Nielsen Motorsports

July 16/08
Grand Bend, Here we come!!
The Nielsen Motorsports team have been busy making the final preparations for the IHRA Mopar Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend Motorplex July 18-20 2008. Hoping to build on our momentum this season, The team will be looking to make a better showing than last year. When asked about the upcomming race, Mark said: "although we took home the Best Appearing Pro Car honour last year, we didn't give the Canadian fans a good look at what the Yenko Super Camaro can do on the track". The entire team is pumped to be racing close to home as we have so many friends who will be there for us.
We are also told the "camping division" will be out in full force this weekend.
See you at the Track!

Nielsen Motorsports Qualifies Third
at KC Auto Family Day Event

Battling changing atmospheric conditions & setting the car up for one of the stickiest tracks ever encountered, Nielsen Motorsports put the YSC in the number three spot for eliminations at the KC Auto Family Day event. With our 6.319 second, 231.75 mph run, we were looking forward to our first round match against Sam Andreacchi and his cool, supercharged 1969 Nova. Mother nature had other plans as the weather halted the show for the evening. During preparations for first round Sunday, severe weather put a damper on another PMRA event at Cayuga Dragway.
Fortunatly, with qualifying completed Saturday evening the field is set for what will be an exciting race weekend September 13-14 at Cayuga Dragway.

The weekend began with Mark & the Yenko being the first Pro mod to make a full pull on the hot & tricky racing surface. With a track temp of 137 degrees, the result was a 6.201 at 233.52 mph. At the end of the first session, the team was qualified 4th.

Friday evening brought slightly cooler temps (Air 80 deg. Track 103 deg.). Mark & the Camaro responded with a 6.155 at 234.33 mph. With the heavy hitters in Pro Mod beginning to get a handle on the track, we were in the number 8 spot after this session.

Saturday afternoon qualifying took place during the hottest temps (air 88 deg. Track 138 deg) & worst atmospheric conditions (3000 ft corrected altitude) of the weekend. On a greasy track & with our mag drive belt going away, we managed a respectable 6.265 at 232.95. Even with a “keystone cops” style starting & staging procedure, Mark maintained his composure & drove the tricky surface well. 10th position was to be ours going into eliminations on Sunday. This was to be the final qualifying session as a severe thunderstorm ended racing for the day shortly thereafter.

Nielsen Motorsports wishes to thank Mike Janis Jr. & Sr. for the loan of the replacement mag drive. Thanks to Jon Salemi for finding the drive for us.

Our awesome ERD engine and Cynergy bodied G-Force race car worked great as usual.

Nielsen Motorsports looks forward to seeing all our friends at Grand Bend for the IHRA Mopar Canadian Nationals July 18-20, 2008.
(Photo by Roger Richards, Competitionplus.com)
Dave Ross

Nielsen Motorsports reached a personal milestone at the IHRA Motor City Nationals this past weekend. With ample ERD horsepower & our excellent G-Force chassis, the first qualifying pass was particularly gratifying. An out of the box 6.095 sec. at 237.46 mph. set the tone for the weekend. Our first 6.0! when asked how the run felt, Mark replied: “ The car got on the tire and pulled straight and smooth”.

The second qualifier was an excellent 6.113 sec. at 235.10 mph. These two runs allowed us the option to try a couple of different setups under race conditions during our next two attempts. These did not fare as well but more data was gathered for the future. When the dust settled from four rounds of qualifying, we were in the number 10 spot for Sunday eliminations.

Our first round match was once again the reigning world champ, Scott Cannon Jr. The track had been well prepared from Saturday’s pro round carnage (18 oil downs over the weekend). Although the tune up was more aggressive than the 6.095 effort and Mark was better on the tree this time, Scott once again showed why he is the world champ. Running a 6.005 sec. at 240.55 mph. to our 6.365 sec. at 186.92 mph.

Nielsen Motorsports are looking forward to our next race at the IHRA President’s Cup Nationals in Budd’s Creek, Maryland June 13-15, 2008.
(Photo by Bruce Biegler/Dragracecanada.com)

Rockingham, NC. April 20, 2008
Nielsen Motorsports 2008 season got off to a “Rocky” but promising start this past weekend.

The IHRA Spring Nationals was the first laps on the Yenko Super Camaro & we were tested by many small items that demanded the crew’s attention.

Fuel issues caused us to miss the first of four qualifying sessions for the weekend.

Our Friday night attempt was the first pass Mark had in the car since last fall. A little tire shake later, we were not yet in the show.

Saturday promised to be a better day. Temperatures in the low 80’s & clear skies kept spirits high. Round 3 of qualifying was the one we were looking for.

On only the second pass of the season, Mark & the YSC charged into the show at the number 6 spot with a 6.111 at 230.80 MPH. Our glory was short lived as inspection revealed a blocked

fuel nozzle which caused some piston damage. We attempted to repair the engine & make the “night of fire” but without our fourth team member Randy, we did not quite make it. Fortunately our stout numbers form the earlier session allowed us to remain in the show for Sunday in the 11th position.

Our Sunday match up was to be with the reigning World Champ, Scott Cannon Jr. When the tree came down, Scott’s comfort level with his car showed with a .090 reaction time.

Mark gave him a great race ending up with a 6.100 at 234.09 MPH to Scott’s 6.068 at 236.38 MPH.

After the weekend’s racing, Mark summed it up: “We worked very hard this weekend for only 3 passes, but made the best of it”

The Nielsen Motorsports crew are looking forward to our next race weekend. We may add a venue to our schedule. Stay tuned.

Many thanks to Carl, Terry & Rob from ERD for getting our engine well prepared for the season and invaluable advice.
Thanks also to Chassis Guru Jim Salemi from G-Force Racecars for your help with the chassis at the track.

Great weather & a long drive started the trip to Rockingham North Carolina for the IHRA World Finals. Coming off some good numbers at our last race, Nielsen Motorsports were looking to keep the momentum going with the Yenko Super Camaro. Rockingham Dragway is known for it’s great air & outstanding preparation. We were hoping this would favor our setup and make our jobs easier as Randy, our clutch specialist, could not make the trip this weekend.

Friday’s qualifying session found us in 15th spot with a 6.41 at 227.80 mph. In the show, but not for long. After finding some minor issues & working late Friday night, we felt ready for a better run Saturday. The next qualifying session showed us the importance of having all of our team members with us. A clutch mis-adjustment caused the car to move forward during the crucial staging process resulting in red light start. This wasted a very good 232.11 mph run with only a 7.235 ET. This also bumped us down to 20th spot. The crew carefully made adjustments & prepared the car for the final qualifying session on Saturday night. The stands were packed as usual for the final session & the atmosphere was great. As Mark staged the car the crowd was noisy & primed for a good run.

The Yenko left the line very hard & in a flash, we had our new best ever numbers: 6.104 at 234.17 mph! When qualifying was over, we were in the show at 12th, a very stout field indeed.

Sunday morning found us lined up against Kenny Lang. Kenny had qualified 4th with a 6.01 at 236.42 mph. Mark gave it all he could but we came up short with a 6.163 at 234.66 to Kenny’s 6.049 at 235.76.

The experience this weekend proved we are going in the right direction with our setup and set the tone for next year.

Nielsen Motorsports wishes to thank The ERD crew: Carl, Terry & Rob for all their hard work, help & advice in assisting us to get to this level.

We also would not be where we are without G-Force Racecars & the excellent chassis & setup Jim has provided us. (Great work with your own car this weekend Jim & Mike! 5.979 at 233.16 mph)
Can’t wait for next season!!!!!!!!!!

Sept 07
Dave Ross..
It was very cool to get that one. When the numbers first came up it showed both Kenny & us had run in the .30's. As we were walking to the cart to get Mark the announcer said the times over the PA & we freaked out. We had some issues to correct this weekend but I'd say we did it right. It has been a hectic few weeks. I'll sum up the past three races now:

The Weekend of August 24-26 kicked off tree straight weekends of racing for the Nielsen Motorsports Crew. This was the date of the Suzuki Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway. Mark & crew were ready to see if our knowledge of the new car could be put to good use, but it was not to be. After getting some Sportsman racing in on Friday, the weather decided we needed to wait for another weekend to race.

