Nov 8, 2022 | Featured, Pre-Race Releases, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126195
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-11-08 09:23:38
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-11-08 14:23:38
[post_content] => 40 years after his father Tripp’s upset Funny Car win at the 1982 World Finals, Travis Shumake will return to southern California with the same goal; play spoiler. In 1982, the elder Shumake was brought in by Funny Car legend Billy Meyer as a “blocker” to defeat championship contenders Don Prudhomme & Frank Hawley. The single-race deal and Cinderella story ended with Shumake in the finals against Kenny Bernstein after taking out both Hawley and Prudhomme earlier in the day at what would be the last World Finals held at the famed Orange County International Raceway. This weekend at the Auto Club NHRA Finals Shumake wraps up a successful debut season racing the Randy Meyer owned and tuned Top Alcohol Dragster with the support of Envision RISE, an evolutionary platform that utilizes Organizational Change Management (OCM), Human Resource Management (HRM), and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) to create a powerful integration and understanding between organizations and their workforce.
"Our partnership with Travis has created a direct path for us to connect in a unique way with the NHRA fan base and our clients,” said Envision RISE's founder and CEO, Joseph Anderson. “Travis has been a huge supporter of our mission and has worked hard to demonstrate his commitment to becoming a top NHRA driver and an advocate for opportunity derived from hard work and respect.”
The second-generation driver will be channeling the spirit of his popular father and the surprise success of his 1982 win with a throwback paint scheme, helmet, and crew uniforms.
“I grew up watching a VHS of my dad’s magical day at World Finals. I still watch it. Regularly. I’m just as proud of his other wins and accomplishments like being in both the Cragar Five-Second Club and the 250 MPH Club but having the TV coverage and interviews make this race special. He’s been gone 23 years this Sunday and his finish line interview with Steve Evans is the only place I can go to hear his voice. I get to hear him, see him, and now I’m hoping my own finish line interview with Amanda Busick. Makes the hairs stand up on my neck.”
“I’m not just here to honor my dad, I’m here to win and wouldn’t mind facing off with one of the drivers in the hunt for the championship. We’ve got the car. Between me, Hunter (Green), Fiona (Crisp), and Matt (Sackman), this Randy Meyer “team B” car has been turning on win lights all season long. If the points stayed with the car this beast would be deep in the points battle.
Shumake grabbed a top 3 qualifying spot in Charlotte and posting a career best semi-final finish at historic Maple Grove Raceway where he won the first two rounds on impressive hole shots. This weekend’s Auto Club Finals will be his 4th national event and a chance for the New York City resident to close out his season on a high note and carry momentum into the off-season as he looks to expand his racing schedule in 2023.
“I’m chasing funding for 2023 just like everyone else but am starting to get excited about the future.” Said Shumake. “Right now I’m just enjoying the opportunity to learn from Randy and drive alongside Julie (Naatas). Add all the marketing help I’ve gotten from Megan (Meyer) into that mix, and you quickly realize I’ve been training under the best in the business all season long. I hope brining big names like Sheetz and Envision Rise into the sport shows folks I am serious, committed, and certainly no flash in the pan.”
Shumake and the Envision RISE Top Alcohol Dragster will join teammate Julie Nataas on track twice on Thursday, November 10, running at 1:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and teams will get a final qualifying run Friday at 2 p.m. Saturday will begin Shumake’s quest for victory with the first round of eliminations at 10:15 a.m.
About Envision RISE
Envision RISE was founded as a modern workforce development platform to create a non-divisive integration and understanding of the relationship between the needs of an organization and the requirements of the actual workforce. The platform provides a voice to the individual and a framework critical to long-term business sustainability.
[post_title] => TRAVIS SHUMAKE TO HONOR FATHER’S UPSET WIN WITH TRIBUTE CAR AT AUTO CLUB FINALS
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => travis-shumake-to-honor-fathers-upset-win-with-tribute-car-at-auto-club-finals
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-11-08 09:23:38
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-11-08 14:23:38
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126195
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
40 years after his father Tripp’s upset Funny Car win at the 1982 World Finals, Travis Shumake will return to southern California with the same goal; play spoiler. In 1982, the elder Shumake was brought in by Funny Car legend Billy Meyer as a “blocker” to defeat...
