NHRA Insider Podcast

Latest Episodes:

3.22 The Inside Story on the Summit Nats Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

Guests Mike McIntire Jr and National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes on the NHRA Insider podcast this week to talk all things on the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio this weekend. McIntire is a local funny car hero having grown up in the sport with his dad racing alcohol cars and eventually graduating to nostalgia nitro funny car and then the Camping World series. This is a true drag racing love story as told by the guy who has lived it. The car has been a consistent qualifier and they had their best weekend ever at Charlotte this year. Regular guys cannot run funny cars anymore, right? Wrong. The second guest on this show is NHRA National Dragster Sr. Editor Kevin McKenna. The conversation ranges from pro stock motorcycle to the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and to a remembrance of Kyle Seipel, the amazing NHRA racer, track manager, and a guy who changed the face of bracket racing history. Another wide-ranging drag racing discussion!

3.21 The Hard Work and Headlines Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

Terry Haddock and Scott Woodruff of Jegs join host Brian Lohnes on this wide-ranging episode of the NHRA Insider. Haddock tells the story of his incredible weekend at Epping where he appeared in a first career semi-final round. Haddock's story is one of grinding hard work and the relentless pursuit of drag racing success despite all the odds being stacked against him. He is truly a regular guy funny car hero and he talks about running his operation on a small budget with limited help and making his way in the world of NHRA Camping World Drag Racing. Scott "Woody" Woodruff of Jegs is the Director of Media and Motorsports, meaning that if you see the Jegs logo on a car, at an event, or being worn by someone, he likely had an influence on that decision. In a discussion that ranges from the business of motorsports to the inside baseball of working with a sanctioning body like the NHRA, Scott gives great insight into an element of racing that the general public usually doesn't spend a lot of time talking about. Two interesting conversations with two interesting people!

3.20 2021 Season Analysis Whos Hot and Whos Not Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

Tony Pedregon joins Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider to talk about what's happened five races into the season, who's succeeding, who's falling behind, and who needs to really turn their season around at Epping, New Hampshire. The TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals are on tap for the weekend and cool conditions indicate that this could really a race for the highest performing cars to take control. Matt Hagan has won three straight at Epping and his tuner Dickie Venebles will be ready, willing, and able to make it four if he matches his tune-up to the track. Opinions shared, predictions made, performances discussed. Give it a listen!

3.19 Prepped for Anything Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider, No-Prep racer Joey Baroni and track operator Mike Natoli join host Brian Lohnes to discuss drag racing, winning the first no-prep Wally ever given, and operating an old school, community-based drag strip. Baroni is the first guest on the show and he talks about racing "Swamp Thing" a Nova station wagon designed to run down drag strips and any other surface with no prep. Packing a massive nitrous engine and loads of horsepower, the art of no-prep racing and power management are discussed as well as what it means to Baroni to hold the first-ever NHRA Speed for All Wally for winning a no-prep event. Mike Natoli the operator of South Mountain Raceway in Pennsylvania is the second guest on the show and he's the guy who organized the no-prep event that Baroni won. Natoli has loved drag racing his whole life and operates his facility in a traditional manner as part of the community. A man with huge personality, vision, and the will to make a drag strip work out of love and dedication to the sport, it is a highly entertaining conversation!

3.18 The Professional Set May 28, 2021

Show notes

Ron Capps and Jeffrey Barker join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast to discuss their 2019 season, their take on driving, rules, and how the rest of the Camping World and E3 Spark Plugs seasons will shake out. The conversation with Capps is wide-ranging and rollicking as the season's successes and failures (thus far) are gone over, some of the finer points of nitro funny car driving are discussed, upcoming events are gone over, and New England Dragway is broken down as the next location on the Camping World tour. Jeffrey Barker, a two-time NHRA Vortech Superchargers Top Sportsman world champion has been flexing his muscles in a nitrous fed Toyota Camry pro mod in 2021. Currently sitting sixth in points but only a couple of rounds outside the top three, Barker is poised to make a difference in the championship hunt over the course of this season. We talk about rules, nitrous, success, family, and how it all fits together in Barker's world.

