very much looking forward to getting back on his home turf this weekend, where he will enter Enigma in Radial vs. the World within the Mid-West Pro Mod Series portion of the Throwdown, and "Notorious," his almost identical appearing, Larry Jeffers-built 2016 Camaro in the even quicker and faster Pro Mod class for so-called "big tire" cars.

"Brandon Pesz has been driving the radial car so far this year and right now it's number one in Radial vs. the World points, and my other car that I've been driving all year is currently third in Pro Mod points," Haney said. "The good thing is we've got an even better tune-up figured out now for the radial car now and Notorious has been good all year so we've got a legitimate chance to win both championships in one day if things just go our way. To say I'm excited about the opportunity would be a huge understatement."

In addition to Radial vs. the World and Pro Mod, which currently has 28 confirmed pre-entries for Throwdown in T-Town, the Tulsa event will feature several more eighth-mile drag racing classes, including a special MX 235 drag radial division that will pay $20,000 to the winner, headlining the largest race day purse ever for the class

Haney raced to a 2nd-round finish in Radial v. World this past weekend at No Mercy 8 in Valdosta_ GA

ABOUT KEITH HANEY RACING

Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Keith Haney Racing (www.keithhaneyracing.com) fields two cars in the Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS), as well as for select Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) races and one-off special events. Keith Haney Racing appreciates the support of sponsors Lucas Oil, Strange Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Reher-Morrison Racing Engines, MoTeC Systems USA, Switzer Dynamics, Brandon Pesz Performance & Tuning, M&M Transmission, Menscer Motorsports, Total Seal, Mickey Thompson, Kryptonite Kustomz, and Larry Jeffers Race Cars