Nov 2, 2022 | Featured, Pre-Race Releases, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126189
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-11-02 15:38:45
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-11-02 19:38:45
[post_content] => The day following the conclusion of the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas, Lyle Barnett and Jacob Mcneal jumped in the pair of Top Alcohol Dragsters (TAD) owned and tuned by Randy Meyer to earn their NHRA TAD licenses.
Lyle Barnett, current Pro Modified driver and also winner of the 2022 U.S. Nationals, is ready for the challenge to go from a door car to a dragster, haven't been in a dragster in a long time, and the last one I was in was like a 4.70 index bracket dragster, but this is gonna' be a little different, you know? No brake pedal, got a hand brake, clutch pedal, so there's a lot to get used to," Barnett explained. "But Randy's got a bang-up program. They've got some fast cars, they're multi-time world champions, and I'm excited to learn from them."
"You know, these things are low-five-second, quarter-mile cars going 270, 280 miles an hour, so you know, they're no joke. And that will be the fastest I've ever been. I've been 5.58 in the Pro Mod before, but this thing should go my personal best on both ends--on the first lick! So yeah, man, I'm excited."
Barnett achieved just that, running a best time of 5.349 seconds at 271 mph in the quarter-mile.
When the Randy Meyer Racing Team wasn't running one car, they were busy in the pits refreshing the other so Mcneal could license before his first race this weekend in Las Vegas.
"The experience from transitioning over to a TAD car from my normal bracket racing was a huge curve!" said Mcneal. "Instead of just letting go of a Transbrake button and the electronics doing the rest it’s all on the driver from staging procedure cutting a light is way harder! But tolerable with consistency! Having to be the one doing it all manually put more of the responsibility on me doing the right thing every time do to the critical clutch work."
"But with how Mr. Randy walked me through everything and talked with me it was pretty smooth and I got it down quick. He is definitely the best guy to do this with, and helping me learn a clutch car for my transition over to top fuel starting the next season. I'm loving this seat in this nitro ride!"
Mcneal will join RMR driver Matt Sackman this weekend following the SEMA Show in Las Vegas for the final NHRA regional race of the year. Matt is in his 5th consecutive season of driving one of Randy's TAD and won his third regional event this year with the team. He is currently third for points in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series North Central region and is looking to capitalize, "There's a lot on the line coming into the last regional race of the season," said Matt. "We have an outside chance of winning the regional championship; we need to win to do so. This regional race is one of the toughest all year with it being the last one. We have our work cut out for us, but I have confidence in Randy to give us a great car."
Qualifying starts on Friday with two sessions followed by the final session to set the 8-car field on Saturday. Eliminations will begin Saturday night and finish on Sunday. You can watch the 3-day live streaming on NHRA.tv.
[post_title] => Barnett and Mcneal license in Randy Meyer's Top Alcohol Dragsters at Vegas
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => barnett-and-mcneal-license-in-randy-meyers-top-alcohol-dragsters-at-vegas
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-11-02 15:45:10
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-11-02 19:45:10
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126189
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
The day following the conclusion of the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas, Lyle Barnett and Jacob Mcneal jumped in the pair of Top Alcohol Dragsters (TAD) owned and tuned by Randy Meyer to earn their NHRA TAD licenses. Lyle Barnett, current Pro Modified driver...
Sep 12, 2022 | Featured, Pre-Race Releases, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126162
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-09-12 09:21:46
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-09-12 13:21:46
[post_content] => Travis Shumake announced Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store chain based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, as primary sponsor on the Randy Meyer Racing owned Top Alcohol Dragster for the upcoming NHRA Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, PA and NHRA Betway Nationals in Charlotte, NC. Known for both their customer service and creative marketing, the Sheetz dragster boldly asks the question “Why the Sheetz not?” and includes eighties comic book style graphics on Shumake’s car, fire suit, and helmet.
