NHRA Today roundtable: Who's in the driver's seat
NHRA reporters Amanda Busick, John Kernan and Lewis Bloom discuss some of the big “Silly Season” news so far as teams get ready for the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona starting. Some of the topics include not only the debut of rookie drivers like Troy Coughlin Jr. and Tanner Gray but some of the major driver changes in 2017.
The “Silly Season” started off right after the Finals at Pomona with the announcement that Del Worsham was leaving the DHL Kalitta Racing Funny Car team to return the helm of his family Funny Car with his dad, Chuck Worsham. That followed with J.R. Todd’s move to replace Worsham in the DHL Toyota. Todd, a very accomplished Top Fuel driver, now gets a chance to join the list of drivers who have won in both nitro classes.
Todd’s move to Funny Car opened the door for rookie Top Fuel driver Coughlin to now run the full tour. The talented Lucas Oil Series and J&A Service Pro Mod racer is very excited about his Top Fuel debut coming up this season in Connie Kalitta’s race car. The conversation continued with the other major rookie of 2017, Gray, who takes over the family Pro Stock car, becoming the third generation Gray family member to race in the car.
Finally the NHRA team touched on Jonnie Lindberg’s debut in the Head Family Toyota at Gainesville and also an update on the Shawn Langdon Don Schumacher Racing dragster. The DSR team is currently in search of funding for the former champion’s Top Fuel car.