Through ten races this season J.R. Todd and the DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car team have raced to three semifinal finishes and three quarterfinal finishes. The consistency has begun to turn into momentum with Todd racing to the semifinals in two of the last three national events. Currently sitting in seventh place in the points standings just three rounds out of the top five the 2018 Funny Car world champion is eager to get the Western Swing underway.
“These next three races will be a lot of fun and a great chance for us to make a move up in the points with this DHL Toyota GR Supra,” said Todd. “We have definitely turned a corner I feel and getting back on track at the Mile High Nationals will be a great chance for us to keep the momentum going.”
Todd has two victories at the Mile High Nationals picking up Top Fuel wins in 2006 and 2014. A Funny Car win this weekend would make him just the third winner of both nitro classes at Bandimere Speedway. The previous two drivers to achieve that feat are Hall of Famers Kenny Bernstein and Mike Dunn.
“My two Top Fuel wins at the Mile High Nationals are great memories and I would love to add a Funny Car win to my resume here,” said Todd, a 10-time Funny Car national event winner. “Any time you can add your name to a list that has Kenny Bernstein and Mike Dunn on it you know you have done something special. These DHL guys have been giving me a great car this season and I would love to get it into the winner’s circle this weekend.”
Over the off-season the team put the finishing touches on the brand-new Toyota GR Supra Funny Car body. Todd and the team of Toyota Gazoo Racing North America engineers and designers tested in the off-season to bring this sleek and powerful race car to life for the first time this season. Todd was instrumental in giving firsthand feedback from the cockpit and he would like nothing more than to as to Toyota racing legacy with more Funny Car titles.
“We put a lot of man hours into this design and I can tell we are getting better every race,” said Todd. “Any time you bring out a new design there are going to be issues, but we have been addressing them and getting better. There are six races left in the regular season and then the Countdown starts. I want to keep building momentum and go into the playoffs on a hot streak.”
The three race Western Swing will be a prime opportunity for Todd and the DHL team to continue to add rounds on their opponents. Qualifying will begin for Todd and the DHL Toyota team on Friday evening with two rounds followed by two more rounds on Saturday. Final eliminations will begin at noon local time with FOX broadcasting the race from 4 p.m. – 7 pm. ET.
2021 NHRA Mile High Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 7; Lost to Bob Tasca III
Last Event Recap 2022 Norwalk Nationals: Qual 7; Beat Blake Alexander, John Force; Lost to Robert Hight
Career Stats: 265 events, 257 starts, 290 round wins, 19 wins, 40 finals, 14 No. 1 qualifiers; In Funny Car: 113 events, 113 starts, 10 wins, 20 finals, 142 round wins, 5 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual 8; Beat Bobby Bode; Lost to Ron Capps
Arizona Nationals: Qual 8; Lost to Alexis DeJoria
Gatornationals: Qual 11; Lost to Blake Alexander
Las Vegas1: Qual 9; Beat Tim Wilkerson and Jason Rupert; Lost to Ron Capps and Matt Hagan
Houston: Qual 13; Beat Bob Tasca III, Jim Campbell; Lost to Matt Hagan
Charlotte1: Qual 6; Beat Dale Creasy Jr, Chad Green; Lost to Ron Capps, Mike McIntire
Richmond: Qual 5; Lost to John Force
Epping: Qual 10; Beat Blake Alexander, Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Bristol: Qual 11; Lost to Cruz Pedregon
Norwalk: Qual 7; Beat Blake Alexander, John Force; Lost to Robert Hight
Kalitta Motorsports PR
