NHRA Insider Podcast
the NHRA Insider Podcast Presented by Speedmaster is an inside look at the world of the NHRA and all things drag racing. Hosted by Brian Lohnes. https://www.speedmaster79.com/
info_outline
6.15 Jasmine Salinas, Bob Tasca, and Del Worsham Talk Command and Control Post Vegas Powered by Speedmaster
04/17/2024
6.15 Jasmine Salinas, Bob Tasca, and Del Worsham Talk Command and Control Post Vegas Powered by Speedmaster
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Jasmine Salinas, Bob Tasca, and Del Worsham to discuss the Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals, growth, strategy, and how great teams get their cars back on track. Jasmine Salinas is the first guest on the show and a great conversation ensues about her early period in Top Fuel, what she has learned so far, how she has evolved as a racer, and how her competitive personality was formed in the sport of drag racing where she has dedicated so much of her time and effort for the last several years. Bob Tasca talks about his team's measured approach to the Vegas race, what they tested after the race, and how his relationship with his crew chiefs ultimately has lead to them having the fastest funny car in history and one of the most competitive in the NHRA. A high energy discussion! Finally, Del Worsham recounts his team's struggles, his own personal grief over the performance of the funny car he tunes, and how they committed themselves to righting their own ship which resulted in a car that went rounds in Phoenix and Las Vegas. It's an insightful crew chief chat. This is a jam packed episode with something for everyone!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30874443
info_outline
6.14 The Insider Recap of Phoenix, Paul Lee on Funny Car Success, and A Vegas Preview
04/09/2024
6.14 The Insider Recap of Phoenix, Paul Lee on Funny Car Success, and A Vegas Preview
On this episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster, funny car ace Paul Lee joins host Brian Lohnes to talk about the rapid growth of performance and success his team has experienced under the leadership of John Medlen and Jonnie Lindberg, how well Phoenix went before a mechanical problem, and what his outlook is for the rest of the NHRA season. Lee brings some great insights as a racer and an owner on how things are shaping up in nitro funny car. Lohnes recaps Phoenix and the action fans saw all weekend long, talks about 4-Wide drag racing in Las Vegas its perception and attitude and the ONE thing fans can bank on seeing during that always high energy event. A bang-bang Insider!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30751193
info_outline
6.13 The Insiders Convene To Talk Phoenix and Early Results
04/02/2024
6.13 The Insiders Convene To Talk Phoenix and Early Results
This week on the NHRA Insider, Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna of NHRA National Dragster join host Brian Lohnes for a wide-ranging discussion on the early season, well, very early season results we have seen so far in NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing, what the seemingly beautiful Phoenix weekend could look like, and who's trying to emerge from the pack in this first small sampling of 2024. Working class by class for the upcoming race, the topics touch on everything from the strength of Erica Enders first couple of races, the things that drag racing can do better to tell inside stories, the upcoming Pomona Finals in Phoenix, how Top Fuel is so absurdly good, and why rivalries and tensions are sure to rise as the season progresses. It's a rocking and rolling hour of drag racing insight, opinion, and fun!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30647773
info_outline
6.12 A Hail-acious Pomona Recap and Phoenix Primer With Travis Shumake and Lyle Barnett Powered By Speedmaster
03/26/2024
6.12 A Hail-acious Pomona Recap and Phoenix Primer With Travis Shumake and Lyle Barnett Powered By Speedmaster
On this episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes recaps an insane Lucas Oil Winternationals and is then joined by Travis Shumake who will make his Top Fuel career debut in Phoenix and Lyle Barnett who will make his Arizona drag racing debut at the same event as the pro mods will be competing in the desert for the first time. Shumake has been working for three years to achieve this moment. He has a one car operation, has raised the funding himself, and has been relentlessly working to secure sponsors and supporters all along the way. He is a legacy racer who will make his debut at a track his late father Tripp had much success on a local and national event level through the years. It's a story of determination and perseverance unique to him. Lyle Barnett the hard-nosed Pro Mod racer talks about his Gainesville race as well as the excitement of hitting a new venue and facility along with learning its challenges. The event has more than 20 of the cars pre-entered and will of course feature a 16 car field so qualifying will be a high drama exercise like it was in Gainesville. Two great stories and two things to look forward to in Phoenix at Firebird Motorsports Park!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30555508
info_outline
