KENT, Wash. (July 25, 2026) – – J.R Todd is the No. 1 qualifier for tomorrow’s Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals; the race broadcast is scheduled for 4 p.m. eastern time on FOX.
Todd made a spectacular run in his DHL GR Supra during the third round of qualifying Saturday afternoon. He made a 3.885-second run at 336.57 mph to take the top spot with one round of qualifying remaining.
“That was a good run,” Crew Chief Dickie Venables said. “That’s what we wanted to run; we’ve had some clutch discs lately that have been throwing us for a loop, and we’re just trying to work through that so we’re taking it a run at a time.”
“It sounds like a broken record when you pinpoint the clutch disc issue,” Todd said. “This weekend, we’re battling clutch controller issues; I think that’s the third controller we’ve had on the car in three runs so hopefully that’s the right ticket. I have all the faith in the world and Dickie, Todd (Crew Chiefs Dickie Venables and Todd Smith) and the yella fellas. Sitting in the lounge this morning, they were going over runs from earlier in the year, Gainesville, testing and whatnot, and trying to put the pieces together. Hopefully, that’s a good sign of things to come. It’s been a while since we sniffed the 3.80s with that DHL GR Supra, so hopefully we’re on the right track.”
In the final qualifying session, the DHL team followed up with a 3.908-second effort at 336.74 mph to hold onto the No. 1 spot. It was Todd’s third No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 17th of his career.
“It feels really good,” Todd said after clinching the top qualifying spot. “We made some pretty big changes over the last two days back in the pit area. I have to give props to my crew guys. They’ve been faced with challenges all weekend, but just they rise the occasion every time – tip of the hat to Dickie and Todd making the right calls, reading the weather and the track. We have a good, consistent car, especially here today, and hopefully we can parlay that into four consistent runs tomorrow, when it really counts.”
Todd will open eliminations against No. 16 qualifier Jeff Arend. In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta is the No. 3 qualifier, and he will race Shawn Reed in the first round of eliminations. Shawn Langdon is the No. 4 qualifier; he’ll face Justin Ashley in Sunday’s opening round.
Photos Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
The post J.R TODD TAKES NHRA SEATTLE NO. 1 QUALIFIER first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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Todd made a spectacular run in his DHL GR Supra during the third round of qualifying Saturday afternoon. He made a 3.885-second run at 336.57 mph to take the top spot with one round of qualifying remaining.
“That was a good run,” Crew Chief Dickie Venables said. “That’s what we wanted to run; we’ve had some clutch discs lately that have been throwing us for a loop, and we’re just trying to work through that so we’re taking it a run at a time.”
“It sounds like a broken record when you pinpoint the clutch disc issue,” Todd said. “This weekend, we’re battling clutch controller issues; I think that’s the third controller we’ve had on the car in three runs so hopefully that’s the right ticket. I have all the faith in the world and Dickie, Todd (Crew Chiefs Dickie Venables and Todd Smith) and the yella fellas. Sitting in the lounge this morning, they were going over runs from earlier in the year, Gainesville, testing and whatnot, and trying to put the pieces together. Hopefully, that’s a good sign of things to come. It’s been a while since we sniffed the 3.80s with that DHL GR Supra, so hopefully we’re on the right track.”
In the final qualifying session, the DHL team followed up with a 3.908-second effort at 336.74 mph to hold onto the No. 1 spot. It was Todd’s third No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 17th of his career.
“It feels really good,” Todd said after clinching the top qualifying spot. “We made some pretty big changes over the last two days back in the pit area. I have to give props to my crew guys. They’ve been faced with challenges all weekend, but just they rise the occasion every time – tip of the hat to Dickie and Todd making the right calls, reading the weather and the track. We have a good, consistent car, especially here today, and hopefully we can parlay that into four consistent runs tomorrow, when it really counts.”
Todd will open eliminations against No. 16 qualifier Jeff Arend. In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta is the No. 3 qualifier, and he will race Shawn Reed in the first round of eliminations. Shawn Langdon is the No. 4 qualifier; he’ll face Justin Ashley in Sunday’s opening round.
Photos Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
The post J.R TODD TAKES NHRA SEATTLE NO. 1 QUALIFIER first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
Continue reading...
