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LAS VEGAS - Rick Stivers ran only half of the races in the 2009 Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx but proved his skill and determination behind the wheel of the Trane '06 Stratus by making the final round in three out of five events, winning once and scoring top qualifier once as well. His performances earned him the No. 10 spot overall for the season, and positioned the Kentucky entrepreneur for a favored run at the World Championship in 2010. Stivers was sidelined for three races due to a crash during qualifying at the St. Louis race, and failed to qualify at Indianapolis and last weekend's Las Vegas NHRA Nationals. "Despite the crash in St. Louis and the DNQ's where we just struggled with the car and the track, we had an incredible year, thanks largely to Trane and of course Brad Anderson (team owner and crew chief) and his wife Carol," Stivers said. "I think that we had great chemistry with the whole team, and I have to thank my teammate Jay Payne and his wife Shelly, the guys on the crew -- Donnie Peterson, Andre Monarque, J.R. Clark and Scott Bertinotti - and my wife, Jill and son Rick Jr. for all their help and support during the season." Stivers won the race in Charlotte, N.C. and was runner-up in Houston and Richmond. He has won one Pro Mod Challenge race prior, the 2007 Richmond event. Stivers ended his weekend in Vegas on a high note, celebrating with his teammate Jay Payne, who won the event, as well as reveling in the announcement that NHRA will be running Pro Mod as it's own official season in 2010. The NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will feature ten races, increased purses, and will be featured on a stand-alone television series to be tape-delayed one week following a race and run on ESPN2 in the Sunday noon time-slot. "The announcement was really something that took us all by surprise, but as we think about racing, it is something we have all worked hard for over her for a really long time. Roger Burgess and Get Screened America did a great job this season running the show and putting a very professional operation into place, and I know that the results are clear by what Tom Compton (NHRA president) announced Sunday evening. "It makes me even more determined and focused to go out next season and pick up right where I left off. I'm gunning for a championship, and I think I've got the things in place to make that happen. This was just a preview of what's yet to come, and in 2010, we'll do our talking on the quarter-mile," Stivers said. "Now, in the time off, I'm going to get ready for my new grand baby to get here in just a few weeks, enjoy the family and the holidays, and then hit it hard come the first of the year," he added.
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