6.11 Two Drivers, 11 Championships - Steve Torrence and Jeg Coughlin Jr Dive Deep! Powered By Speedmaster
03/20/2024
6.11 Two Drivers, 11 Championships - Steve Torrence and Jeg Coughlin Jr Dive Deep! Powered By Speedmaster
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Steve Torrence and Jeg Coughlin Jr to talk about not only the start of the 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series but their careers, their approach to drag racing, and how the mental aspect of this sport is its most towering challenge. For Steve Torrence, a strong running car in Gainesville has buoyed his spirits and placed him back in a competitive mindset that he will carry into the Lucas Oil Winternationals. In a wide ranging conversation Torrence talks about himself, his family, the team's approach, and how things actually get more difficult in racing as time and success wear on. He also tells a side-splitting story about his first experience in a top fuel dragster as well as his first race. Must hear stuff. Jeg Coughlin Jr is back among the full-time ranks of NHRA pro stock racers and this conversation spans the spectrum of topics. Whether it is the evolution of a driver in the class, how he is able to maintain and keep competitive focus, his relationship with the car and his crew chiefs, and even the things his father taught him as a young racer, you'll be fascinated by the subject matter. The Winternationals are going to be fast and this show will get you pumped up for the race.
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30451558
info_outline
6.10 Austin Prock and A Post Gainesville Breakdown To End 'Em All!
03/12/2024
6.10 Austin Prock and A Post Gainesville Breakdown To End 'Em All!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Amalie Oil Gatornationals funny car runner up Austin Prock to discuss his weekend and his rapid rise to funny car stardom. There's also a class by class breakdown and analysis of the action from the Gators and what it means for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series going forward. Austin Prock is candid, thoughtful, and reflective in this conversation. The topics range fom getting handed a rocket of a car and taking it by the horns, the differences in physically driving the machine, how they achieved the success they did at the Gatornationals, and how they plan on keeping the whole works moving forward through the year. Prock has high expectations of himself and his team and he shares them here. Prior to Prock's appearance Lohnes breaks down the race from his perspective as a broadcaster, what the winners showed the world, and what the losers have to work on. This is a fun and fast moving show!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30341668
info_outline
6.9 Go Time - The Insiders Talk Gainesville And The 2024 Season Ahead
03/05/2024
6.9 Go Time - The Insiders Talk Gainesville And The 2024 Season Ahead
It's Gainesville week! On this show host Brian Lohnes is joined by NHRAonFox Analyst Tony Pedregon and the two go in-depth looking at the upcoming Amalie Oil Gatornationals as well as the full 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season to come. The conversation is wide ranging and travels from class to class with a heavy concentration on top fuel, which presents itself on paper as perhaps the most challenging of all the professional categories to name favorites in. From the new teams, the new drivers and riders, the mental and mechanical challenges, those that need to step up, those that appear to have already stepped up, and what it will take to claim championships in 2024, these guys touch on it all. Listen up and get excited for what will be an incredible kick off to 2024 at the Gatornationals!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30242623
info_outline
6.8 The Florida Men Cometh - Josh Hart and Dave Richards Talk 2024
02/26/2024
6.8 The Florida Men Cometh - Josh Hart and Dave Richards Talk 2024
This episode of the NHRA Insider concentrates on two fascinating story lines developing in the home state of the Amalie Oil Gatornationals. Josh Hart and Dave Richards are at their center and both men join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the show. For Josh Hart 2023 was a string of disappoints following a shining moment at the Gators when he won the Pep Boys All-Star Call Out. After that things were a pretty rough uphill slog all year. Hart talks about that, working through the frustration, commitment to his team, and the outlook for 2024 following Florida testing. It's an insightful chat with one of the sport's most interesting guys. Economical with his words, they all land with a punch. Dave Richards is set to live out a life's dream that was borne of a nightmare in 2023. After a massive season ending crash parked the Versatran funny car, no one knew what the future held for the team. Well, as it was, this wreck would cause the team to be reborn, purchased as part of the SCAG Power Equipment Factory effort, they will run the full tour for the first time in 2024. Richards talks about the challenges, the excitement, and the work that goes into making this whole thing work. It's fun, it's insightful, and it's the story of an epic full time call up to the big leagues.
