Nhra Insider Podcast

Tony Pedregon joins Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, and the two delve deep into the upcoming 2022 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. This conversation touches on everything from the updated racing surface to the successes and failures of teams so far this year, the possibility for team shakeups in this back half of the regular season, why some teams can't seem to get it together, and more.    The two review each class and the performances of those who have defined them thus far in 2022, both good and bad. There's plenty of talk on Mike Salinas, how his team has succeeded, Matt Hagan and Robert Hight, Erica Enders, and more.    Lastly, the two talk about NHRA drag racing and how the need for tension and even conflict is important for the sport's growth and popularity. The level of competition, especially in classes like Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle, seem poised to drive competitors into the type of tension that fans love to see and which makes for great competition.    It's Bristol,

On This episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, pro stock racer Kyle Koretsky and funny car racer JR Todd join host Brian Lohnes. The two racers are still chasing their first win of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, but their drive to compete is unabated.    For Kyle Koretsky, the 2022 season sees him sitting 3rd in the points and with one final round appearance on the year. He has been consistently going rounds week after week and his KB powered Lucas Oil Camaro has flirted with number one qualifying positions as well. Kyle talks about his driving, the work his team is putting in and why they will succeed this year. Koretsky also talks about his family's purchase of Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania and the amount of investment and work they are putting in to revamp and upgrade the iconic facility. This is an awesome story for drag racing.    JR Todd talks about some frustrations in his team's work to success ratio but knows that the work will pay off through the second half of the regula

Tony Pedregon and National Dragster's Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The trio look forward to this weekend's running of the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. The event marks the start of a busy two months in NHRA drag racing and the conversation centers around who can most take advantage of what will be a six-race stretch through the months of June and July.    Lots of great insight here from two of the sport's most knowledgeable voices!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, two-time NHRA pro mod champion Stevie Jackson and current top 10 funny car racer Chad Green join host Brian Lohnes to talk about the work they have put in this season and how they plan on carrying their recent performances forward through a long 2022 drag racing season.    Chad Green is having his best funny car season ever and it's one that shows no signs of slowing. After committing to hiring full-time crew members in the off-season and hiring Dan Wilkerson to be the crew chief on the car full time, Green's driving has improved race to race and the former pro mod racer is sitting inside the top ten of points for the first time in his career. Green talks about his advancement as a car owner and driver, how his crew is working together, and what the rest of 2022 has in store.    Steve Jackson a two-time pro mod champ always ahs something to say about the class he has come to define in NHRA drag racing. The wide-ranging conversation talks about his early-season stru

Pro Mod star Lyle Barnett and top fuel ace Austin Prock join host Brian Lohnes for this episode of the NHRA Insider. The two drivers are among the elite in their respective categories for performance both on the starting line and beyond. They approach their jobs with the kind of intensity rarely found in the sport and both guys have great insight to share on how they do what they do and what the rest of the 2022 season has in store.    For Lyle Barnett, the Charlotte 4-Wide race final is a sticking point and one that he will not soon forget. Nearly pulling off a win after a calamity brough on by other competitors he talks about the memorable and jumbled up run. Barnett talks about the intensity of NHRA pro mod, the need for the class to stay quarter mile, the recent infusion of sponsors and excitement, and what it all means for 250mph door slammer drag racing going forward. Truly a fun conversation with a racer's racer.    Austin Prock's last two races have been far stronger than the races that preceded them.

This episode of the NHRA Insider brings two of the NHRA high performers together for a discussion about pro stock motorcycle and top fuel, not just in 2022 but over the last few seasons. The stories of Matt Smith and Justin Ashley are decidedly different in 2022 but their end goal remains the same, a world championship.    Matt Smith talks about the recent NHRA rules changes in pro stock motorcycle, performance in the class, parity, riders on the rise, and how his own program is evolving with Angie, Matt, and the Scrappers Racing motorcycles as well. He talks about the recent war of words and performance with Steve Johnson and what he sees as good for the class and not so good for the class when it comes to rivalries.    Justin Ashley is all about winning, growth, and forward advancement in top fuel. The discussion ranges from his strong start in 2022 and the subtle changes in his team and program over the last few seasons. Why is this all working? Who's bringing the most to the table? How's his team playing

Mike McIntire Jr and Cameron Ferre join host Brian Lohnes on this week's episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. McIntire made the final round of nitro funny car in his family-owned and operated McAttack Toyota Camry flopper. On the top fuel side, Cameron Ferre was the runner-up in the Paton family top fuel dragster after qualifying on the bump spot and battling through the first two rounds of eliminations on an exciting Sunday.    For McIntire and his operation, this weekend was the validation of a lot of hard work and the validation of a talented, if part-time crew. A champion in the nostalgia nitro funny car ranks, he and his team know how to run and service a car at the highest levels and their final round appearance in a tough field was the display of those truths.    Cameron Ferre had a 10 race schedule lined up for 2022 and at the last moment, the deal was rescinded. From that setback, he doubled down his efforts to keep his top fuel career afloat and managed to secure funding for his appearance in Charlo