Shumake will make a pre-race appearance at a Reading and Charlotte area Sheetz to promote his participation in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series as well as meeting with Sheetz fans chosen to attend the races through the company’s social media channels.
“I just keep saying Holy Sheetz!” exclaimed Shumake. “I’ve knocked on a lot of doors these past 18 months. To have a huge name like Sheetz open the door and commit to doing it in Sheetz style with the sweepstake and crazy car wrap is a dream. It’s goofy, big hearted, and a little extra…just like me.”
This will be the first time Sheetz, a customer-centric destination for more than gas and snacks which is open 24/7/365, has ventured into NHRA with an on-track marketing partnership. Previously, with the help of Jackie Fricke and John Finke, they partnered with Shumake for Pride month producing a widely viewed social media campaign along with a $100,000 donation to True Colors United. Most recently on-track Shumake made his national event debut at the Menards Nationals where he qualified No. 11 and dropped a close first round race to Jasmine Salinas. “Both cars are running great. With Julie (Nataas) winning the Jegs All-stars & the US Nationals and Hunter (Green) clocking several mid 5.20’s in my dragster, the team is confident we will do well these next few weekends.”
The Sheetz & Shumake relationship will also reach into the community as Sheetz has purchased tickets for a groups of local foster families for both races. As a former foster parent, Shumake has been a longtime advocate for youth experiencing homelessness. Sheetz is committed to their local communities and quickly agreed to Travis’ idea. “We want more fans. We want new fans, and we want young fans. They are the future of our sport. The families coming to the track know nothing about the sport and I am eager to get them addicted to Nitro.”
“We are excited to join with Travis for these races in Reading and Charlotte,” said Sheetz Vice President of Marketing and Brand Ryan Sheetz. “We know that race fans are often great Sheetz customers and that they’ll be excited to see this car on the track. We’re also looking forward to continuing the great work that we started with Travis earlier this summer.”
The Sheetz Top Alcohol Dragster will be on track beginning in September at the Pep Boys Nationals, September 15-18, with a return engagement at the Betway Nationals, September 23-25 with Randy Meyer Racing.
About Sheetz, Inc.
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America's fastest-growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains with more than 24,000 employees. The company operates over 660 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz).
[post_title] => Sheetz backs Shumake for Reading and Charlotte with Randy Meyer Racing
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => sheetz-backs-shumake-for-reading-and-charlotte-with-randy-meyer-racing
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-09-12 09:22:43
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-09-12 13:22:43
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126162
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
Travis Shumake announced Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store chain based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, as primary sponsor on the Randy Meyer Racing owned Top Alcohol Dragster for the upcoming NHRA Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, PA and NHRA Betway Nationals in...
Jun 22, 2022 | Featured, Megan Meyer, Pre-Race Releases, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126070
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-06-22 16:55:58
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-06-22 20:55:58
[post_content] => Two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Megan Meyer, who stepped away from competition after the 2020 season to start a family, will return to the driver’s seat of a Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel dragster for two races this summer. With support from Meyer Truck Center and NGK’s Shop Squad, Meyer will run an exhibition race at Eddyville Raceway Park’s Night of Fire and will compete at Mo-Kan Dragway’s Nitro Chaos.
“I missed the competitiveness and just being out there driving the car,” said Meyer, who won world championships in 2019 and 2020. “When I went to the races last year while I was pregnant, and again when I went to a race earlier this year, I just missed being behind the wheel. I really enjoyed being on the starting line with the crew and celebrating wins with them, but I also do miss the other parts of it that come with driving.”
Meyer’s first race will be Eddyville Raceway Park’s Night of Fire on July 2, where she’ll face fellow RMR driver Matt Sackman in a match race series. She’ll then race at the second Nitro Chaos race of the season at Mo-Kan Dragway in Asbury, Missouri, on July 15-16. Both races are eighth-mile events for the RMR cars. Both tracks are fairly local for Meyer, who grew up going to races at Eddyville and Mo-Kan.
