One of drag racing’s most skilled young gun drivers showed off his talents during the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis…

J.R. Todd, who is competing in his first year in the fuel FC class after a conversion over from Top Fuel, drove the Kalitta Racing DHL/WIX Filters team Toyota to victory at the iconic 63rd annual event.

After an outstanding test session where a lot was learned, co-crew chiefs Jon Oberhofer and Todd Smith had a great handle on the DHL Toyota in the opening qualifying session as they just missed bonus points with a career-best 3.865 second elapsed time. That run would keep Todd in the top half of the show all weekend, and eventually seeded him sixth.

In the first round, Todd faced Brian Stewart. Todd got a jump at the starting line, and never looked back as the DHL Toyota led from the starting line to the finish line. That moved Todd to the final eight and a quarterfinal draw of Cruz Pedregon.

Todd was simply stellar on the tree in the quarterfinals against Pedregon. Recording a .046 reaction time, Todd scored not only the best reaction time of the round; he scored the best reaction time of day. Todd took that advantage and went straight to the finish line and into the semi-finals with a close win over Pedregon.

JR Todd

The semi-finals proved to be wild for Todd. For the third time of the day, Todd got a jump on the starting line over his foe Tim Wilkerson. Todd was pulling away before the DHL Toyota suffered tire smoke. Wilkerson got ahead, but was struggling with his Funny Car. He eventually would drive it over the center line and hit two cones. That resulted in a DNQ, and a trip to the finals for Todd and the DHL team.

Todd’s final round opponent was defending NHRA Champion Ron Capps. Todd got out ahead and never looked back. With a run of 3.923 secs at 325.61 mph compared to Capps’ 3.949 secs at 325.53 mph, Todd scored his first U.S. Nationals trophy and second win of the year.

It was the 11th win of his career — but his first in his hometown of Indianapolis.

“This was where it all started for me in Jr. Dragsters,” Todd said. “I remember watching Capps as a kid and now I raced him in the final round of Indy. It’s too surreal. Like Torrence said, you win Indy and you know you’ve beaten the best in the sport. Ron Capps and those guys out there are the best in the sport.”

(FC runner-up Ron Capps)

Event Essentials:   NHRA Chevrolet Performance US Nationals (Aug. 30-Sep. 4, 2017) 

Matt Hagan qualified #1 and set both ends of the track record at 3.799 secs 338.77 mph!

Popular racer Tim Wilkerson went to the “final four” in FC with his LRS-Mustang

DSR race team member Jack Beckman had a great showing at Indy – winning $100G from Traxxas on Sunday and going to the semi final round on Monday

(Some good stuff from independent racers who qualified at Indy – Justin Schiefer (top) @ #15 4.033 secs and Brian Stewart #11 at 3.924 secs)

Posted with files by Cody Poor & Bruce Biegler

Photos by Bruce Biegler – Steve Embing – Dave DeAngelis

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