Spencer Hyde and the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car team continued to build momentum during this weekend’s Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, showing steady improvement throughout qualifying before an opening-round loss ended their day on Sunday.

 Hyde, the 2025 NHRA Rookie of the Year and the only full-time Canadian competing in the NHRA’s Nitro ranks, enjoyed one of the tour’s closest stops to his home country as fans from both sides of the border packed Pacific Raceways just outside Seattle for the 12th event of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

The Jim Head-led team qualified No. 8 in the highly competitive 16-car Funny Car field after improving on every qualifying run throughout the weekend. Hyde’s best pass came during the fourth and final qualifying session Saturday with a 3.929 second run at 328.38 mph. Earlier in the day, his 3.939 second pass at 327.43 mph was the third quickest of the third qualifying session, earning the team a valuable qualifying bonus point.

The steady progression gave the team confidence heading into eliminations, where Hyde matched up against the most recent Funny Car winner on tour, Jordan Vandergriff. Vandergriff gained the starting-line advantage and Hyde was unable to make up the difference before the finish line.

Despite the early exit, Hyde believes the team’s recent qualifying performances are proof they are moving in the right direction as the regular season enters its final stretch with only two races remaining before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins.

“Yeah, we’re making progress,” said Hyde. “Honestly, we’ve just got to get a couple rounds on race day.”. Crew chief Jim Head and the team have continued searching for incremental improvements in a Funny Car category where hundredths of a second often separate the entire field.

“We’re fighting the same thing everybody else is,” said Hyde. “They’re just doing a bit better job of making the right changes. We made two good runs yesterday, and we basically just tried to pick it up a little bit from those two runs. It didn’t like it, but that’s part of learning.”.

Away from the racetrack, Hyde participated in the weekend’s NHRA autograph session benefiting Saint Bernards of the PNW, helping support the local dog rescue organization while connecting with fans throughout the weekend.

Hyde will stay busy during the NHRA’s upcoming break, making his debut at the prestigious 49th Annual Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. He’ll then return to NHRA competition at the Brainerd Nationals in Minnesota after the series’ extended summer break.

 Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car, backed by Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and the Caine Group, will be back in NHRA competition in four weeks at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals on August 20-23 at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Posted by Elon Werner
Photo by Les Puchala