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IHRA: Ironhorse Qualifies for First-Ever IHRA Pro Modified Field

5 July 1998

CORDOVA, ILL.: The nation's Independance Day ended with a bang for Johnny Rocca. The veteran driver from Leesburg, Virginia sent his supercharged, fenderskirted 1949 Mercury on a pass that would forever seal his fate in history as the first driver in the history of Pro Modified to ever qualify a classic Mercury for final eliminations. Rocca qualified 10th with a 6.683/207.98. This is something that he feels has been way overdue..

"All I can say is that we did it," Rocca exclaimed. "We have went to the ends of the earth to try and make a field dating back to last year. It got frustrating, but we never quit. Tonight, we gain our due reward."

Rocca will square off against the Texan-based driver Landon Jordan in the first round of the IHRA Summer Nationals.