J.R. Todd, DHL GR Supra Funny Car
2025 NHRA Southern Nationals Recap: Inaugural Event.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 341 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 371 round wins, 15 No. 1 qualifiers.
Current Points Position: 3
Pre-Race Notes:
Pre-Race Quotes:
“I keep saying I feel like we have the best car we’ve had since we won the championship in 2018. It definitely gives us hope that we can come out here and compete with these guys. Dickie and Todd (Crew Chiefs Dickie Venables and Todd Smith) are doing a great job reading the track and the conditions and making the right calls. We’re making last-second adjustments before we go out there. We’re making it down the track when the cars in front of us are struggling. Some of the runs this DHL team has been making this year, like the No. 1 qualifier in Pomona and a few others, show that we have a combination that can run on a hot track and a cool track and compete with the top dogs out here.
“Dickie and Todd just work so well together; it gives me all the confidence in the world – I have a car that’s able to go out there and compete. Our tuneup window is still small; it’s like you breathe on the thing, and it could go out there and spin the tire. I just tell myself to be ready to do whatever it takes down the track, but knowing we can go out there and make good runs and go A-to-B helps your confidence as a driver.
“I’ll get to South Georgia on Thursday and then go check out the racetrack, shut down area and turn off. I just want to get an idea on how much shutdown room we have to slow down. Other than that, it’s always nice going to a new racetrack and having an opportunity to be the first winner there. Hopefully, we can draw in some new fans.”
Todd Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
For J.R. Todd’s 2026 race-by-race results, please click here.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
The post J.R. Todd Returns to Primary Car for NHRA Southern Nationals first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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2025 NHRA Southern Nationals Recap: Inaugural Event.
J.R. Todd Career Stats: 341 events, 22 wins, 27 runners-up, 371 round wins, 15 No. 1 qualifiers.
Current Points Position: 3
Pre-Race Notes:
- J.R. Todd enters the NHRA Southern Nationals in third place in the NHRA Funny Car point standings. The DHL Funny Car team had an eventful weekend at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. After making a brilliant semifinal run, Todd’s parachutes did not deploy due to a broken cable, and despite his best efforts to stop the car, Todd finished the run in the sand pit at the end of the track. The DHL team raced its backup car in the final round, but a dropped cylinder ended Todd’s day. The team will run its primary car this weekend.
- Todd has three semifinal finishes in the season’s first four races. In addition, Todd was the No. 1 qualifier in Pomona, Calif., three weeks ago. It was the 15th of his career.
- When Todd advanced to the final quad last weekend, he earned a spot in this week’s Mission Foods Challenge. During Saturday’s qualifying sessions, the drivers who reached the final quad last weekend will re-run the semifinals and final in separate pairs earning additional purse and championship bonus points.
- Todd earned a “double-up” win in his first Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge of the season in Phoenix with his teammate, Doug Kalitta. It was the team’s second double win in the Saturday event.
- Todd is the 2018 NHRA Funny Car Champion and owns 22 race wins in his career.
Pre-Race Quotes:
“I keep saying I feel like we have the best car we’ve had since we won the championship in 2018. It definitely gives us hope that we can come out here and compete with these guys. Dickie and Todd (Crew Chiefs Dickie Venables and Todd Smith) are doing a great job reading the track and the conditions and making the right calls. We’re making last-second adjustments before we go out there. We’re making it down the track when the cars in front of us are struggling. Some of the runs this DHL team has been making this year, like the No. 1 qualifier in Pomona and a few others, show that we have a combination that can run on a hot track and a cool track and compete with the top dogs out here.
“Dickie and Todd just work so well together; it gives me all the confidence in the world – I have a car that’s able to go out there and compete. Our tuneup window is still small; it’s like you breathe on the thing, and it could go out there and spin the tire. I just tell myself to be ready to do whatever it takes down the track, but knowing we can go out there and make good runs and go A-to-B helps your confidence as a driver.
“I’ll get to South Georgia on Thursday and then go check out the racetrack, shut down area and turn off. I just want to get an idea on how much shutdown room we have to slow down. Other than that, it’s always nice going to a new racetrack and having an opportunity to be the first winner there. Hopefully, we can draw in some new fans.”
Todd Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
For J.R. Todd’s 2026 race-by-race results, please click here.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
- Qualifying Show 1: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2 on FS1
- Qualifying Show 2: 1-2 p.m. Sunday, May 3 on FS1
- Finals: 7-10 p.m. Sunday, May 3 on FS1
The post J.R. Todd Returns to Primary Car for NHRA Southern Nationals first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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