NHRA Insider Podcast

Latest Episodes:

7.15 Talking All Things Four Wide at zMax Dragway With The Insiders Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider podcast powered by Speedmaster, Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna join the show to talk about all things Las Vegas and Charlotte Four Wide. The teams that made an impression in Vegas, the impact of Tony Stewart's victory, which teams need to make a stand at Charlotte and which ones are in the driver's seat. There's loads of discussion on the news of the week, Jasmine Salinas' foregoing some upcoming races, and all the juicy insider stuff that you love to hear about the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Top Fuel race #1,000 is happening at zMax so the history of that is discussed along with a class by class breakdown of the contenders and pretenders. It's an action packed hour!

7.14 Neal Strausbaugh Breaks Down Tony Stewart's Incredible Win Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Crew Chief Neal Strausbaugh joins host Brian Lohnes to give an in-depth breakdown of how he and his team were able to provide Tony Stewart a race car capable enough to win one in Las Vegas. A race rife with challenges, plot twists, and downright curveballs, Neal's take on how the team did it is fascinating. Strausbaugh talks about the change in approach for the entire team in 2025, the addition of experienced people like Phil Shuler, and a whole lot more. He takes us inside the workings of the operation, the pressures, the decisions, and the mentality of a crew chief. The episode begins with a race breakdown from host Lohnes and brings some more insight into why the conditions were so seemingly impossible, outside of the desert heat. A great race on a wildly hard to navigate race track, this is a listen any Top Fuel fan will enjoy.

7.13 Preparing to Roll The Dice in Las Vegas With the Insiders! Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

On this pre-NHRA Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes is joined by Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna of National Dragster to talk all things Las Vegas. From the PlayNHRA gaming odds to the teams that may be best equipped to deal with a very hot race track, the guys go in-depth on a multitude of topics in each professional category of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing. Along with all that, get the latest updates from the Brownburg, Indiana tornado from last week delivered by two guys who live minutes from the highly impacted areas from the storm. Loads to set up, break down, and go over before the first NHRA Four-Wide of the season, right here!

7.12 Wilkerson and Millican Spill The Beans On A Wild Winternationals Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

It was an amazing weekend at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Drag Strip for the 2025 Lucas Oil Winternationals. The stories from every aspect of the race were amazing. From Bob Tasca III not qualifying to the continued dominance of KB/Titan Racing in Pro Stock, but the nitro racing action was off the charts. Daniel Wilkerson clawed his way to a Funny Car final round, Clay Millican took home a dramatic Top Fuel victory, and the fans turned out under cloudy skies all weekend long to watch it.

On this episode of the NHRA Insider powered by Speedmaster, Wilkerson and Millican join host Brian Lohnes to tell the inside stories of their successes at the Winternationals. From crewmembers catching last minute mistakes before a run to holeshots, tuning calls, and more, this is an awesome dive into just how fantastically crazy the world of professional drag racing could ever be.

Enjoy this high-energy, in-depth pair of conversations!

7.11 Freiburger, McKenna, and Lohnes Talk Phoenix and Preview The Winternats! Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, David Freiburger and Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes to talk about an incredible weekend in Phoenix and the looming Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. Whether it was the bizarre Pro Stock final round, the emotional Funny Car victory of Paul Lee, or the domination of the team Kalitta Top Fuel cars, it was a weekend packed with stories from wall to wall. Oh, did we mention that the place was sold out, as well?! The Lucas Oil Winternationals, one of the great major races on the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour is this weekend and the weather forecast is laying out conditions that could lend themselves to historic performances. The stories, the stats, and the odds. It's all on this episode of the Insider!

7.10 Hight Retires, Tasca Makes Waves, and The Insiders Talk About It All Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Tony Pedregon and Kevin McKenna join host Brian Lohnes for a rip-roaring conversation that covers a lot of ground in the world of NHRA drag racing. The group talks a lot about Gainesville, what was learned and maybe what is yet to be learned from premier teams in 2025, they talk about the reverberations of Bob Tasca's Gainesville interview, how it has prompted discussions across media and motorsports, reactions to the Gatornationals, Robert Hight's retirement from John Force Racing, the PlayNHRA odds coming into Phoenix, and a whole lot more. This is a high octane, high intensity episode that will have you picking a side for sure. The desert battleground of Firebird Motorsports Park will be the scene of the action this weekend but before you get there, this battle of the airwaves will get you pumped up!

7.9 A Chief and A Champ - Antron Brown and Dean Marinis Talk Gainesville Victory Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

It was a weekend that challenged drag racers in every way possible and on this episdoe of the NHRA Insider podcast, host Brian Lohnes has winning Funny Car co-crew chief Dean Marinis and Top Fuel winner Antron Brown on to talk about it all. From the weather, to the power outages, the broken parts, and a race track that was as challenging as any Sunday has ever presented itself, winning this Gatornationals was an accomplishment few will ever forget. On the heels of a championship Antron Brown and his team put on a masterclass in both driving and tuning at Gainesville. When they needed to manage the power and rely on their driver, he was there, when the driver needed maximum performance in the final, the car was there. How? Antron tells all here. Dean Marinis has had an epic career in drag racing. From street racing in New York to class racing, dominating small tire racing, becoming one of the best nitrous tuners ever, and now a winning Funny Car wrench, he has truly done it all. He talks about his career and the Gainesville win here. So many great stories, these are two of the best.

7.8 The Insiders Talk All Things Amalie Oil Gatornationals Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, Kevin McKenna of National Dragster and Tony Pedregon of the NHRAonFOX join Brian Lohnes to give a comprehensive look at the upcoming Amalie Oil Gatornationals this weekend. The race has loads of storylines in all categories and these guys break into loads of them systematically. Who's showing up with new equipment, new people, new challenges, or a new outlook? Which racers are most due for a come up in 2025 and which may be facing turbulent times. The discussion is lively, interesting, and contains a few nuggets that even hardcore fans may have missed or simply don't know otherwise. The 2025 season is about to start and we want you to start it being as informed as possible! Listen up to this episode and you will be.

7.7 All The Pre-2025 Gatornationals News You Need, Breaking, Results, and More Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

On this monologue style episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast powered by Speedmaster, host Brian Lohnes takes you though a plethora of news developments that happened over the last week. From results at the Division 2 and 7 season opening races in Orlando and Phoenix to an update from the NHRAonFOX pre-season meetings, driver announcements, Gainesville entry list bingo, some breaking news in various categories, and even some editorial comment on the racing world outside of the NHRA, this is a fast moving episode that covers a lot of ground. If you need to get caught up on all the pre-season fun and preparation that's been happening and continues to happen around the sport, this is the place to do it!

7.6 Top Fuel Success With Shawn Reed and Inside Pro Mod With Debbie O'Rourke Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the NHRA Insider Powered by Speedmaster, Debbie O'Rourke, the series manager of the NHRA Congruity Pro Mod Series and Top Fuel team owner and driver Shawn Reed join host Brian Lohnes to explore a load of different topics. O'Rourke talks about the growth the work of the Pro Mod class over the last several years, initiatives that have been successful, and the product on the race track being compelling, unpredictable, and highly entertaining. The class is going to swell with entries once again in 2025 and there's plenty of chatter about Al Tucci coming on board to call the action and more. Shawn Reed is having an excellent to his 2025 Top Fuel season. Winning his first ever race in a dragster a few weeks ago, he talks of the experience, what it has done for he and his team, and his approach to 2025. This is an interesting chat with a guy unwilling to over promise and under deliver on his expectations and so far, so good on that front. A unique and interesting episode with two first time guests!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected