With the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals looming, Don Walsh Jr. and his team set out to do a little testing with their Pro Mod Mustang late last week. Walsh and the Precision Turbo team hit the ground running and set a new career best elapsed time for Walsh– 5.81 at 248 mph. It was the quickest pass in Pro Modified this season (albeit unofficially).

Image Courtesy of NHRA/National Dragster

It may not be a official record by any means, but what it does mean is that Walsh and his 2011 Precision Turbo Mustang are red-hot in the performance department heading into the biggest drag race of the year. The team is coming off of two big wins last month– NHRA Pro Modified at Norwalk and a victory in NMCA Pro Street at Joliet –and it looks like they mean business this weekend.

For the better part of the last decade, Walsh has taken a step back from racing. He cited a need to help guide his family’s businesses through tough economic times. In an interview with Dragzine last month, Walsh said, “I’ve always said that if it made sense for us to get involved again that we would.  This is the first opportunity that we’ve had where it makes sense. I feel like the team as a whole is a recipe for success, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

To say that it made sense appears to be an understatement–the four time former Pro 5.0 champion came back to the scene this year with a vengeance. He’s currently fourth in the Pro Mod standings, and sits just 43 points from first. Including this weekend’s race, there are just four events left for him to close the gap this season. It’s definitely possible, but it’s going to be a tight race to the very end.