“Whenever the opportunity came up to do the Night of Fire race and to do Nitro Chaos, I thought that was the perfect opportunity for me,” Meyer said. “Mo-Kan is my second home track outside of Topeka. I remember going to Eddyville as a little kid. I used to race Jr. Dragsters there and my dad would do the match races. I remember we'd open up the back door of the trailer and my sister [Rachel] and I would put as many parts as we could out there to sell. It's kind of a full-circle moment for me now, being able to be in that same position my dad was in. We're bringing all the used parts that we can get rid of and will have new merchandise out there for the fans.”
The family business, Meyer Truck Center, will serve as Meyer’s primary sponsor, while the Shop Squad has signed on as an associate sponsor. The Shop Squad is a new brand from NGK Spark Plugs, Meyer’s longtime sponsor. Geared towards automotive and service professionals, the Shop Squad community is free to join. One of the biggest benefits of the Shop Squad program is training, and over 25 on-demand courses are currently available. New members can sign up today to enter for a chance to win a Solo Stove, with drawings conducted monthly.
“Team NGK & NTK couldn’t be more excited to welcome the two-time NHRA World Champion, Megan Meyer, back to the track in 2022,” said Brian Lesiewicz, General Manager of Sales and Marketing – NGK Aftermarket Division. “We are excited to partner with Megan to promote our Shop Squad community, focused on learning, sharing and supporting with automotive technicians, repair shops and technical schools across the USA and Canada.”
Meyer insists that she’s still “semi-retired” and doesn’t plan to run any NHRA Lucas Oil Series races in the foreseeable future. She’s focused on motherhood, as well as continuing to help manage Randy Meyer Racing and Meyer Truck Center.
“Having the break from drag racing has really changed my perspective on the things that are important in life,” Meyer said. “Before 2020, racing was 100% my passion and focus and my career. Now, my career has shifted and I see the racing more as part-time. This isn’t too competitive, just the chance for me to get back behind the wheel, have some fun with it, and get back to doing what I love without the stress of traveling and chasing points like we did in NHRA when we were going after the championships.”
It's also an opportunity for Meyer to continue introducing her 10-month-old son, Henry, to the sport at a young age just like her father did with her.
“Henry’s not old enough to remember any of it, but it will still be cool to have that third generation out there,” Meyer said. “He has been to the drag races before, so he kind of knows what's going on. For me as a mother, it’s a chance to prove to him that girls can race too, and he has the chance to follow in my footsteps if he wants to, or if he wants to follow in his dad's footsteps and be more of a dirt bike racer. [Husband] Adam and I are also into go-karts now, so we're just trying to introduce him to all different kinds of motorsports and we'll see which one he wants to go with. It will be really special for me to have him out there with us.”
Fans can stay up to date on Meyer by visiting and following her Instagram and Facebook social media pages for the dragster’s new look, race updates, and behind the scenes videos.
[post_title] => World Champ Megan Meyer to Return to Top Alcohol Dragster for 2022 Eddyville’s Night of Fire, Mo-Kan’s Nitro Chaos
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => megan-meyer-to-return-to-top-alcohol-dragster
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-06-23 09:58:45
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-06-23 13:58:45
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126070
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
Two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Megan Meyer, who stepped away from competition after the 2020 season to start a family, will return to the driver’s seat of a Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel dragster for two races this summer. With support from Meyer Truck...
Apr 5, 2022 | Featured, Randy Meyer, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126051
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-04-05 20:07:49
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-04-06 00:07:49
[post_content] => Photo credit: Rusty Brown
Going into the second annual Funny Car Chaos Classic with an untested new combination, Randy Meyer didn’t know what to expect out of his A/Fuel Funny Car. The Funny Car combination proved to be more challenging than the Top Alcohol Dragster veteran expected, as the Julie Nataas-driven Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel Funny Car went up in tire smoke on all three qualifying attempts at the Texas Motorplex.
Despite the rocky start, Meyer is still determined to make the nitro-injected A/Fuel Funny Car a viable option for drivers looking to eventually move up to nitro Funny Car.
