NHRA Insider Podcast

A pair of champions join host Brian Lohnes on this week's episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster. For Brian Corradi it was the grind of a top fuel season being rewarded with an epic and hard fought finish at the In-N-Out Burger Finals in Pomona and for Jordan Lazic it was the realization of a lifelong drag racing dream to hoist a Congruity HR NHRA Pro Mod championship trophy in Las Vegas.    These two conversations are interesting. Lots of talk about team, about dedication, about how communication and quality of work has to match in order to rise to this level of success. Two fascinating chats with guys who not only can wrench, but who can drive as well.

Thomas Prock and Gaige Herrera join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster. The two who garnered championship honors in their respective roles and categories bring us inside their evolution in the sport, the work it took to earn their titles, and how 2025 is already shaping up before them.   For Thomas Prock, the Assistant Crew Chief on the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet Camaro at John Force Racing, 2024 was the culmination of years of work in professional racing. Prock takes us through his time at NASCAR, how he applies his learnings there to drag racing, the team environment, working and learning with his father Jimmy Prock, and the approach his team took to dominate Funny Car in 2024. It's a great conversation.    Gaige Herrera grabbed his second consecutive championship in Pro Stock Motorcycle and by doing so, firmly cemented himself in the history books of the 2024 season. Herrera talks about the season, the win streak he ran to 11 races, the challenge of competition, and how the category is poised to get even more difficult in 2025.    The inside stories you get nowhere else, here, on the Insider!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast Powered by Speedmaster, Greg Anderson and Terry Vance join host Brian Lohnes to talk all things NHRA.    For Greg Anderson,his 6th championship may be the most satisfying and meaningful yet. Winning on the last run of the season under the lights at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Drag Strip, beating a young talent that had gotten the better of him earlier in the year, and doing what many thought impossible hasn't totally sunk in yet. Anderson takes us through his magical weekend to close the season.    Terry Vance is an NHRA legend, a Drag Racing Hall of Famer to be, one of the Top 50 competitors in NHRA history, and someone who lives and breathes the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. In this candid conversation, he talks about where the class is, what is needed to make it grow, his opinions on motorcycle drag racing, its future, and how the table is being set for future growth.    Two great chats with two drag racing legends. Enjoy!

On this monologue-style episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes takes you inside the incredible In-N-Out Burger Finals and all of the stories that helped to make it one of the greatest events in the history of drag racing. From the championship stories, the rookie debuts, the upsets, the insane emergency disruption, and a whole lot more.    This is not just a cut and dried look at the event, it's insider stories and knowledge that you won't find anywhere else. Every one of the top line stories was the culmination of many factors, most that started weeks before any of the teams actually rolled into the gates in Pomona.    A race nearly without compare on performance, drama, excitement, heartbreak, and elation, the Finals were epic. Enjoy this in-depth breakdown of the madness.

