NHRA Insider Podcast

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes gives a monster Las Vegas preview through the Mission Foods and Lucas Oil categories and is then joined by JBS Equipment Pro Mod Series points leader Justin Bond to talk all things on the grand finale of the season this weekend. The Pro Mod class has four drivers coming in with a real, potential shot at winning the title and over the seasons, chaos has reigned supreme at this event. Bond talks abot life, pressure, his team, his approach, and how it has all blended together to put him in a position to potentially win a first NHRA title. Loads of stories, scenarios, facts, and figures in this one!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Texas Fall Nationals winners JR Todd and Matt Smith join the show to talk about victory when the pressure is on, breaking back into the championship discussion in their respective categories, and their race experiences at the Texas Motorplex. For JR Todd, the victory landed him in third place headed to Las Vegas 119 points back of the leader Matt Hagan and headed to a racetrack where his crew chief has won five times already. They seem primed to really make things hard on the competition over the course of the last two races. Todd talks about the evolution of the team, hole shots on race day, and finally running for a championship again. Matt Smith was blazingly fast in Texas and rode into the sunset with a cowboy hat, a third-place spot in the points, and only 85 of those points to make up over two races. Matt goes into depth on his team's strategy for the next two, the outlook for 2027 with Joey Gladstone, the parts he still has on the shelf, and more. A conversation with one of the most strategically thinking drag racers on the planet. All that and a Texas sized recap to kick it off!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Christie Meyer-Johnson, the co-owner of the Texas Motorplex and the driving force behind the Stampede of Speed as well as Aaron Stanfield who took victory from his dad at the last stop on the NHRA tour at Worldwide Technology Raceway. Christie Meyer-Johnson joins the show from an in-progress Stampede of Speed to detail what's already been happening since the event began, as well as what's in store for the rest of the week. Killer weather, 600+ race cars, and a whole lot or action are on tap. Christie talks about the role of the track in the community, building the event, and the scenes she is looking forward to. Aaron Stanfield called from the pits of the Texas Motorplex where he was working for his wife Jolie this week as she competes at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race at the 'Plex. Stanfield talks Pro Stock wins, racing his dad, strategy in the coming races, and a season that has been manic in some respects. A swift moving show for one of the fastest weeks in the sport!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Jimmy Prock and Will Smith join host Brian Lohnes to talk about not only their successes in St Louis at Worldwide Technology Raceway but also their teams' respective improvements over the course of 2026. Jimmy Prock goes into depth about the process and work that has defined the Tasca Racing Ford Mustang this season, how he and his crew have developed their combination, pushed the limits of what's possible, and how they have come back into a championship conversation that some may have believed them to be locked out of. It's an interesting chat with one of the all-time great wrenches in the sport of drag racing. Will Smith's Bluebird Turf Top Fuel Dragster has been on a tear in the Countdown. A second-round appearance to start it, a semi-final in Rockingham to continue it, and then a final round berth in St. Louis for their best race day of the season. The how's and why's of this increasingly successful unique team are explored here. Two great stories and two interviews that bring you into the pits and crew chief lounge of these surging teams!