“We're not at all discouraged,” Meyer said. “I knew it would be a challenge. I didn't think it would be quite as big of a challenge as it turned out to be to get the car off the starting line. It had nothing to do with the racetrack – it was plenty good. We didn't have enough pieces to do what we needed to do, so we tried to make the best of what we had. We'll be better prepared now that we know the areas we need to work on. We're not giving up. We're just getting started.”
Meyer was impressed by the reception the car received both at the track and online.
[caption id="attachment_190300126053" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Funny Car Chaos - Auto Imagery[/caption]
“We were hoping for a better performance and to put on a better show for the fans,” Meyer said. “It was amazing how many people came by to check out the car and were intrigued by it. That was really great.”
Meyer, who’s competed in AHRA Pro Comp, IHRA Top Fuel, and NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster over the course of his 40-plus-year racing career, was equally impressed with the Funny Car Chaos series.
“It's the only race I've ever been to where I did really bad and still had a smile on my face,” Meyer laughed. “Every single person there – whether it was a driver, owner, spectator, worker – everybody had a smile on their face. Everybody was happy. It was just a nice, laidback atmosphere.”
Meyer plans to bring the Funny Car back out for testing once there’s a break in the team’s busy NHRA Lucas Oil Series schedule. He also still plans to run the two Nitro Chaos races later this year.
“We're going to do the Nitro Chaos race at Mo-Kan Dragway (July 15-16), we just don't know if we're going to take the Funny Car or the dragster,” Meyer said. “We plan on being there regardless just because it's close to home and we want to continue to support those races. It's a good deal for these smaller venues, and as racers, you get treated really nice with respect. That’s what I liked about it.”
Meyer encourages fans to stay tuned for further developments, as he’s already working on improvements for the car’s next outing.
“We're going to regroup and make some new parts and change stuff on the chassis,” Meyer said. “I want to thank all the people and fans who came out to support us. We'll be back and hopefully we'll be better prepared next time out. Don’t give up on us yet.”
Fans can follow the team on Facebook and Instagram.
[post_title] => Randy Meyer Forging Ahead with A/Fuel Funny Car Despite Challenges at Funny Car Chaos Classic
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => randy-meyer-forging-ahead-with-a-fuel-funny-car-despite-challenges-at-funny-car-chaos-classic
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-04-05 20:07:49
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-04-06 00:07:49
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126051
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
Photo credit: Rusty Brown Going into the second annual Funny Car Chaos Classic with an untested new combination, Randy Meyer didn’t know what to expect out of his A/Fuel Funny Car. The Funny Car combination proved to be more challenging than the Top Alcohol...
Mar 22, 2022 | Featured, Julie Nataas, Special Announcements
WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 190300126041
[post_author] => 5
[post_date] => 2022-03-22 07:00:13
[post_date_gmt] => 2022-03-22 11:00:13
[post_content] => After winning the last three NHRA Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster world championships with daughters Megan and Rachel, A/Fuel tuner and team owner Randy Meyer is looking for a new challenge. He’s found one – or built one, rather – as he plans to debut his new A/Fuel Funny Car this weekend at the Funny Car Chaos Classic, March 24-26 at the Texas Motorplex. Julie Nataas, Randy Meyer Racing’s primary driver this season, will drive the new car.
“We’re doing this for multiple reasons,” Meyer said. “I wanted a new challenge and we’re looking to diversify our operation and help drivers that want to eventually move up to fuel Funny Car but can’t get experience anywhere else. The Funny Car Chaos deal is becoming more popular here in the Midwest, so it’s an opportunity for us to go race close to home, have some fun, and take on a new challenge.”
Nataas has spent the last three seasons racing full-time in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster behind the wheel of one of Meyer’s nitro-injected A/Fuel dragsters. Like Meyer, she’s looking forward to a new experience.
“I can’t even describe how excited I am,” Nataas said. “Not just for me to drive the car but for the whole team. I’ve been wanting to drive a Funny Car for a while, so when Randy asked me if I wanted to drive, I couldn’t say no. It’s going to be a new and exciting project for all of us.”
