No driver has had the success at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that J.R. Todd has enjoyed over the past two years. The winner of three straight races at the race track just north of Sin City will be looking to make it four in a row this weekend at the NHRA Vegas Nationals. Last year Todd took the win at the fall Countdown race and raced to the championship two weeks later in California. The win was part of a dominant streak that saw Todd and the DHL Funny Car race to five final rounds in the Countdown and pick up his first Funny Car world championship.
“We have been on a hot streak for sure at The Strip,” said Todd. “We need to keep is rolling if we are going to get into this Funny Car championship battle. We have dug ourselves a hole but a win this weekend could do us a world of good. There will be 30 points per round in Pomona so we want to be within striking distance leaving Las Vegas.”
Todd will also be racing with a new look race car this weekend. His DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car will be adorned with a throwback DHL logo alongside the current DHL livery. Since 2007 DHL and Kalitta Motorsports have been partners in one of the most successful sponsorships in motorsports.
“It is an honor to drive the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car,” said Todd. “There is a lot of history with this race car and getting another NHRA Funny Car world championship last year was very special. The DHL and Kalitta brands have a global following and to be able to represent both companies is pretty amazing.”
The DHL team started the Countdown with a strong race in Reading, Pennsylvania posting a semifinal finish and they followed that up with a runner-up in St. Louis. The team stumbled in Charlotte with some tough qualifying runs and then an early exit on a rain delayed Monday finish. In Dallas two weeks ago Todd and Yella Fella DHL teammates qualified No. 3 and raced to the quarterfinals before being ousted by eventual race winner Matt Hagan, the fourth different Funny Car driver to win the Countdown this season.
“The Countdown for Funny Cars this year has been wide open. No one is really running away with it. There has been a different winner every race and just about everyone has a first round loss too. We made a move up the points coming out of St. Louis and even with two races left I think these DHL boys can make a jump. We will just need to be on our game starting on Friday in Las Vegas. We have won this race and done well here so I have a lot of confidence.”
Todd’s four final rounds is third best in his career and second best behind the wheel of the DHL Funny Car. His championship year last season was one for the record books. A strong finish in Las Vegas and Pomona could easily propel him to the top and a few missteps by his competitors could give him an opening for a back to back championship.
“We are not out of it by any means. You never know what could happen. I think there could be some big point swings in Las Vegas if we get some good qualifying runs and the ladder stacks up in our favor. The bottom line is we need to get every point available and win the last two races. The good news is we have done that before. I am ready to race for this championship,” summed up Todd.
2018 NHRA Vegas Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 2;WINNER; Beat Richard Townsend, Shawn Langdon, Jack Beckman and Matt Hagan
Last Event Recap (2019 NHRA FallNationals): Qual. No. 3; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Quotable: J.R. Todd on win streak at The Strip: “We have had a lot of success the past three races at The Strip. We definitely want to keep winning in Las Vegas. We have a lot of ground to try and make up to get another championship. It is a long shot but we aren’t going to give up. This DHL Toyota team will be trying to get as many qualifying points as possible and then get four win lights on Sunday.”
Career Stats: 222 events, 214 starts, 236 round wins, 18 wins, 33 finals, 12 No. 1 qualifiers; in Funny Car: 70 events, 70 starts, 9 wins, 13 finals, 856 round wins, 3 No. 1 qualifiers
2019 Season:
Winternationals: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Bob Tasca III
Arizona Nationals: Qual. No. 5; RUNNER-UP; Beat Terry Haddock, Tommy Johnson Jr., Robert Hight, Lost to Matt Hagan
Gatornationals: Qual. No. 11; Lost to Jack Beckman
Las Vegas1: Qual. No. 4; WINNER; Beat Gary Densham and Jim Campbell in first quad, Matt Hagan and Jeff Diehl in second quad and in the final quad beat Tommy Johnson Jr., Jack Beckman and Tim Wilkerson.
Houston: Qual. No. 4; Beat Jim Campbell; Lost to Robert Hight
Charlotte1: Qual. No. 8; Beat Bob Tasca III and Bob Glibertson; Lost to Shawn Langdon and Robert Hight
Atlanta: Qual. No. 2; Beat Jim Campbell; Lost to Tommy Johnson Jr.
Richmond: Qual. No. 4; RUNNER-UP; Beat Bob Tasca III, Shawn Langdon, Jonnie Lindberg; Lost to Ron Capps
Chicago: Qual. No. 6; Lost to John Force
Topeka: Qual. No. 1; Beat bye; Lost to Robert Hight
Bristol: Qual. No. 5; Beat Terry Haddock; Lost to Jack Beckman
Norwalk: Qual. No. 7; Beat Robert Hight; Lost to John Force
Epping: Qual. No. 1; Beat bye; Lost to Tim Wilkerson
Denver: Qual. No. 11; Lost to John Force
Sonoma: Qual. No. 11; Lost to Matt Hagan
Seattle: Qual. No. 2; Beat Jeff Diehl; Lost to Ron Capps
Brainerd: Qual. No. 10; Lost to Ron Capps
Indianapolis: Qual. No. 5; Beat Cruz Pedregon, Ray Martin; Lost to Jack Beckman
Reading: Qual. No. 10; Beat Tommy Johnson Jr., John Smith; Lost to Jack Beckman
St. Louis: Qual. No. 8; RUNNER-UP; Beat Jack Beckman, John Force, Robert Hight; Lost to Shawn Langdon
Charlotte2: Qual. No. 12; Lost to John Force
Dallas: Qual. No. 3; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Kalitta Motorsports PR