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/30121648
info_outline
6.7 Jonnie Lindberg Talks Funny Car Tuning and Leah Pruett Talks All-Star Callout Craziness!
02/15/2024
6.7 Jonnie Lindberg Talks Funny Car Tuning and Leah Pruett Talks All-Star Callout Craziness!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast, Jonnie Lindberg and Leah Pruett join host Brian Lohnes to talk about their pre-season testing successes and what's coming for Gainesville, which could be a watershed weekend for both of them. For Jonnie Lindberg, he has the shot of a lifetime as a young crew chief. Working along side John Medlen in tuning Paul Lee's funny car, he gets to call from his own experience and that of a man who has been tuning longer than he has been alive. Lindberg talks about the process of tuning the car, the string of 3.80s runs it made in Bradenton testing, the process of learning from Medlen, and the various aspects of his own life and career that will contribute to his success in this large role. It's insightful and a great window into the challenges and exciting things facing a motivated and talented young mind in the sport. Leah Pruett is preparing for one of the wildest weekends of her drag racing career in Gainesville...maybe. She will race in the Pep Boys All-Star Call-Out...maybe. In this interview, Pruett reveals the unprecedented plan she and her team have hatched for Gainesville. Qualifying her husband on Friday and then concentrating on her efforts on Saturday with potentially both cars running on Sunday is something we have never heard of anyone else doing. She tells all here. This is one heck of a show!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29975218
info_outline
6.5 Lyle Barnett Talks Full Time Pro Mod in '24 - Justin Ashley Talks SCAG, Strategy, and Success
02/06/2024
6.5 Lyle Barnett Talks Full Time Pro Mod in '24 - Justin Ashley Talks SCAG, Strategy, and Success
On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast re-minted full-time Pro Mod racer Lyle Barnett and top fuel Ace Justin Ashley join host Brian Lohnes to talk off-season moves, big expectations for 2024, and how, as individuals, they plan on making a measurable impact on the upcoming season. Lyle Barnett had a whirlwind of an off-season. Initially tagged as the replacement driver for Leah Pruett, the situation changed and he was left without a ride. A single conversation with Pro Mod team owner Scott Tidwell placed him in the seat of a highly competitive car and one he will pilot all season long. Barnett talks about the team, why it is a good fit, and what he brings to the table in what promises to be a season for the doorslammer books. Justin Ashley made waves when it was announced that his team would be part of the new SCAG factory mega-team that includes multiple Funny Car entries, a Top Fuel dragster, Pro Stock entries and more. Ashley talks about pre-season preparations, his approach to 2024, and why this SCAG Power Equipment team is set to take an already stable operation and kick it over the top. Big energy here. Big talent here. Big fun here as well. Listen!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29825713
info_outline
6.4 Eddie Krawiec Talks About Getting Off The Motorcycle
01/24/2024
6.4 Eddie Krawiec Talks About Getting Off The Motorcycle
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast host Brian Lohnes dives into the big news of the Pro Stock Motorcycle category of the last week with four time champion and 49 time race winner Eddie Krawiec. National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna also joins the show to talk about motorcycles along with other brewing NHRA stories. In this candid conversation, Eddie Krawiec talks about his career, his decision to abdicate the seat of the second Vance and Hines Suzuki, who Richard Gadson is and the process of bringing another rising star in motorcycle drag racing to the sport's largest stage. It is retrospective, introspective, and really interesting to learn about how this all happened and how the team will work going forward, along with Eddie's plans. Revealing and fun, the conversation rolls. Kevin McKenna brings his insight as one of the true NHRA Insiders not only about some interesting internal storylines in Pro Stock Motorcycle but also about other classes and developments that are on going as we speak, all leading up to the Gatornationals in March. A fun and swiftly moving episode here!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29637333