September 1-2 was the final race for the PMRA series. This promised to be an exciting weekend as the championship was going down to the wire. It would also be the only PMRA event we were ready to attend. The racing gods decided to humble our effort by throwing every obstacle they could at us. You know what they say.....What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

September 7-9 we were back with the IHRA at Toronto Motorsports Park for the Canadian Nationals. With careful preparation, we were hopeful that the Yenko would go as good as it looked. Friday's qualifying session put us 13th with a 6.310 at 230.41 mph. Saturday was great weather for racing but we were not going to have an easy time. The second qualifier we ran a 6.350 at only 199.23 mph. This moved us to 15th. A malfunctioning shifter proved to be our downfall as we had the same problem in the 3rd qualifier ending up 19th.

Back to Milan for the re-scheduled Suzuki Motor City Nationals September 21-23. The weather was much better this time & with renewed spirit we prepared the YSC for the first qualifying session on Friday night. We were a
little too aggressive with our setup & the Yenko blazed the tires at the hit. A 13.20 at 112.16 was still good for the 15th spot in the show. We knew better things were in store for Saturday. The second session was a good one resulting in a 10th spot with a 6.230 at 233.12 mph! Things were looking up.

The Saturday night session showed us we still knew how to shake the tires with only a 9.621 at 92.78 mph. When the session was over, we were qualified lucky 13. Sunday was to be our best day to date with the new Camaro. Facing Shannon Jenkins first round, we knew this was a whole new race track. Tire Shake again reared its head but Mark peddled & saved the run with a 6.894 at 204.94 mph. Shannon's car barely left the starting line before the shake set in. Round 2 we had to face the #1 qualifier, Kenny Lang. Adjustments were made for weather & track conditions..........

What a race! Mark was on Kenny's door all the way. When the scoreboards lit up, we had done it! 6.157 at 232.83 mph. We had lost the round, but went out with a good fight. Many thanks to Jim Salemi & Jon Salemi for their advice& assistance and our friends at ERD for an awesome powerplant.

A great first full pass on the Yenko Super Camaro kicked off a good weekend of racing for Nielsen Motorsports at the IHRA Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals . The result: 6.236 at 229.63 mph. “I didn’t have quite enough starting line rpm, I believe we could have got into the teens” explained Mark.

This ET was enough to put us in the show at the #13 spot after 3 rounds of qualifying. The track would prove to be very tricky all weekend and many cars could not find the correct setup.

Our first round opponent would be the reigning World Champ, Quain Stott. This match up proved to be a “peddle fest” as Mark got to the stripe first with only a 6.517 at 223.28 mph while Quain hit the wall trying to re-gain traction.

Our second round opponent was Matt Hagan who had previously taken out Mike Janis and was ready for the challenge. Matt switched us into the recently repaired left lane just before we staged & this proved to be the deciding factor. While Matt shook the tires, the Camaro shook worse & could not make up the difference.

Our thanks again to ERD (Carl, Terry & crew) for all your help & G-Force Racecars for an awesome ride!
See you all next at the Suzuki Motor City Nationals August 24-26 at Milan Dragway.

Yes, this a real IHRA legal ProMod built by Al Billes Racing for Al himself.Has qualified at numerous IHRA national events and won many Outlaw Promod races.Runs 6.20's in legal trim.

This car will be available as a complete car, with clutch and fuel system tune-up until Oct 01,06 after which time only the roller will be for sale.

For more information and photos, contact Mark at, 519.752,3701x222 or 519.449.3775 or email marksabro@yahoo.com Can arrange delivery within reason. Pease, serious enquiries only.

The IHRA Mopar Parts Canadian Nationals was the perfect place to reveal to the public the awesome new Pro Mod Yenko Camaro from Nielsen Motorsports. We received nothing but complements from all. The ultimate complement being the award from IHRA as Best Appearing Pro Car.

Our qualifying effort was limited to 2 runs by defective new parts but all data indicates the car responded as expected to adjustments made by the team.