NHRA on FOX analyst Tony Pedregon and National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes for this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The three talk about all the wild storylines from Houston and how race day was among the most amazing thy had all seen. The storylines from each class, the upsets, the driving performances, and the mounting pressure to be good have all ratcheted up. Telling some of the behind-the-scenes stories you have not heard, these guys will have you laughing and thinking with their analysis.    After a breakdown of Houston, the chat turns for Charlotte and the upcoming Circle K Four-Wide Nationals, the second and final four-wide race of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Season. Love it or hate it, all the racers are in the same boat and it's a crowded one! Full fields in all pro categories will make this Charlotte contest one to remember.    Fun, insightful, and informative. This quick-moving show has nuggets buried at every turn!

Tony Pedregon joins Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider to set the scene and the storylines for the NHRA Springnationals in Houston this weekend. The event planned to be the last national event at this facility is sure to be a real barn burner. There's a killer weather forecast on tap and the fields are jammed with the best drag racers in the world. There's something special to be said about winning the last event at a facility, especially one with the legacy and history that Houston Raceway Park has.    When we look across the spectrum of stories, a few jump to the fore. In top fuel can Brittany Force maintain the torrid pace she set at Las Vegas on the starting line and to the finish line? Can Leah keep up her starting line game? Can Mike Salinas rebound from his mistake? In pro stock can Erica Enders go-to for two after calling her shot in Las Vegas? This track has more meaning to her than perhaps anyone else, so all eyes will be on the red Camaro. How does Matt Smith run on his new Suzuki? Do

Jim Yates and Johnny West join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast. The two highly decorated veteran racers have turned their considerable experience into the kind of working knowledge teams desperately need in modern drag racing. For Yates that is coaching and crew chiefing rookie pro stock racer Camrie Caruso and for West it is working with a myriad from the biggest to the smallest in the sport in order to help get their programs on track or down the track faster.   Jim Yates talks about a wide range of topics from how his teaching methods have changed with age, how pro stock cars have evolved, and how he is working with this fresh team to turn on win lights during a pressure-packed rookie season. He recounts a famous story from 1994 where he took the legendary Darrell Alderman to the cleaners twice on the starting line perhaps to the dismay of Buster Couch. A great conversation.    Johnny West talks about his development and engineering of parts on nitro cars, his history in drag

NHRA Top Fuel crew chief David Grubnic and five-time sportsman world champion Justin Lamb join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. Grubnic is coming off a huge win with Brittany Force and team at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. Lamb won his 29th NHRA national event at Las Vegas and he's the second guest on this show.    In the conversation, Grubnic and Lohnes dive into everything from tuning philosophy to leadership practices, communication among the team, and more. It is a chat that goes far beyond the nuts and bolts of running a Top Fuel car. Grubnic is hugely insightful and brings listeners deeply into the world of top fuel drag racing.   Lamb has won 29 NHRA national events and five world titles. He is among the greatest Stock and Super Stock racers of his generation and after this conversation you will be blown away by the depth of his knowledge of the sport. Lamb talks about how hard it is to compete in win with the depth of competition in the NHRA and he's very ope

NHRA Editorial Director Phil Burgess and NHRAonFOX Analyst Tony Pedregon join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The conversation ranges over the course of the episode but the crux of it is looking into those racers who are performing up to expectations, some who are exceeding, and a few others who are not making the cut at this early part of the season.  There's also a look into the Las Vegas 4-wide nationals which are coming up this weekend. It has been a hot minute since we have had any four wide competition in NHRA so it will be interesting to see who can deal with the extra confusion and tension that comes in this format.  Rumors are discussed, personnel is a large topic of conversation and while no guesses are made on who the latest crew chief shuffle involves, the anticipation of the news is pretty high. This is a fun episode with two guys who really know the inner workings of the sport and the personalities involved. 

Matt Hagan and Shane Westerfield join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The two men are both playing a hot hand with respect to their competition in the nitro funny car and top alcohol funny car ranks respectively. Hagan is coming off of a victory in Gainesville after making the final round in Phoenix as well. Westerfield, the 2017 Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion won the NHRA Winternationals and the ensuing Phoenix Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event.    The conversation with Hagan centers around his energy in 2022, the signs of success he is seeing at Tony Stewart Racing, the different environment that he is racing in for this Camping World season, and what exactly it will take to run for a championship over the long stretch of the 2022 season. There's loads of great personal and racing insight here.  Shane Westerfield talks about racing with Rick Jackson, the stiffness of the TAFC competition he is facing, and why he thinks that his team is champion caliber. The con