3.17 Long Time and First Time May 19, 2021

Show notes

Steve Johnson and Dallas Glenn join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast to talk about their respective wins at Charlotte and the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. For Steve Johnson it had been seven years since he last tasted victory on the NHRA championship trail and this one was sweet. Working as an independent with a new engine combination, he had been frustrated by early season failures and mistakes but the motorcycle's performance was starting to show itself at events like Las Vegas and Atlanta. In Charlotte the dam broke and Johnson roared to victory in convincing fashion. Dallas Glenn has been waiting for the moment to compete in pro stock for his whole life and he is not squandering it. Having proven himself as a premier leaver in the class, Glenn captured his first pro stock win in Charlotte in his fourth pro stock start. Quietly confident and an expert on every inch of the machinery he is racing, Glenn gives insight into one of the most memorable moments in his burgeoning career. All this and some Charlotte wrap up along with a sneak peek at what's to come (and what isn't!) in Houston this weekend!

3.16 Hard Work and Hard Knocks May 11, 2021

Show notes

Racers Krista Baldwin and Joey Gladstone join host Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast to talk about their seasons, their reasons for competing in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing, and their hard work and struggles to succeed. Baldwin, a third-generation top fuel racer talks about her first race, which was the 2021 Gatornationals, and what she took from the experience while preparing to compete at the NGK Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. She talks about her road to top fuel, her family, and the people she had met and who have supported her along the way. Joey Gladstone talks about the incredible race weekend he had at Atlanta Dragway when he rode a motorcycle while recovering from injuries sustained during a 200mph testing crash just weeks before. This is a story of grit, guts, determination, and the will to win. Both of these are hardcore racers and both are budding stars in the world of NHRA Camping World Drag Racing.

3.15 The Hot Shots May 06, 2021

Show notes

Antron Brown and Bob Tasca III join Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast. The two Atlanta winners talk about their respective victories at the final NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. For Bob Tasca III, his second race win in a row stands as an affirmation that his team is not only championship caliber, but built for the long haul of the 2021 Camping World NHRA season. Antron Brown talks about the hard path he took to victory on Sunday in Atlanta, how his team rose to the occasion each round, and how facing down Steve Torrence in a legitimate top fuel duel to close the weekend was a massive confidence builder for their operation. All this and additional commentary and breaking news from Lohnes sprinkled in!

3.14 The Comeback Kids Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

David Grubnic and Eddie Krawiec join Brian Lohnes on the NHRA Insider podcast to talk about life, drag racing, and getting back into the sport that they love in 2021. Grubic, who serves as the crew chief on Brittany Force's top fuel dragster has come out of the gate swinging in 2021 and it's been fun to watch. He talks about being away and what it means to come back after being away for nearly a full year. Eddie Krawiec was at the track when he called into the show, having completed a successful test day with teammate Andrew Hines. The V-twin-powered motorcycles with their EBR bodies showed promise at the test session and the two are excited to be on the drag strip for the rest of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Eddie and Andrew talk success, pressure, a three motorcycle team, and more!

3.13 The Money Men Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

Shawn Langdon and Tony Pedregon join the NHRA Insider podcast this week for a wide-ranging discussion about drag racing, the upcoming Denso Spark Plugs 4-Wide Nationals, and other storylines in the sport. The discussion with Langdon centers around the difficulties, attraction, and culture of big money bracket racing, an arena he competes infrequently outside of NHRA top fuel. This is an enlightening discussion on a large swath of bracket racing many people are undereducated on. Tony Pedregon joins the show to preview the upcoming race weekend in Las Vegas. The discussion is about who looks strong, who's debuting at the event, who needs to step it up and the proclivities of 4-wide drag racing. Lots of great insider info here, opinion, and more!

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