On this super-sized episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Leah Pruett, Mike Knudsen, and Greg Stanfield join to talk about a multitude of topics in the world of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing. Leah joins to explore the partnership that will be highlighted on her car at WWTR featuring a tech company called Pellera. This is a fascinating conversation that examines how this non-drag racing company plays a role in TSR's nitro operations and how they are doing things that no one else in the pits is currently doing at this level. You'll be blown away at the level of tech that is being employed and how it is being used. She also talks 2027, Tony Schumacher, and how the team is approaching the last four races of 2026. Mike Knudsen is the second guest on the show. He talks about his team's big win in Rockingham, how they have come to lead the points, their strategy, their team approach, and any number of inside baseball crew chief topics. An in-depth study in how a championship level Funny Car team operates. Finally, Pro Stock points leader Greg Stanfield joins the show to breakdown his Rockingham win, his team's rise from a 12th place 2025 into a points leading 2026, the first round that had eyebrows raised, and a whole lot more. Insight, humor, and knowledge abound. A big show with big named before a BIG race in St. Louis!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Troy Coughlin Jr joins the show to talk about his amazing Pro Stock win at the Dodge Great Lakes Nationals and host Brian Lohnes recaps the stunning event in a monologue style. Coughlin gives awesome insight into navigating the sometimes up and down world of drag racing, his approach to a treacherous starting line in Martin, Michigan, and how the final round against Matt Hartford was not just a test of skill, but one of patience and physicality as well. His recounting of the victory and weekend are next level good. The show starts with a Brian Lohnes monologue about the race, the starting line questions people had about reaction times and the "why" behind it, recounting top performers, the incredible vibe with the hardcore Michigan fans, and a whole lot more. Rockingham is right around the corner and the Countdown is red hot!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Matt Hagan joins the show to talk about the hard-fought regular season title his team eared at Indy, the approach they are taking to the Countdown, and how he plans on battling with the best for a fifth NHRA championship. Following Hagan, Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna join the show to dive into a class-by-class breakdown of not only the Dodge Great Lakes Nationals but also a longer look into the six-race Countdown to the Championship that kicks off this weekend and roars through three straight events. Insight, rumors, news, and more! It's time to get fired up about the NHRA heading back to Michigan and the Countdown kicking off!

On this post Cornwell Quality Tools US Nationals episode, host Brian Lohnes is joined by winning crew chiefs Tim Fabrisi and Brian Husen, the guys who captured the Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel diamond Wally trophies on a wild Monday at the biggest race of the season. Both men talk about the challenges presented by the weather with incredible temperatures, off the charts humidity, and wild swings over the four days of competition between qualifying and racing. For John Force Racing's Tim Fabrisi and Daniel Hood, the guys who tune Jack Beckman's funny car, it was a rich weekend in every respect. Between the race win and their All-Star Call Out victory, they netted about $200,000 in 48 hours. Fabrisi takes us inside the weekend and shares some truly neat stories about how they approached and conquered the US Nationals. Brian Husen knew his team needed to break out of their three-race slump and boy did they! Husen talks about the weekend that landed them in the most coveted winner's circle in drag racing, the one at IRP. Listen to him explain where the struggles were, how they fixed them, and what he is looking for over the next six races. The inside story of the teams that conquered Indy!

On this bonus Cornwell Quality Tools US Nationals Insider, Brian Lohnes dives deep into the world of JBS Equipment Pro Mod and interviews rookie sensation Peter Norton who has been racing for nine months and has already done huge things with his young team. Norton is making his quarter-mile Pro Mod debut at Indy, his home track.

Outside of the conversation with Norton there's a breakdown of the Road to the Championship, the points standings, the drivers to watch, a history lesson of the Pro Mod class at the US Nationals, statisics, bump spots, and a whole lot more.

If you love Pro Modified like we do, this is a must listen show to know it ALL going into the World's Largest Drag Race. The implications for careers are huge, championship runs are on the line, and the intensity cannot be beat.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Kevin McKenna and Tony Pedregon join the show for an in-depth romp into all things 2026 Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA US Nationals. Kevin McKenna and Brian Lohnes go deep into the storylines, names, history, and cars that will be competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing series categories at the event from Stock Eliminator all the way up to the Top Alcohol Funny car and Dragster divisions. The Sox and Martin Hemi Challenge, FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown and more are also discussed. That plus the cars you need to find in the pits, the strategy to win the most grueling race on the tour, and a whole lot more is broken down. Tony Pedregon joins the show and the conversation moves to the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories and a class-by-class breakdown that examines regular season championship leaders, new and returning faces, and the high-stakes poker that qualifying becomes with the massive herd of cars descending upon Indy. It's an interesting and eye-opening discussion. Info on how and where to watch, emerging story lines and more. It's Indy and EVERYONE is fired up!