info_outline
6.3 Funny Car: The Next Generaton - Daniel Wilkerson and Austin Prock Talk 2024, More
01/17/2024
6.3 Funny Car: The Next Generaton - Daniel Wilkerson and Austin Prock Talk 2024, More
If the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series off-season comes in waves, consider this the second one, and it's the central focus of this episode of the NHRA Insider. Host Brian Lohnes has Daniel Wilkerson, the newly minted driver of the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang, and Austin Prock, the even newer named driver of the Cornwell Tools, AAA, John Force Racing Chevrolet Camaro on as guests. Both guys will be fresh to the funny car category as full-time competitors, both will be tuned by their fathers and both are high energy, entertaining, dynamic personalities. This show radiates the energy you'd expect from two lifelong lovers of drag racing that were both surprised at the turns their respective careers took for 2024. Lots of interesting conversation here from the approach of a driver with a handful of races under his belt to the approach of a seasoned and fun-loving top fuel driver getting in one of the greatest funny cars on the planet. Non-stop fun here, some teasers on upcoming news, some other stuff revealed and more!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29533248
info_outline
6.2 Schumacher and Wendland Tell All On Team Building, Sponsorships, More
01/09/2024
6.2 Schumacher and Wendland Tell All On Team Building, Sponsorships, More
On this fired up episode of the NHRA Insider host Brian Lohnes talks with Shawn Reed Racing crew chief Rob Wendland and JCM Top Fuel pilot Tony Schumacher about a multitude of behind the scenes topics in professional drag racing. Wendland talks about the massive undertaking of getting a new Top Fuel operation off the ground. From the literal nuts and bolts, to the work, how the labor is divided, how a new team functions together, and the expectations he has for the 2024 season. This is as insightful as it gets into the world of a crew chief overseeing a hue project being done over a short period of time. How does this all come together? Wendland spills the beans on every inch of it. Tony Schumacher, the eight time Top Fuel champion is the second guest on this show and the conversation ranges from the legacy his late father Don left in the sport, his feelings on the 2023 season at JCM Racing, the shock and surprise of a primary sponsor leaving unexpectedly, his feelings on the topic, becoming a driver coach for incoming FIA Top Fuel champion Ida Zetterstrom, and a ton more. This episode is on the gas! Listen up now!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29408288
info_outline
6.1 2024 Is ON - The Insiders Talk Ownership Controversies, Passing of Legends and More
01/02/2024
6.1 2024 Is ON - The Insiders Talk Ownership Controversies, Passing of Legends and More
On this first 2024 episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast host Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon to talk about the news of the last couple of weeks, the passing of legends like Don Schumacher and Roland Leong, the wild news about JCM Racing, the new SCAG factory drag racing team, and a whole lot more. What is normally a quiet stretch of time between Christmas and New Year's Day was far busier than normal this year. Lohnes and Pedregon take time to reflect on the lives and careers of both the late owner and tuner Roland Leong as well as the massive legacy left by the passing of Don Schumacher. The two talk about the work being done in this earliest week of the new year by the teams who have officially kicked off preparations for the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, what those preparations are, and how important getting new crew members acclimated is. The most interesting part of the show delves into the announcements made by JCM Racing and SCAG regarding wholesale changes of both sponsorship and ownership tied into multiple teams. This story will continue to develop and the insiders are here for it. It's 2024 and the action is getting closer by the day, enjoy this episode!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29311068