“The crew found an issue with some small parts that could have led to major damage had we continued” explained Mark Nielsen.

“After exploring all options, we decided to park the Camaro for the remainder of the weekend. It’s definitely a disappointment but we’ll be ready to step on it for Martin MI.”

The next event in the IHRA Knoll Gas Nitro Jam series is the Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals at Knoll-Gas Motorsports Park US131, August 3-5, 2007.

BUFFALO, NY (June 12, 2007) - G-Force Race Cars Inc. is proud to announce the completion of Mark Neilson's Yenko Pro Modified Camaro. Neilson took delivery of the new piece late last week on has some finishing touches to apply to the new hot rod before hitting the track in Late June or Early July.

Jim Salemi, owner of G-Force Race Cars says, "I've built a lot of these Cynergy Composites Camaro's and this one makes a new statement. Mark chose the Yenko theme which is a classic and the color is very unique too. I'm sure it will perform like the other G-Force Cars on the track too".

Neilson also took delivery of his new ERD built Hemi Power to be placed between the frame rails of the new ride. Neilson exclaimed, "It's like a getting the best toy when you are a kid. Now it's just more expensive. Myself and the rest of the team are really looking forward to the moment that we get to run the new car. I'm real confident that the G-Force chassis and ERD power will provide the tools to be contenders at all the races we enter".

Hi there ProMod racing Fans!!
News from Nielsen Motorsports Headquarters

New Race Car???

click images to enlarge.

Nielsen Motorsports is pleased to confirm the rumors that have been floating around all off-season... Yes, it's true; Mark is having a new Pro Mod built as we write this hot bit of news! And you guessed it...it's another Camaro!!

G-Force Race Cars in Tonawanda N.Y. was commissioned a year ago to build Mark a new '68 Camaro. It will sport a Cynergy Composites built body designed by world famous Aussie ProMod guru Murray Anderson. The car will be the Rally Sport version with an element wing.

The new car's theme will be a tribute to one of the ultimate and most desirable '60's Muscle Car to ever hit the pavement, the famous Yenko Camaro!! The car will be painted in a factory light blue colour with pearl overlays, feature authentic reproduction white stripes and Yenko emblems. We expect the car to attract a lot of attention as there will be no contingency decals or other distractions from its theme. It promises to be one of the coolest ProMods on the circuit!

Why select a G-Force car? Mark could see the early success of Jim Salemi's own Camaro and wanted to lay down some green and secure a spot before the line up got too long as others recognized that Jim had 'the formula' for a great car. The success of his cars in the ‘06 season supports the decision. A review of the Qualifying sheet from Rockingham shows, 5 cars of the fastest 16 car field ever were G-Force cars. Commisso 6.10, Stawicki 6.09, Janis 6.06, Spiering 6.03, Hoover 6.07. Both Commisso and Janis won National Events. Spiering was the most consistent qualifier during the whole season. And with G-Forces' close proximity to the Nielsen Motorsports home base, the choice was simple.

New Power!!!

No longer will we be lacking in the Horsepower Department!! Our BAE Hemi from last year will be updated with some new BAE 6 heads, receive some new ERD tricks and top it off with a new PSI/ERD Stage one Blower and ERD fuel system. Carl and Terry debuted this combo on Carl's car at the last race of the year at the Rock, and after only two runs went a 6.03 flat. Lots of potential here!!! You Bet!!

Thanks for stopping by and we'll keep you posted!! Mar19/07

Several teams including ours under estimated the available bite &
shook the tires. When the last pairs of cars ran, the bump was lowered to a 6.259 placing us as first alternate for Sunday.
We were fortunate to meet the Disturbed Motorsports crew. Eddie Ware, Sam Ware, Scott Hollis & Chris Morrison form Rupture Streetware are great people & lots of fun. They also have a bad hot rod.

Nielsen Motorsports has concluded our racing schedule for this season. The trusty N'Aero Camaro is now for sale. It is available turn key until October 1, 2006. After that date the car is available as a roller. Contact Mark or
Dave for more details.

