The NHRA Countdown is designed to make the final six races of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series interesting, and the first race, the 40th NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish at Maple Grove Raceway, did exactly just that.

Spencer Hyde, the Canadian rookie Funny Car driver for Head Racing, entered race day in the No. 1 qualifying position. After advancing to the quarterfinals, he was knocked out earlier than he anticipated, along with No. 2 qualifier and points leader Austin Prock and No. 4 qualifier Jack Beckman. 

“This race had so many crazy things happen, in every professional class,” said Hyde. “I said when I earned the No. 1 qualifier that I knew it would be no guarantee, but to have No. 1 qualifiers out early, crashes happen in Top Fuel and funky DQ circumstances happen in Pro Stock is pretty wild. There’s a reason they call this place the House of Chaos, and it definitely lived up to that name. I’m disappointed we didn’t get the win, but that’s drag racing for you.” 

Hyde earned his first No. 1 qualifying spot during the second qualifying session on Friday, with his best pass of the weekend, a 3.868 second, 330.07 mph run. In the first round of eliminations, he was up against part-time driver Phil Burkart Jr. It wasn’t the smoothest run, but Hyde was the first to the finish line, allowing him to advance to the quarterfinals.

“We smoked the tires and I had to pedal it,” said Hyde, a two-time Funny Car runner-up. “It wasn’t the prettiest run I’ve ever made, but it did the job. A round win is a round win, and those points matter right now in the Countdown.” 

The Head Racing team entered the weekend No. 9 in the points standings. Hyde’s No. 1 qualifying effort was enough to move them up one spot to No. 8, and advancing to the quarterfinals secured that position. Hyde lined up against Blake Alexander in the second round, for their first time in eliminations. Hyde left on Alexander, but he smoked the tires and had to pedal it again, and Alexander was able to get around him. 

“The car was going down pretty smoothly, and at about 330 feet it smoked the tires, moving me over towards the center, I pedaled it and brought it back, but then it started spinning again,” said Hyde. “I pedaled it a couple more times, and just couldn’t get the car to settle down. It felt like a bucking bronco.” 

As Hyde continues his rookie season, he understands that practice makes perfect. Every round is more experience – his reaction times are improving, he’s getting better at pedaling the car and he’s becoming more confident. This weekend he also introduced a new steering wheel into the mix. 

“I switched to an MPI steering wheel this race,” said Hyde. “It’s more like a go-kart steering wheel than the traditional butterfly. J.R. Todd has been using one for a while and Shawn Reed just put one in his car. I was in J.R.’s pit back in Phoenix, and I liked the idea of it, with my Pro Mod background. It’s going to take a bit more getting used to, but I think it will work out for me in the long run. It feels more comfortable in my hands. I want to keep racing competitively in this class, so I’m looking at everything I can be doing to keep getting better. My first race win is imminent.” 

Hyde and the Head Racing team will be back in competition at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals on September 19-21 at zMax Dragway.

Posted by Elon Werner
Photos by Dave DeAngelis