“She might not want to drive a dragster again after this, who knows,” Meyer laughed. “She's been first on the list to drive this car for a while. The time's right to bring it out.”
The car is a 2016 Murf McKinney-built chassis formerly campaigned by Brian Hough in NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car. It sustained damage in a minor crash, but racer and chassis builder Jonnie Lindberg fixed it up before Meyer bought it for the A/Fuel project. The car then underwent a series of changes in Meyer’s shop to prepare it for an injected nitro engine.
“For the last eight months, I've been building a lot of pieces and modifying a lot of stuff on the car,” Meyer said. “The car was never made for nitro or A/Fuel, so we had to do heavy modifications to get it to where I wanted it. Once we run it, we'll probably modify it more to get it to where it works like it needs to, but we have to start somewhere. We're starting with what we have and we'll go from there.”
The car isn’t 100% ready from a cosmetic standpoint, as it hasn’t been painted yet, but Meyer wanted to take advantage of a break in the team’s hectic NHRA Lucas Oil Series schedule to get the car on track.
“We'll only probably run it three times this year because of our NHRA schedule,” Meyer said. “Running the dragsters and chasing the world championship with Julie is still our priority for this year. Next year we look to run the Funny Car a lot more.”
Over the past two decades, Meyer has rented his cars out to other drivers, providing them with the opportunity to race at a high level and contend for race wins and championships. Some drivers use the A/Fuel dragster as proving grounds and a stepping stone for Top Fuel. Meyer’s goal for the A/Fuel Funny Car is to provide that same opportunity for drivers looking to make the move to a 330-mph nitro Funny Car.
“There’s a lot of crossover between an A/Fuel dragster and a Top Fuel dragster, but comparing an A/Fuel dragster to a fuel Funny Car is like comparing apples and oranges,” Meyer said. “We're thinking this will be a good alternative for people who want to explore and see if they like a Funny Car. It's a good stepping stone.”
Nataas, a two-time NHRA North Central Region champion, is one of those drivers hoping to get the feel for a Funny Car’s enclosed flip-top body and shorter wheelbase to prepare for a potential move to a quicker and faster Funny Car.
“This can definitely be a stepping stone to nitro Funny Car,” Nataas said. “The last couple years I’ve said I can see myself in a nitro Funny Car, but I really don’t know what it’s actually like to drive one compared to a dragster or anything else I’ve driven. We’re about to find out.”
The Funny Car chassis will also give Meyer the option to swap out the Funny Car body for an Altered body to run Fuel Altered events or match races. It’s all part of Meyer’s plan to diversify his options
“This will allow us to race closer to home and still mess around with the A/Fuel stuff,” Meyer said. “We're going to have the option to do the Funny Car, the dragsters or the Altered. That's kind of my plan. We'll have them sitting there and if someone wants to rent one, we’ll go run it. We’re looking forward to going out and having some fun with this new car.”
Meyer has been secretly working on this project for months, and it’s finally ready to hit the track.
“I just want to thank the handful of people who've donated parts and helped me on this deal,” Meyer said. “They want to see what it can do and what the potential is. There are a lot of people watching to see what happens.”
The Funny Car Chaos Classic is billed as the “biggest Funny Car race in the world,” with 60-plus cars entered. Qualifying is set to begin at noon on Friday, with another session Friday night and a final session at noon on Saturday. Eliminations will begin Saturday at 5 p.m.
[post_title] => Randy Meyer Racing and Julie Nataas will Debut A/Fuel Funny Car at Funny Car Chaos Classic
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => open
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => randy-meyer-racing-and-julie-nataas-will-debut-a-fuel-funny-car-at-funny-car-chaos-classic
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2022-03-21 19:15:45
[post_modified_gmt] => 2022-03-21 23:15:45
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://randymeyerracing.com/?p=190300126041
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
After winning the last three NHRA Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster world championships with daughters Megan and Rachel, A/Fuel tuner and team owner Randy Meyer is looking for a new challenge. He’s found one – or built one, rather – as he plans to debut his new...