September 3, 2006
Heavy clouds & a constant light rain greeted Racers & Fans Saturday at Grand Bend Motorplex. Nielsen Motorsports & the rest of the PMRA competitors were ready to put on a great show for the first of what we hope becomes an annual event at GBM.
After hours of rain, Saturdays schedule was scrubbed & the entire event was to be run the next day.

Sunday at GBM was overcast but the rain held off. Qualifying began early in the afternoon. We under-estimated the traction available on the well groomed surface & shock the tires at the top of first gear. We made the field in
sixth spot but this was not our best effort.

IHRA Pro Modified has been on a roll this season & The IHRA World Nationals were no exception. With 42 of the best cars in attendance, making the field would be a challenge.

The Nielsen Motorsports team were optimistic that recent changes made to the car would allow us to break into the top 16. A two-step starting line control was getting it's first test on Friday afternoon. This run gave us a 6.618 at 219.08 mph. The car rolled the beams at the starting line, killing some E.T.

Between round maintenance revealed a fuel system glitch. This was corrected & the car was ready for Saturday's first session. The Saturday session was moved up to 1:30 from 3:00 due to a weather front moving into the area.

We had definitely found some power. When Mark stepped off the clutch, the car overpowered the sticky starting line & immediately spun the tires. Mark pedalled the car in a vain attempt to find traction. This shook the right door off the car.

The Saturday night session came with the threat of rain. Adjustments were made for the starting line & we were ready for our best shot yet. The launch was perfect & the car appeared to be on a great pass. The end result: 6.343 at 225.52 MPH. An ignition glitch had caused the rev limiter to activate earlier than it was set to, slowing the car. Disappointing, but more knowledge gained.

We will be at Grand Bend Motorplex for the Castrol Thunder By The Beach, September 2 & 3. See you all there!

Nielsen Motorsports chose to attend the IHRA Northern Nationals this weekend to continue to sharpen our national event setup.
This was a great test considering 41 Pro Mods were in attendance. This race was to test our setup in some very humid conditions. Our first qualifier gave us a"string straight" 6.382 at only 223.65 MPH. On our second attempt,

the car responded with a 6.426 at 221.38 MPH. Adjustments were made to correct the slight slide & we were ready for the" Night of Fire".
This shot gave us a 6.375 at 224.77 MPH. Good but not enough to bump into what became the quickest 16 car field in IHRA history. The list of non qualifiers read like a who's who of Pro Mod. When the dust settled, the bump was an incredible 6.188. We have our work cut out for us to pick up the pace, but with the help of
the ERD crew we will see results.

Nielsen Motorsports will be sitting out the Sanair PMRA event to make some changes to the car. The N'Aero Camaro will be ready to rumble at the upcoming IHRA World Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio August 24-27.

Nielsen captures PMRA season opener Popular victory at KC Auto Family Day Thunder Fest

CAYUGA, (June 24, 2006) – Mark Nielsen captured his first victory in Pro Modified Racing Association PMRA) competition with a popular win to open the 2006 PMRA season.

The PMRA race was part of the KC Auto Family Day Thunder Fest event at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Nielsen, of Brantford, ON. “I’m feeling pretty good.”

Qualifying fifth in the Nielsen Motorsports 2000 Camaro-bodied Pro Modified, Nielsen bested 2005 PMRA Champion Joe Lilienthal of Kenmore, NY, in a wild and slippery final.

“The track was pretty wet out there,” said Nielsen after the race. “I had to get out of it real early.”

Lilienthal, who qualified third with his Jeep-bodied Pro Modified, was running consistent passes all day in the mid-six-second range, but his 7.866-second final was not good enough for Nielsen’s 7.233-second winning pass.

Semi-finalists were Ralph Andreacchi of Maple, ON, in his 1953 Studebaker, and Terry Brown of Caledonia, ON, in his 1971 Dodge RT Challenger.

Top qualifier Kasey Janzen of St. Catharines set the pace for the field with a 6.490-second, 214.86-mph pass, but was eliminated by Andreacchi in the first round.

Nielsen was quick to thank his crew after his win, and to thank Carl Spiering of ERD (Engine Research and Development) and Jim Salemi of G-Force Race cars.