Funny car racer Blake Alexander as well as crew chiefs Jamie Miller and Dickie Venables join host Brian Lohnes on this post-Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast. Off the top of the show, Lohnes recounts the race, his experiences during it, and the near-mythical quality it took on as what was a seemingly lost weekend turned into one of the quickest pound-for-pound two day stretches in NHRA drag racing history. Blake Alexander was the runner-up in nitro funny car and nearly completed what would have been a storybook return to the sport after a disastrous ending to the 2021 campaign. His team suffered the tragic loss of crewman Dylan Cromwell in a transporter crash. That crash also destroyed a truck, a race trailer, and many of the contents inside. With a new crew, a mostly completed trailer, and the memory of Cromwell on their mind, his team put forth an effort for the history books.  Jamie Miller is one of the most diversified, sought after, and successful crew chiefs in door slam

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, 2017 NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Brittany Force joins host Brian Lohnes to talk about the often hidden hard work of racing at a championship level in the class. Lohnes leads off the show with a Gatornationals preview monologue running through the latest news in the sport leading up to the race, looking at the pro stock motorcycle category, and talking about what's in store for racers and fans as part of the Pep Boys All-Star Top Fuel Callout.    All of the professional categories have full fields and the top fuel and pro stock classes both sport some 21 entries, which means that qualifying will be filled with the kind of suspense and intrigue that fans love to see.  The conversation with Brittany Force takes us inside the workings of a top fuel team with discussions on leadership, team chemistry, and how the balance of an insane workload gets offset by the familial relationship that teams develop over the course of a relentless season. It's interesting, informativ

NHRAonFOX analyst Tony Pedregon and NHRAonFOX pit producer Todd Veney join host Brian Lohnes for this episode of the NHRA Insider. This wide-ranging show surveys the scene after the second race of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season. The action has been amazing across each of the professional categories and Phoenix was no exception.  Lohnes and guests talk about early-season surprises, who is performing above expectations, and who is performing below them. They talk driver performance, psychology, and who is already in mid-season form. The sense of urgency to deliver this year is off the charts and it seems that some are more prepared than others to do just that. An insightful and fun look into the world of NHRA drag racing!

Justin Ashley and Bo Butner join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast.    Ashley talks about his highly impressive start at the Lucas Oil Winternationals where he took home a national event victory over Austin Prock in the final round. The race may be a harbinger of things to come in top fuel where the competition is off the charts and will only get more difficult as the season goes on. Ashley talks about the race, the competition, his internal drive, and the need to stay up on the wheel for the whole season.    Bo Butner is back into the world of NHRA pro stock full time and he's having a blast. With a sponsor who is one of the world's wildest car guys, the 2022 season is looking like it will be a great one for the former class champion. Bo talks about Pomona, Phoenix, the difference between bracket racing and pro stock, what his outlook is for the year, and the state of modern pro stock drag racing.    Add in a monologue about Pomona off the top of the show and that's this episode of the

National Dragster's Phil Burgess and NHRA on Fox analyst Tony Pedregon join host Brian Lohnes on this final episode of the off-season before the 2022 NHRA Winternationals. The triumvirate talk about the major stories of the winter, one of which is how many major stories there have been this winter! From the wild performance of John Force at the pre-season test to the emergence of new team owners, the emergence of new teams, the notable drivers coming back, and a whole lot more, there's so much to talk about it's hard to keep all the storylines straight.  Pedregon digs in from the owner and driver perspectives to talk about the level of competition that the biggest names in the sport will have to confront. In top fuel, it is nearly unrivaled in modern drag racing history and early stumbles will not bode well for long-term season success. In funny car it is more of the same and TPed breaks down all of it for the audience.  Phil Burgess brings his years of NHRA experience to bear in this conversation and takes a

Tony Schumacher and Austin Prock join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The two returning top fuel standouts have a lot to say about the 2022 season to be, the way that their teams will attack pre-season testing in Phoenix, and what it means to be back as sponsored drivers who know they have a full season in front of them.    The winningest driver in top fuel history is candid in his remarks about his expectations for 2022 and he is definitely motivated to show the world that his top fuel return is not simply for his own entertainment. Schumacher talks about what it will take to chase a championship, working with a new team and crew chief, and the singular focus DSR will have on his top fuel car, a potential benefit to him.  Austin Prock had his career interrupted by Covid-19 and doubted at times that he would ever drive again. In this frank discussion, he talks about the downtimes, the work he put in as a crew member of the JFR operation, the meaningful nature of his return, and

It's a funny car extravaganza on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast. Championship driver JR Todd and championship crew chief Dean Antonelli join host Brian Lohnes and talk about all the things going on to prepare for the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season. There's also a rather in-depth look into the 2022 top fuel season to get the show started.  JR talks about the early GR Supra testing which happened in Florida, his impressions of the new body, and what he's most enthusiastic about for 2022. It's an interesting conversation that gives the professional driver's outlook on what the upcoming season will look like. The tightness of the 2021 season was wild and it sets the stage for what should be an incredible 22 race campaign this year. A good chat with a guy motivated to bring the heat in 2022.  Dean Antonelli won his first championship as a crew chief of record last year along with Jon Medlin and his talented and experienced team. He's back with the same group in 2022 and that means the team sh