info_outline
5.53 Championship Crew Chief Alan Johnson, A Wrap On 2023, and Some Final Rumors!
12/19/2023
5.53 Championship Crew Chief Alan Johnson, A Wrap On 2023, and Some Final Rumors!
On this final 2023 episode of the NHRA Insider podcast, host Brian Lohnes talks to championship crew chief Alan Johnson who worked with a talented team to achieve a Top Fuel world championship with the Kalitta team. He talks about the building process, the end of the season run, and a lot about the inner workings of a top fuel drag racing team. It's a fascinating chat with one of the most decorated minds in drag racing history. The other section of the show is a monologue wrap up of the 2023 season, some news and rumors that are still bubbling in the Pro Stock and Nitro Funny Car ranks and an outlook to the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series to come. A fun way to wrap up the season and get settled in for a short Christmas and holiday season break!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29150643
info_outline
5.52 An NHRA PRI News Avalanche and New Funny Car Driver Buddy Hull!
12/12/2023
5.52 An NHRA PRI News Avalanche and New Funny Car Driver Buddy Hull!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider host Brian Lohnes takes you through the absolutely astonishing torrent of news that came from the 2023 PRI show in Indianapolis and is later joined by a guy who helped to make some headlines in the form of Buddy Hull, who is moving into the Jim Dunn Racing nitro funny car for the 2024 season. The first 20 minutes of this show is nothing but headlines, analysis, and breakdown of a relentless 2023 PRI show. The news was all positive from drivers changing classes, to drivers moving into ownership roles, the emergence of an FIA champion into NHRA top fuel, and a whole lot more. The second half of the show has Buddy Hull joining to talk about his change to the nitro funny car ranks with Jim Dunn Racing, how the deal came together, what he is most excited about, and how he has sold a large portion of his operation to Jacob McNeal who will run it intact into 2024. Hull is a highly positive force in NHRA and he is poised to be a rock star as he enters the ranks as a full time runner. A big episode that is packed with juicy news. Some you know and lots you do not!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/29040693
info_outline
5.51 The Insiders Talk More Crew Chief Moves and a Monster Week Ahead At PRI
12/05/2023
5.51 The Insiders Talk More Crew Chief Moves and a Monster Week Ahead At PRI
This week on the NHRA Insider Podcast host Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon. The pair talk about the continuing news around crew chief moves in the NHRA and they preview what will be the largest and most exciting week of drag racing news in years at PRI. From the announcements of new teams, new drivers, the NHRA National Dragster All-Star Team, new sponsors, and more, this will be a week long remembered by NHRA fans and a week that will supercharge an already busy off-season. The pair talk about Leah Pruett testing her car in 40-degree weather at IRP, the preparations being made by those teams that are already established, speculate on some news that has not been fully confirmed yet, and a whole lot more. This is a fun show that has a lot of energy coming into the Performance Racing Industry trade show in Indianapolis. Make sure you tune into NHRA.com all week long to stay abreast of the breaking news in drag racing through all the various classes and categories!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28943048
info_outline
5.50 Crew Chief News and Rumors, Matt Smith, Chad Green, and More!
11/28/2023
5.50 Crew Chief News and Rumors, Matt Smith, Chad Green, and More!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider, host Brian Lohnes drops the puck on the silly season with a load of news from behind the scenes of NHRA drag racing. Crew chiefs moving around, brewing controversy with one announcement, perhaps, longtime unions busted up, and new ones formed. This is wild stuff! The guests on the show are funny car racer and Pomona winner Chad Green who talks about his weekend, his season, his ability to help decide a title, and how he feels going into the 2024 campaign and the off-season. Matt Smith is the second guest and he talks a lot about the lessons learned in 2023, how he can apply them to 2024, and what he learned over a tough season. Smith talks rules, talks racing with strategy, and talks about how he can step and give Gaige Herrera a run for his money, along with everyone else in 2024. This is a heck of a show with news that will make your eyes and ears pop!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28829383
