YPSILANTI, Mich. (Oct. 28, 2025) – Even without a shot at the championship this year, J.R. Todd and his DHL GR Supra team remain focused on the tasks at hand: enhancing performance and finishing the season on a positive note. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs continue with the fifth of six playoff races Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas.
Todd entered the 2025 season with great optimism with four-time championship Crew Chief Dickie Venables joining the team in the off season. From the beginning, the 2018 Funny Car champion said implementing a new program for the car would take time although no one could know how long. Flashes of brilliance, including a win in New Hampshire and a final round in Minnesota, showed the team was progressing, but progress can be fleeting. Now out of championship contention, the DHL team strives for victory in the season’s final two races.
“I show up to every race with the attitude that I’m there to win,” Todd said. “Otherwise, there’s no sense in going out there and competing. Nobody shows up to the track with the mentality that they’re gonna lose first round or else so they would just stay home and find something else to do. We never give up on the car performing like we all know it can. It’ll come to life – it always does.”
The last several races have not been kind to this team, yet the “Yella Fellas” strive to improve each day and continue implementing the program the team embarked upon in January. With two races and a post-Las Vegas test session still to come, additional opportunities for flashes of brilliance remain.
“We’re all focused on doing whatever we can do to get this DHL GR Supra running like we know it can. We hope to get a win at one of these last two races and get a head start on next season. Another thing we can work on is building up our notebook to get ready for next year, and we’re testing after Las Vegas.
“Finishing the season on a positive note is definitely key looking at the season we’ve had. That win (in New Hampshire) was definitely good and much needed, but overall, it hasn’t been the season we wanted so we’re hoping to finish with a trophy or two to close it out.”
Race Information:
Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
2024 Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 8; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 336 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 363 round wins, 14 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date:
The post J.R. TODD, DHL TEAM STILL SEARCHING FOR PERFORMANCE first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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Todd entered the 2025 season with great optimism with four-time championship Crew Chief Dickie Venables joining the team in the off season. From the beginning, the 2018 Funny Car champion said implementing a new program for the car would take time although no one could know how long. Flashes of brilliance, including a win in New Hampshire and a final round in Minnesota, showed the team was progressing, but progress can be fleeting. Now out of championship contention, the DHL team strives for victory in the season’s final two races.
“I show up to every race with the attitude that I’m there to win,” Todd said. “Otherwise, there’s no sense in going out there and competing. Nobody shows up to the track with the mentality that they’re gonna lose first round or else so they would just stay home and find something else to do. We never give up on the car performing like we all know it can. It’ll come to life – it always does.”
The last several races have not been kind to this team, yet the “Yella Fellas” strive to improve each day and continue implementing the program the team embarked upon in January. With two races and a post-Las Vegas test session still to come, additional opportunities for flashes of brilliance remain.
“We’re all focused on doing whatever we can do to get this DHL GR Supra running like we know it can. We hope to get a win at one of these last two races and get a head start on next season. Another thing we can work on is building up our notebook to get ready for next year, and we’re testing after Las Vegas.
“Finishing the season on a positive note is definitely key looking at the season we’ve had. That win (in New Hampshire) was definitely good and much needed, but overall, it hasn’t been the season we wanted so we’re hoping to finish with a trophy or two to close it out.”
Race Information:
Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
- Qualifying Show: 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 on FS1
- Finals: 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 on FS1
2024 Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 8; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 336 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 363 round wins, 14 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date:
- Gainesville: Qualified No. 11; lost to Bobby Bode.
- Phoenix: Qualified No. 9; defeated Daniel Wilkerson before losing to Bob Tasca.
- Pomona: Qualified No. 7; lost to Daniel Wilkerson.
- Las Vegas: Qualified No. 4: defeated Bobby Bode, Jack Beckman, lost to Matt Hagan, Paul Lee.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 11; defeated Dan Wilkerson, Bob Tasca; lost to Austin Prock, Ron Capps.
- Chicago: Qualified No. 4; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
- Epping: Qualified No. 10; defeated Cruz Pedregon, Phil Burkart, Alexis DeJoria and Spencer Hyde.
- Bristol: Qualified No. 6; defeated Spencer Hyde; lost to Ron Capps
- Richmond: Qualified No. 3; defeated Buddy Hull and Hunter Green; lost to Austin Prock.
- Norwalk: Qualified No. 12; lost to Matt Hagan.
- Seattle: Qualified No. 3; defeated Cruz Pedregon; lost to Alexis Dejoria.
- Sonoma: Qualified No. 11; lost to Hunter Green.
- Brainerd: Qualified No. 5; defeated Paul Lee, Ron Capps and Jack Beckman; lost to Austin Prock.
- Indianapolis: Qualified No. 7; lost to Bob Tasca.
- Reading: Qualified No. 5; lost to Ron Capps.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 8; defeated John Smith; lost to Matt Hagan & Jack Beckman.
- St. Louis: Qualified No. 10; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
- Dallas: Qualified No. 10; lost to Cruz Pedregon.
The post J.R. TODD, DHL TEAM STILL SEARCHING FOR PERFORMANCE first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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