Spiering built an awesome motor,” said Nielson. “This is a whole new deal for us. This car has a lot more in it.”

The next Pro Modified Racing Association event, the PMRA Challenge of the season will take place Saturday and Sunday, August 4-5 at St. Thomas Dragway located on County Road 27 south of St. Thomas between Union and Sparta, Ontario.

The PMRA Challenge at St. Thomas Dragway will be the second stop for the PMRA's season. Other races for 2006 are at Lancaster Raceway Park in Clarence, NY on September 15 and the Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to be running inaugural events at the Eaton PMRA Challenge at Sanair near Montreal scheduled for Saturday, August 19, and at the Grand Bend Motorplex, over the Labor Day weekend.

For information about the PMRA Challenge at St. Thomas Dragway call 1.519.775.2263 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET) or visit online at www.stthomasdragway.com

January 16, 2006

Brantford, ON - There is no question that Mark Nielsen's 2000 Chevrolet Camaro is certainly one of Canada's most high-tech Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), www.ProModifiedRacing.com, drag race cars. The chassis, designed and built by Pro Modified standout Al Billes, is a chopped, narrowed, and stretched supercharged 2,600-pound machine.

“Our plan for 2006 is to run as many PMRA events as possible and some IHRA National events,” explained Mark Nielsen. “The car will be powered by a new personalized Brad Anderson HEMI built and dyno tested by Carl Spiering and his Jordan Station based business ERD (Engine Research and Development). G-Force Race Cars will be making updates to the car and we should be in real good shape for this season.”

The Nielsen Motorsports Camaro produces an estimated 2,400 horsepower. Nielsen's car utilizes a Kobelco Superman 14-71 Hi-Helix supercharger, an ERD fuel system, and a JBR carbon fiber injector, all coupled to a Lenco three-speed transmission and clutch.

Driver and team owner Mark Nielsen has been active on Eastern Canada's drag racing circuit for almost 20 years. He raced a 1968 Camaro in Super Pro, and a 1987 Corvette in Pro Comp and Outlaw Pro Stock. He first switched to blown door slammers in 1998 when he purchased the supercharged Chevrolet Lumina, formally campaigned by Bruce Boland, which he dubbed "Quick Fix" and moved into IHRA Top Sportsman and regional Pro Modified action. His first full pass produced a stunning 6.62 seconds at 213 mph in the Lumina. After acquiring the Camaro, Nielsen advanced into IHRA National Event Pro Modified and Super Chevy Nitro Coupe competition.

Career racing highlights include a runner-up finish in Top Sportsman Quick 8 Shootout competition during the IHRA National Event at Maryland International Raceway in 1999, and qualifying for Pro Modified competitions at numerous other National Events. He won honors for Best Reaction Time in Pro Competition at the 2004 Norwalk World Finals and has a number of event wins in Outlaw Pro Stock and Outlaw Pro Modified to his credit. Nielsen finished the 2005 Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA) in ninth place.

The PMRA has four events confirmed for the 2006 season, the KC Auto Parts Family Day Celebration at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, ON Saturday, June 24, and the Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to be running inaugural events at St. Thomas Dragway in Sparta, ON August 5 and 6, the Eaton PMRA Challenge at Sanair near Montreal scheduled for Saturday, August 19 and at the Grand Bend Motorplex, over the Labor Day weekend.

PMRA officials are in negotiations with several tracks at present for 2006, both eighth and quarter-mile tracks in Michigan, New York, and Ohio with the plan of presenting a six-event drag racing series in 2006.

Started late in 2004 and entering its second year of operation, the PMRA ran five events in 2005 at four Ontario, Quebec, and New York locations, with a different winner at each track. The PMRA provides drag race fans the opportunity to see and hear popular Pro Modified racing in the class known as “the world’s fastest door slammers.”

The PMRA is a self-governing organization with its own set of technical and safety rules based on the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Pro Modified division. Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class offers a widely diverse group of racecars with different types of 2000-horsepower engines propelling the cars down the quarter-mile in the 6.20-second range at 230 mph.