info_outline
5.49 The Insiders Talk Pomona, Champions, Failures, and The Future!
11/20/2023
5.49 The Insiders Talk Pomona, Champions, Failures, and The Future!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast, Tony Pedregon and Phil Burgess host Brian Lohnes to talk all things past, present, and future in NHRA drag racing. The trio have a class-by-class championship breakdown with loads of insight, loads of information, and loads of behind-the-scenes knowledge only they can bring. This wide ranging discussion moves to the teams and people that struggled during the countdown after strong regular season efforts and the potential reasons for why and how they can improve for 2024. There's lots of great information to be had here and an in-depth breakdown of individual performances along with how teams dealt with the curve balls of the year. Finally, the three launch into rumor patrol mode and go into some of the breaking stories, some of the good dirt, and some of the interesting happening. The guys actually surprise each other with some of this stuff, so it is silly season gold! A great listen to kick off the off-season and Thanksgiving week!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28729338
info_outline
5.48 NHRA Insider LIVE: Soothsayer and the Spoilers
11/12/2023
5.48 NHRA Insider LIVE: Soothsayer and the Spoilers
On this live edition of the NHRA Insider Podcast, hosts Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon are joined by National Dragster Editorial Director Phil Burgess, top fuel driver Josh Hart, and funny car pilot Chad Green. The guy will get inside the head of drag racing’s most knowledgeable journalist and get his take on early qualifying and how the weekend is laying out in the performance realm and championship storylines. Josh Hart sawed his way through tough competition to go rounds in Las Vegas and cause heartburn for many top fuel contenders. The guys will talk to Hart about a frustrating season and the lessons learned in it. Finally, top 10 funny car runner Chad Green will join the show and tell the world about his career year in 2023, what the team learned, how they grew, and what he plans on doing to get even better in 2024. It’s all LIVE from Pomona!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28596933
info_outline
5.47 The Insiders Talk Vegas Controversy, Winners, and The In-N-Out Burger Finals!
11/08/2023
5.47 The Insiders Talk Vegas Controversy, Winners, and The In-N-Out Burger Finals!
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon talk all things Las Vegas and about the upcoming In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. It was a controversial and hardcore weekend in the desert paradise of lights and glamour where a handful of racers set their course for potential championships. Gaige Herrera dominated, Erica Enders got her 10th victory at the facility, and the already tight nitro ranks got even tighter leading into this last race. The two talk about the major stories that came from the pits at the race, their net effect on the outcome, and which teams proved themselves championship-worthy. As the conversation moves to Pomona and the In-N-Out Burger Finals, they break down the strengths and potential pitfalls of the remaining contenders and how each can succeed or fail on this most pressure-packed stage. It promises to be a beautiful Southern California weekend filled with all the drama professional drag racing can deliver. Get geared up for it right here with the NHRA Insider!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28552025
info_outline
5.46 NHRA Insider LIVE at Vegas: Pro Mod Championship Edition
10/28/2023
5.46 NHRA Insider LIVE at Vegas: Pro Mod Championship Edition
Join hosts Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon in the pits at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as they talk to the three leading contenders for the 2023 NHRA FuelTech Pro Mod championship. Mike Castellana, Justin Bond, and Kris Thorne are racing to the wire. Thorne is the defending series champion, and both Bond and Castellana are seeking their first world title. The conversation will be lively and both Lohnes and Pedregon will get deep into the realm of NHRA drag racing and this championship chase that ends at The Strip on Sunday!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28449455
info_outline
5.44 Insider Crew Chief Edition: Neal Strausbaugh and Mark Ingersoll Talk Winning In Dallas
10/17/2023
5.44 Insider Crew Chief Edition: Neal Strausbaugh and Mark Ingersoll Talk Winning In Dallas
