NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

It happens to the best of teams and organizations in every pro sport. A hard year. A down year. A downright hard year. No competition is as unforgiving in this regard as professional drag racing. The brutal abruptness of our beloved motorsport makes bad feelings worse and the lingering days, sometimes weeks, between races can make life downright miserable. As it has been said, winning cures all ills, but losing early and frequently in drag racing can turn a mild cold into a virus so nasty that it can drive apart even the most seasoned of organizations. 

The teams mentioned in this story did not set out in 2024 to make this list. No one did. Over the course of 20 races, perhaps aside from fleeting moments of joy, though, they struggled. They worked harder and, in some cases, struggled harder. But the only way forward is through it. And through it they went. The question we seek to answer here is how they avoid doing it again. 

Second in a four-part series

Let’s look at the Funny Car teams that, on paper, have the wherewithal to make 2024 look as distant as 1924 in terms of their performance improvement. As good as the race to the end of the season was, it could have been that much better with the following cadre of teams in a more competitive position. 

Chad Green

The Bond Coat/Boxo Tools Ford Mustang of Chad Green started the season with a strong semifinal run at the 2024 NHRA Gatornationals, but hard times were soon to follow. The team didn’t make a second semifinal appearance until Brainerd, and a DNQ at the fall Las Vegas race and eight second-round losses were the markers of a season that had the team finishing 10th in the points. So, what gives? For starters, the number eight. 

Of the eight second-round losses, four came at the hands of Austin Prock, who was the No. 1 qualifier, and three of the four had Green racing from the No. 8 qualifying spot, which means in the second round you are facing the No. 1 qualifier. In the majority of those runs, the car did complete the trip to the finish line under power, but they were outmuscled by Prock, who had the luxury of racing the No. 16 qualifier to start his day. 

If these guys can better navigate ideal conditions and win rounds in the low 3.90s or high 3.80s, their already solid warm-weather performance will be augmented into a total package to improve their week-to-week standings. With the team’s new look (meaning the addition of Blake Alexander), a new shop, and, from what we understand, a new tuning consultant, the answers may already be well within reach. 

J.R. Todd

The DHL GR Supra began the season in historic fashion, winning the Gatornationals alongside Top Fuel teammate Shawn Langdon to secure the first-ever Kalitta Motorsports double-up. In fact, over the first eight races, they added another runner-up, a few semifinals, and only had one first-round loss. When they left Indy, the DHL crew had only accrued four first-round losses and were sitting fourth in the points after the Countdown to the Championship reset. Unfortunately, this is where the wheels came off the wagon for the team. 

In the final six races, the team only got out of the first round twice and never past the second. What happened? The numbers show us a car that was very consistently completing runs in the low-3.90 time frame having to race a lot of cars that were dipping into the upper-middle 3.80s with consistency. In what appears to be a result of pushing the car toward that middle-3.80s bracket (which the team did achieve at times during the season), the car was smoking the tires with regularity in qualifying and in eliminations. 

Back-to-back first-round losses to Cruz Pedregon in the first rounds of Dallas and Las Vegas carried five-second time slips. At the NHRA Finals, the car ran 3.858 at 332 mph, which were season-best numbers for the team, but mustered only a 3.90 against Austin Prock’s 3.85 in round two, which ended their year. 

We know that the team has made a change at the top of their tuning order, and, while not announced, Dickie Venables will be leading the DHL Toyota crew in 2025. Venables’ aggressive style combined with Todd’s ability to perform hatchet jobs on the starting line seemingly create a one-two combination as good as anything the class has to offer right now. It was a big and bold move for the team to make, but seemingly one that had to happen to change the performance trajectory of the car. 

Cruz Pedregon 

Multitime champion Cruz Pedregon made wholesale changes to his team coming into the 2024 season. Jason Bunker was brought in as the crew chief, an entirely new crew was hired, and Johnny West was added as an experienced set of eyes and hands as well. With a veteran’s patience, Pedregon looked at 2024 as a year for this new crew, young tuner, and entire operation to evolve into a cohesive unit. The team finished 11th in the points, making the second round seven times. 

By the end of the season, the car was capable of running 3.80s, having carded a few 3.87s when conditions allowed, which was a positive signal of improvement. If there is one area where the team can make an immediate impact from the outside looking in, it is detail-related. At times, these guys were being nibbled to death by guppies. Small errors cost the team the ability to stage for a qualifying run four times in 2024, more than any other full-time team. On weekends, when the car was performing well in qualifying, small errors cost them many potential first-round wins as well.

So, going back to the veteran’s patience comment above, Pedregon doubled down on Bunker with a long-term contract after the 2024 season. He obviously saw internal growth happening, and keeping what was a brand-new group together should show us all the benefits of consistent teamwork and experience. Still a bit of a wildcard, the proof will be in the nitro-powered pudding come Gainesville. Small detail improvements may lead to a far more favorable season for the Snap-on Dodge. 

Bob Tasca III

With three wins on the season, only five first-round losses, and a combination that set top speed of the meet nine times (the most in the class), how in the devil does Bob Tasca III’s Motorcraft team make this list?! Mainly because of the ending position of fifth and the car spent eight of 20 races tied for second, even bravely standing in the ring with eventual champion Austin Prock more than a couple of times. 

One of the statistics we gave you above is a bit of a red herring. The nine times that the car carried top speed of the meet honors is entirely accurate, but consider this: By the end of the season, the car was fourth in average qualifying speed and a shocking eighth in average elimination speed! How is this possible? Completion rate. Tasca’s car was completing runs at full throttle only 56.78% of the time throughout the entire 2024 season. When it was good, it was REALLY good. When it wasn’t, it simply wasn’t. 

Of all the teams we’ve talked about here, in our estimation, these guys have the most immediate potential to threaten Austin Prock. A winter to study the harnessing of their clearly immense horsepower may lead to the discoveries needed to elevate their completion percentage and increase consistency. If that happens, they’ll be right back to where they were for a strong part of the 2024 season. 

The team showed a slump resistance that bodes well for them. They only had back-to-back round-one losses a single time in 2024, where other teams would begin slipping and never find their way out. The other numbers around their season tell of a car capable of being a contender. The average qualifying position of 4.8, the rank of third in most qualifying bonus points earned, three holeshot wins for their driver, and the list goes on and on. Move the completion rate up by 20% and they’ll be on the train to true title contention.

So, there’s a dive into Funny Car! Coming up, we’ll attack Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle!