NHRA Insider Podcast

Gatornationals winning crew chief Todd Smith and Gatornationals winning pro stock motorcycle racer Matt Smith both join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider. The discussion with Todd centers around the race weekend and the off-season preparation that went into getting the car ready for battle at Gainesville. Sharing the insight gleaned from a long and distinguished career, Todd Smith takes us inside the decisions and leadership that are making the DHL Toyota Camry a front runner in the earliest parts of the 2021 season. A fascinating look behind the scenes with a crew chief who knows the game. Matt Smith won the Gatornationals and became the first rider in history to make four straight 200mph passes to do it. He talks about the race weekend, the performance of the rival Suzuki motorcycles, and how he dealt with the loss of his brakes in qualifying, a situation that would have put lesser riders in a much more harrowing position. Hear the champ talk about the racing program, his attack in 2021 and how h hopes to fend off all comers for another championship!

Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals funny car winner JR Todd and top fuel winning crew chief Ron Douglas join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider. Todd talks about the off-season and his road to victory in Gainesville, a welcome change from the frustrations of a 2020 season that saw no wins for his DHL Toyota Camry. Todd talks about the electricity of the crowd, the champagne bath at the end, and how this could be a very special season in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing. The second guest is crew chief Ron Douglas who tuned Josh Hart to a dramatic victory in Gainesville. Douglas talks about the weekend, talks about his career, the things he has learned along the way, and the special group of people who lay their hands on the race car to make it go down the track each time. This is a great perspective from a crew chief who shows up to win, weekend after weekend.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, crew chief Rob Flynn and top fuel world champion Steve Torrence join Brian Lohnes. Flynn tells his story of how he got into drag racing, how he worked his way through the ranks of competition to become one of the most respected crew chiefs in the sport, and how Kalitta Motorsports plans on running for a top fuel championship in 2021. The second conversation on the show is with top fuel world champion Steve Torrence. He talks about the incredible and indomitable spirit of Dom Lagana and how his family and crew have established themselves as an amazing top fuel dynasty. It is an emotional and in-depth discussion about the strength, toughness, and mental temerity of a beloved member of the CAPCO family and how this one man personifies the entire operation. You'll learn a lot about these two men who are chasing the same goal in 2021 and doing it in different ways.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Mike Janis and Kevin McKenna join Brian Lohnes. Janis was recently told by doctors that his hall of fame pro-modified driving career was at an end but Mike is not letting that end his career in the sport. Janis has put JR Gray in the family pro mod and will continue as the leader of the family race team that has garnered championships and race wins by the dozens over the years in pro mod. Mike talks about his career and the future of the team. National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna joins to talk about the inside stories breaking and developing around the sport. In wide-ranging conversation, he and Lohnes talk about the return of John Force, the situation in various categories of the NHRA universe, the path forward for hopeful professional racers, and what the 2021 season may have in store for all of us.

Angelle Sampey and Bruno Massel join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The conversation with Angelle is about the amazing announcement of Mission Foods coming on board to sponsor her season on a brand new Vance and Hines pro stock Suzuki with a four-valve cylinder head. She talks about her belief that her career ended with the closure of the Harley-Davidson sponsorship and what it feels like to be born anew on this new bike and this new program. Bruno Massel talks about having the "holy trinity" of drag racing problems in his life. Running pro stock, running Competition Eliminator, and also working the NHRA on FOX broadcasts. It is a juggle he accepts happily and with the help of his dad, he knows he can succeed. A fun show with two hardcore drag racers!

On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast, Tony Pedregon and Josh Hart join host Brian Lohnes for two entertaining chats. Firstly, Pedregon talks about news, rumors, and innuendo he has been hearing around the NHRA hotbed of Brownsburg, Indiana. There's some inside stuff here you are not going to get anywhere else. Following the talk with Tony, Lohnes and Josh Hart describe his rise to become a top fuel team owner, what his goals are, and how he plans on executing his season as a freshly minted top fuel racer. A standout in the alcohol ranks, Hart is a man with a plan in top fuel and if history is a guide, he will not be denied!

Joey Gladstone and JR Gray join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. Both men have backgrounds in drag racing's grudge scene and have worked their way to the worlds of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle and e3 Spark Plugs Pro Modified respectively. Gladstone talks about the upcoming season and the new Vance and Hines Suzuki motorcycles he will be racing with Cory Reed. The four-valve, fuel-injected bikes will be the most technologically advanced machines in the sport when they debut at Gainesville. JR Gray is one of the most recognized names in the grudge racing world as well as the Radial Vs The World arena of competition as well. With the guts and guile of a scrappy grudge racer, he has earned all the accolades and money that comes with those two forms of competition. He's taken the driver's seat at Mike Janis racing for the 2021 season and will be fun to watch. Two awesome interviews!

Cruz Pedregon and Justin Ashley join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast to talk about the headlines they have made on the business side of drag racing during this off-season. For Pedregon, a three-year extension with Snap-On is major news and for Justin Ashley, cultivating new and unique sponsors by creating opportunities for them both in and out of drag racing has been the secret to his program's growth. This is a fun look behind the scenes of business in the world of NHRA drag racing.

Tyler Crossnoe and Victor Alvarez join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast. These two guys are among the youngest and most innovative track operators in the country and they do it in different ways. For Crossnoe who oversees Virginia Motorsports Park, an NHRA Camping World national event track, it's identifying trends and building the best customer experience possible for the racers and the fans. For Victor Alvarez who owns and operates Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, it is using the creativity and flexibility he has as an owner/operator to innovate programs, foster local series, and programs, as well as working to continually grow his facility's reach on social media and other platforms. These are two guys who work hard to not only see into but to make drag racing's future.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast, Elana Scherr the author of "Don Prudhomme, My Life Beyond The 1320" joins host Brian Lohnes to talk about making this amazing book and the inside stories behind the creation of the world. It's a fascinating discussion about The Snake and his influence on drag racing and beyond. Tony Pedregon is the second guest on this show. He and Lohnes delve into the biggest stories of the year so far, the crew chief announcements, race schedule announcements, and more. They also talk about Tony's battle with COVID-19 and his hospitalization. A wide-ranging episode!