On this crew chief edition of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Dallas-winning Top Fuel crew chief Neal Strausbaugh and Dallas pro stock-winning crew chief Mark Ingersoll for two revealing discussions. Both of these crew chiefs talk about pressure, leadership, the team dynamic in drag racing, and how they stuck to their respective programs even when things were not always going according to plan in the 2023 season. For Strausbaugh, the proof is in the results. A final round appearance in St Louis was followed in quick order by a win in Dallas among one of the fastest top fuel fields in history. Mark Ingersoll talks about the early season woes experienced by Erica Enders and her car along with the work to fix it and how success has really begun to pour their way in this late section of the season. Two guys who want the ball in high-pressure situations and two guys who have proven themselves to be among the best at their chosen craft. The big lesson here? Nuts and bolts will only get you so far, it is the people who ultimately carry the day. A great listen!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28345061
info_outline
5.43 Special Episode: Live from the NHRA Fall Texas Nationals
10/14/2023
5.43 Special Episode: Live from the NHRA Fall Texas Nationals
We're going LIVE from the pits at the NHRA Fall Texas Nationals with three big guests at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis. Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon will play host and co-host on a beautiful Saturday with guests Phil Burgess, the Editorial Director of NHRA's National Dragster Magazine, three-time and defending NHRA funny car champion Ron Capps and fellow three-time funny car champion Matt Hagan, who is coming off a big win in St Louis. The weekend has been historically fast already, and we're not even done with qualifying yet! The group will talk all things Countdown to the Championship, the huge performances so far this weekend, and how the leaders in the respective classes will handle the huge potential performance conditions that remain this weekend.
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28316492
info_outline
5.42 An Insider's Stampede of Hot Takes and News For The Stampede Of Speed
10/11/2023
5.42 An Insider's Stampede of Hot Takes and News For The Stampede Of Speed
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series heads to the Texas Motorplex for the Fall Texas Nationals, and on this week's episode of the NHRA Insider Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon to break down what fans should expect to see, what racers need to do, and how championship hopes will be bolstered or crushed in Ennis, Texas. The pair have a class-by-class breakdown of not only the leaders and their positions post St Louis but also of the cars and drivers on the bubble of still being in contention to feasibly win a world title. It is fascinating that Top Fuel is led by a guy who had not had a points advantage in years, Pro Stock Motorcycle is led by a veritable rookie, Pro Stock is only a six-point margin between first and second and Funny Car is a four-way battle that is just a handful of rounds between first and fourth. The pressures, the mistakes that need to be avoided, and the advantages that need to be taken. There's no more time for friends, there is only time for the business of winning at 200 and 300+ miles per hour. A big-time race calls for some big-time takes and this show has 'em from end to end.
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28283318
info_outline
5.41 Hot and Heavy - Greg Anderson and Clay Millican Tell Their St Louis Stories
10/03/2023
5.41 Hot and Heavy - Greg Anderson and Clay Millican Tell Their St Louis Stories
NHRA Midwest Nationals winners Clay Millican and Greg Anderson join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The race changed the face of the points in all professional categories and Lohnes opens up the show talking about just that. For Greg Anderson, back-to-back wins in this late-season stretch have juiced his chances of winning a title. Now sitting number two in the points, he is in a place that many had thought impossible for him to find earlier in the season. After middling performances, he has broken out from the pack and stands a very scant number behind current leader Erica Enders. Clay Millican is having a season unlike any other in his more than two decades of experience in driving top-fuel dragsters. Recording his third win on the year in St Louis, Millican now sits eighth in the points, thick in the battle for an even better position with three races to go. Millican talks about some of the inside stuff regarding his Rick Ware-owned, Jim Oberhofer-tuned dragster. Between the great insight about running the car, his team's approach, and his outlook for Dallas and beyond, there's loads of fun stuff to listen to, here. It's the post St. Louis show and it's full of the info that you'll only hear on the NHRA Insider.