On this final pre-race episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast Powered by Speedmaster season, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon of the NHRAonFOX and Kevin McKenna of NHRA's National Dragster to talk about the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals coming up this weekend.    The three compare notes on the championship leaders, their path to potential glory, the pitfalls they need to avoid, and any of the concerns they have about the way this final race of the season will be shaping up for them. Lohnes talks about a raft of news broken at the SEMA show, excitement for 2025, and the overall picture of the season leading into this much hyped finals.    Press play and get pumped up for the final race of the year and an event where champions will be crowned, likely in dramatic fashion.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Rookie of the Year Candidate Richard Gadson and NHRAonFOX Analyst Tony Pedregon join host Brian Lohnes to talk about the last two races of the season, this weekend's upcoming battle in Las Vegas, and Gadson's rookie season in the NHRA.   Richard Gadson takes us inside some really interesting elements of his first full NHRA drag racing season, the highs and the lows. He talks about his approach, the team dynamic at Vance and Hines, the challenges of the evolving rules of Pro Stock Motorcycle, and why he'd be a good representative of the NHRA as Rookie of the Year. An impressive conversation with an impressive racer.    Tony Pedregon's fired up for what's to come at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. Incredible conditions await huge fields of nitro cars and large numbers of pro stockers and motorcycles. There are potential records on the line and certainly huge implications for the championships so many racers are trying to lock up tight.    Tune in and enjoy this pre-Ford Performance Nationals episode!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Funny Car points leader Austin Prock and NHRA Rookie of the Year candidate Ida Zetterstrom join host Brian Lohnes to talk about their respective seasons at drag racing's pinnacle. The two youthful stars have different goals this year but they are both chasing the dreams they have held since childhood.    For Austin Prock, the odds-on favorite for the 2024 NHRA Funny Car championship, it's been a season of incredible highs and some abrupt lows like the one that stopped his Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet Camaro in Dallas. Prock talks about the year, about the mistake that ended his race day, some interesting stories about his very early career, and how the team plans to attack over the next two events of 2024. A fascinating chat about goals, attitude, performance, and how it all ties together.    Rookie NHRA Top Fuel racer Ida Zetterstrom burst onto the scene with an upset holeshot win against Steve Torrence in Brainerd and has been making waves ever since. A tireless spokeswoman for the NHRA, her career, and the sport of drag racing globally, she walks us through her breakneck schedule that has carried her back and forth to Europe all season long. The ups and downs of her rookie experience are front and center as well.    All this and more on this episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by winning Top Fuel Crew Chief Mike Green and top 10 Funny Car racer Blake Alexander. The conversations are entertaining and enlightening on several aspects of the sport.    Green talks about one of the most challenging race-winning weekends of his decorated career. Justin Ashley was available to make a single qualifying run Friday and then left the track for religious observance. Returning Sunday, Ashley and the entire team put on a furious performance that garnered them the Top Fuel points lead and dropped jaws along the way. He takes us all inside the winning approach.   Blake Alexander is in the best running funny car of his career right now and the performance continues to impress. Running 3.831 and then 3.87 at Dallas showed that Jim Head, Dave Leahy, and the whole team have their program in good order and he's driving to match. Lohnes and Alexander talk about the car, the preparation, and all the behind the scenes business work Blake does to sustain and grow his career.    That and more on this show!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster host Brian Lohnes is joined by General Manager and Co-Owner of the Texas Motorplex Christie Meyer Johnson as well as NHRA on Fox's Tony Pedregon.    The first half of the show involves a great conversation with Christie Meyer Johnson of the Texas Motorplex regarding the evolution of the Stampede of Speed, how it has revitalized the Texas Motorplex, and how the event has grown from its beginnings in 2021. A week unlike any other on the tour, the inside perspective of the work and dedication to make the Stampede what it is today is amazing.    Tony Pedregon joins the show and along with Lohnes lays out the scenarios and potentialities of the weekend. The two go down a couple of rabbit holes of hot takes regarding different cars, different approaches drivers take, and how the emergence of tension, anger, and personality, could help grow the sport.    This is one you do not want to miss.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by back to back Pro Stock winner Dallas Glenn and the winning Top Fuel crew chief form St Louis, Mike Neff. The two bring lots of insight into their recent successes and what it has taken to achieve them.    Glenn has accepted all comers over the last two races, including beating his nemesis and closest contender Aaron Stanfield in a pair of squeaker final rounds. He talks about the team dynamic, his approach, and how small things can add up to big success or heartbreak.    Mike Neff has a good race car to tune now and the frustrations of the season were washed away in one fell swoop with a huge win at Worldwide Technology Raceway. A minute issue with clutch discs manifested itself into months of futility, but now corrected the JCM racing dragster is among the best in the nation and could make a dramatic championship run.    A great show with lots of fun and in-depth conversation!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Funny Car veteran Jack Beckman and Julie Nataas, the 2023 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster Champion who will be making a Top Fuel debut at the NHRA Midwest Nationals this weekend. The two have very different stories but awesome insights to what motivates them and what they hope to achieve at Worldwide Technology Raceway.    For Jack Beckman, earning points weekly for John Force is still a dream come true. His longstanding relationships with not only the Force family but people like Chris Cunningham who is one of his JFR crew chiefs is a source of pride and comfort. Jack talks about his role in the success of the Peak Blue DEF funny car in this Countdown, what it will take to move up in the points, and how he may treat any future opportunities.   Julie Nataas is making a hotly anticipated Top Fuel debut with the Scrappers team this weekend in a second car and she talks about the long road to get to this point. Touching on her career, licensing, the business grind of drag racing, and the motivation to do it all, she paints the picture of a determined racer who has fought the good fight for this moment to happen. She does not plan to waste it.    A full throttle and fun episode to get pumped up for what should be a wild weekend at Worldwide Technology Raceway.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes to discuss the results of Indy, what they have to do with the Countdown and how some teams are championship hopefuls and others may struggle to get their footing when pressures rise and results are mandatory.   The upcoming Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pennsylvania are set to be a true horsepower throwdown with an ideal forecast and limited excuses for top tier teams to struggle. The guys talk about how the past may not necessarily be the best predictor of the future during this 2024 season and just because you are entering the yearly battle at Maple Grove Raceway as the number one seed doesn't mean you'll leave there as such.    An informative, interesting, and sometimes intense conversation on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast!

It was the race of races like it usually is and the winners certainly earned all of their accolades. On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Andrew Hines, crew chief for Indy winner Gaige Herrera in Pro Stock Motorcycle, and Top Fuel winning crew chief Jim Oberhofer who tunes Clay Millican's 330mph missile.   Along with an extended race recap to start the show, these two interview conversations are fascinating. Hines relates the struggles the team had in Sonoma, how they course corrected for Indy, and how the timing of a test session can really make a difference in racing conditions. The details shared here are awesome.  Jim O talks about his team, his personal trials and travails at the US Nationals and how this victory was the culmination of a lot of work for he, Nicky Boninfante, and the their entire race team. Jim is detailed and very emotionally invested in telling the story of his team, their win, and why they are not to be looked over when it comes to the final six races of the season.    This, like the race, is one to remember!

On this monologue episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes takes you though the myriad of reasons this 70th running of the US Nationals means so much to the racers, the fans, and the sport as a whole. There insight into the history of the event, the reasons why people attend, why the race is like a nitro powered piece of orchestral music, and what separates the US Nationals out from other drag races in the NHRA and around the globe.    This is a week to truly immerse in drag racing. From the raw performance of stock and super stock qualifying, the tightrope walk that will be qualifying in top sportsman and top dragster, the specialty races, a revamped Hemi Challenge, and more, there's loads to explore and talk about.    It's Indy week and the whole sport is buzzing about it!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster host Brian Lohnes is joined by JR Todd and Tony Stewart to discuss their respective weekends at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota as well as the upcoming Toyota US Nationals. These two racers had two radically different experiences and they dive into both.    For JR Todd it was a weekend of explosive turmoil punctuated by the greatest pit thrash in a decade. He takes us inside the madness of the repairs that took place between the second and third rounds at Brainerd, how the whole pit area seemed to come to the aid of his DHL team, and the emotional highs and lows of this draining weekend. He also explains some of the finer details that the cameras did not catch.    Tony Stewart ran career best numbers and has the best race car he has been in all season. He talks about the long road to his final round in Sonoma, the heartfelt message he shared with Antron Brown after that race, how his team is equipped for the US Nationals, and the similarities and differences he is experiencing in Top Fuel as opposed to his NASCAR and IndyCar experiences.    A banger of a show from end to end!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Tony Pedregon joins Brian Lohnes to talk all things Lucas Oil Nationals, championship contenders, fresh drivers arriving at the race, and how some teams are contending for a title already and some teams are pretending to.    The pair spend the first part of their discussion deep diving into the arrival of Jack Beckman on the scene as John Force's replacement driver. They talk about his experience, how the team can and should succeed, and what Jack brings to the table as the right man for the job. There's a pretty candid look into how the competition stacks up in the category and who may benefit from Jack's arrival and who may suffer for it.    Following that chat they go class by class singling out high performing teams as well as those that seem to be fading at this important juncture in the season. Pro Stock? That's a spicy chat about who may actually be the flagship car on each of the major teams and how that name isn't who you'd necessarily expect.    The good, the bad, and the juicy all right here leading into Brainerd!

On this revealing episode of the NHRA Insider podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Antron Brown and Ron Capps. Brown, a Top Fuel winner three times already this season talks about his success in Sonoma, their building of a successful program in 2024, and why his team always seems to be in fighting form at this time of the year.    Brown talks about many aspects of his team, his approach, the future expansion he has his eyes on, and even some fun he is planning on having this winter in the Pro Mod ranks. It's a high energy conversation with a true newsmaker in the sport.    Ron Capps explains a lot of the behind the scenes work that his team had to do following their massive explosion in Seattle, how they have been working, why the 2022 car they ran at Sonoma put them a bit behind the other more modern chassis they were racing, and how he views this time of the year in relation to the impending Countdown. The most stunning part of the Capps conversation is his revelation that the team will be adding a Top Fuel dragster for 2026 and he has a partner and a driver lined up already. Hear him tell the story in his own words.    Big stuff happening here and these guys are driving it!

In this monologue style episode of the NHRA Insider host Brian Lohnes gets your caught up on the major stories coming out of the Northwest Nationals and leading right into this weekend's Denso Sonoma Nationals. A hectic travel week means that the whole sport is on the move. There are many observations from Pacific Raceways that could translate to this weekend's success or failures on the track. From the massive upsets we saw in eliminations, the wrecked equipment and more, things are looking very interesting.    Lohnes takes you inside the long weekend in Seattle, gives insight into the craziness of Sunday and what it meant for the NHRAonFOX team, talks trends both positive and negative, and gives you all the info you've been waiting for to prepare for Sonoma. A high peformance weekend is on tape in Northern California. Evening qualifying, the motorcycle call out and more!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon to talk all things NHRA Northwest Nationals. The race this weekend will be unique, featuring Friday night late evening qualifying to really kick things off and great weather is forecasted throughout.    There are awesome storylines, and the race also represents the start of the back half of the NHRA season. 10 races down and 10 races to go! The favorites, the high performers, the teams that are struggling, and more, all chatted about here. Plus insight into some breaking news and more stuff going on in and around the world of the NHRA.   Walk into the weekend informed with the insiders!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast top fuel team owner and driver Josh Hart joins host Brian Lohnes to discuss the work, the struggles, the commitments, and the challenges his team has faced and how they are going to overcome them. This is a fascinating and in-depth look into the harder side of the top fuel world. Beyond the accolades, the speed, and the glory, there is the need to succeed, the work behind the scenes, and how hard decisions are made in the world of professional motorsports.    On the second half of the show, Lohnes is joined by National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin Mckenna and the two deep dive into the world of Play NHRA and how it has started to transform the sport in its earliest stages. The two explore the basics, blow up some misconceptions, talk about the looming championship odds, and give an educational look at how to participate with your wallet or without.    It may not be a race week, but there is LOADS going on!