Funny Car driver Paul Lee won a specialty race for the first time in his NHRA career at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Bob Tasca in the final round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, held on the Sunday as part of the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Lee, who was seeded eighth in the eight-car field and appeared in a specialty race for the first time, went 4.243-seconds at 328.38 mph in his McLeod Racing/FTI Performance Dodge Charger to slip past Tasca’s 4.255. Both cars drove into smoke near the finish line, but Lee had enough to coast to the victory, which nets the veteran the $80,000 prize. Lee beat Ron Capps and defending world champion Matt Hagan earlier on Sunday to reach the final round of the specialty race.

He left first on Tasca and held on for the win, which is certainly Lee’s biggest moment in the Funny Car ranks. Lee has made impressive strides this year with Jonnie Lindberg as his crew chief and John Medlen offering guidance as well.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my whole team. They really worked their butts off today, changed engines between first and second round and did a flawless job,” Lee said. “This is a team sport. I’m here representing my team, but it’s a true team sport and I just remember growing up watching all the specialty shootouts in the past and then growing up and getting to be in one and win it? I’m over the moon. 
 
“I’m in it, I don’t care who I race. I didn’t really care because you have to beat everybody. Look at the cars you have to race, these are the top cars in the country. I don’t look at this as stress, I look at it as opportunity. This time, it was an opportunity to win $80,000.”

Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout
(Eliminations Summary)

ROUND ONE — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.955, 318.24 def. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.006, 311.70; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.931, 327.19 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.812, 166.66; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.014, 291.57 def. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 5.849, 126.10; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.933, 332.43 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 5.203, 144.12;

SEMIFINALS — B. Tasca III, 3.974, 326.16 def. J. Todd, 4.632, 180.89; P. Lee, 3.968, 323.35 def. M. Hagan, 3.972, 326.00;

FINAL — P. Lee, 4.243, 234.86 def. B. Tasca III, 4.255, 222.69.

Posted with files by NHRA Communications

Photos by Dave DeAngelis