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28213220
info_outline
5.40 NHRA Insider LIVE: Steamin’ In St Louis with Rob Flynn and Andrew Hines
09/30/2023
5.40 NHRA Insider LIVE: Steamin’ In St Louis with Rob Flynn and Andrew Hines
Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon welcome a pair of crew chiefs on this episode of the NHRA Insider LIVE from Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Rob Flynn will talk about the factors that led him to tune a 300mph eighth mile run at zMax Dragway just one week ago. He’ll also answer questions about the Scrappers top fuel season and 2024. Andrew Hines has tuned Gaige Herrera to a historic first season. The number one qualifiers and victories have come in hot and heavy. Can they win a title? The conversation will be interesting and revealing. All this and all the good stuff you want to know inside the world of NHRA drag racing!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28186511
info_outline
5.39 Three In A Row Makes 'Em Go - Lohnes and Pedregon Review The Coutdown And Look At St Louis
09/26/2023
5.39 Three In A Row Makes 'Em Go - Lohnes and Pedregon Review The Coutdown And Look At St Louis
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by NHRAonFOX analyst Tony Pedregon to talk about the first two races of the 2023 NHRA Coundown To The Championship and preview the upcoming third race at Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, this weekend. The NHRA Midwest Nationals will mark the halfway point in the playoffs and will present the clearest picture yet about who can actually hoist a championship trophy at the end of the year. The guys get into everything from the lanes at Charlotte to the chances that some teams have to employ strategy to win, to the racers who are in "must-win" situations to keep their hopes alive this week. Can and will Matt Hartford maintain his slim Pro Stock lead? Can Tasca actually continue to stand in the ring with Hight, Hagan, and Capps? Will Doug Kalitta actually win three races in a row? Will Gaige Herrera be thwarted by more Matt Smith moves? All this and more on this show!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28151006
info_outline
5.38 NHRA Insider LIVE at zMax Dragway!
09/23/2023
5.38 NHRA Insider LIVE at zMax Dragway!
The NHRA is at zMax Dragway for the second race of the Countdown To The Championship and that means hosts Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon are sitting down with some of the drivers who made big headlines at Maple Grove where the playoff series of drag racing began. Matt Hartford and Doug Kalitta will be the featured guests along with plenty of news and analysis to go along with the interviews. Matt Hartford took the win and the pro stock points lead in Pennsylvania after a challenging couple day of qualifying. Defying the odds and driving one of the best races of his career, it was the first time he and his team had ever won back to back coming off of their US Nationals triumph. In the fast conditions of Charlotte, his job will be to stave off the competition again. Doug Kalitta won a rock'em sock'em top fuel category in Pennsylvania to rocket up the points chart, lock down his 50th career victory, and reassert Kalitta Motorsports as a legitimate championship threat once more. After a wild tire explosion in qualifying, Kalitta piloted a backup car to the win and is running the same dragster at zMax. He's already quick in qualifying. Along with the interviews Lohnes and Pedregon will dive into the weekend, the hidden stories you may have missed, and all the juicy tidbits from the pits!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28121540
info_outline
5.37 Lohnes and Pedregon Preview The 2023 Countdown
09/13/2023
5.37 Lohnes and Pedregon Preview The 2023 Countdown
On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, host Brian Lohnes is joined by his right hand man in the broadcast booth, Tony Pedregon and the two look critically at the upcoming NHRA Countdown to the Championship. Starting with this weekend's race at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, they systematically go through the cars and drivers who are leading the conversation, who are potentially falling behind, and lastly, those that can spoil the party for the front runners. There's plenty of depth and insight here as the pair looks back over the season to observe trends, find out what lessons racers learned, and how those can be applied in this final dash for glory at the end of the season. Sit down, settle in, and prepare yourself for the Pep Boys Nationals. These guys will get you up to speed quicker than a top fuel dragster!
/episode/index/show/nhra-podcast/id/28016937