Randy Meyer Racing rolled into the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals with momentum and a new face in the driver’s seat. After a rain-delayed finish at the Gatornationals, the team was ready for redemption—and rookie McKenna Bold delivered in a big way during her Top Alcohol Dragster debut.
Bold impressed right out of the gate in Meyer’s Maxima Racing Oils/CP-Carrillo branded nitro dragster, qualifying 6th with a clean 5.24 at 272 mph. Meanwhile, teammate Matt Cummings improved throughout qualifying and landed in the #4 spot with a strong 5.206 at 276.46 mph thanks to the Maxima/CP powerhouse combo. Both drivers were positioned solidly in the top half of the field and on opposite sides of the ladder heading into eliminations.
In round one, McKenna laid down a statement run: a 5.189 at 274.05 mph—her best career pass and the quickest of the round—to earn her first national event round win. Cummings followed up with a lucky win light of his own, advancing both Randy Meyer Racing dragsters to round two on Sunday.
Though both drivers exited in the second round, they went down swinging. Cummings posted his quickest pass of the weekend with a 5.193 at 279.44 mph, but Joey Severance’s .036 light and a 5.227 pass were enough to edge him out in a holeshot win by just 0.0177 seconds. On the other side, Bold grabbed the starting line advantage against #2 qualifier Jamie Noonan but was outrun by Noonan’s event-best 5.146 at 279.04 mph.
“I’m feeling great after my national event debut with Randy Meyer Racing,” said Bold, “and while it was a tough loss in round two, I feel confident behind the wheel and super excited for my next race at the Las Vegas 4-Wides. I’ve raced for a few years, but this weekend was on another level—and I loved every second of it. Round 2 just didn’t go our way. I did my job as a driver but Noonan put on an absolute heater with a 5.14 for the 2nd fastest pass of the year in the category so even with my reaction time advantage, he was around me by the .330 cone. I’m proud of the runs we made and can’t wait to see what this team can accomplish after showing that kind of performance right out of the gate.”
Despite the outcome, the weekend was a huge success for the RMR team. Bold’s debut performance proved she’s ready to compete at the highest level of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and both crews showed top-tier speed and consistency.
The team now turns its attention to the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas next month, where RMR returns with unfinished business after a runner-up finish at the event last year. With two fast cars and a determined team, Randy Meyer Racing is fired up for the season ahead.
