The DHL Toyota GR Supra team and J.R. Todd are in a strong position with two races left in the NHRA regular season. They are sitting in sixth place in the point standings and if they can hold off the handful of drivers pursuing them over the next two races they will enter the six race playoffs three rounds out of first place. Two races ago they raced to a runner-up finish in Seattle on a track that was incredibly tricky so getting on track at Brainerd International Raceway in conditions that play to his team’s strengths has the 2018 Funny Car champion eager to get behind the wheel.
“We have been racing on tracks where the track temperatures have been 140 degrees or hotter,” said Todd, a 10-time Funny Car national event winner. “(Crew chiefs) Todd Smith and Jon Oberhofer have been doing a killer job getting this DHL Toyota GR Supra to put up good numbers. This weekend conditions will be cooler and I think we can really get after it. I am looking forward to four great qualifying runs.”
This season Todd and the DHL team have made significant strides with the new Toyota GR Supra Funny Car body that Todd, Kalitta Motorsports sponsors Revchem Composites and Toyota Gazoo Racing North America all contributed to on the development side. In addition to the Seattle final round Todd has raced deep into eliminations in Norwalk and Epping.
“We have been going rounds and just haven’t gotten over the hump yet,” said Todd. “We are about to head to tracks where we have a lot of positive results and I would like to get some momentum started this weekend in Brainerd.”
2021 NHRA Brainerd Nationals Highlights: Qual. No.11, Beat Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson; Lost to Cruz Pedregon
Last Event Recap 2022 Topeka Nationals: Qual. 8; Lost to Alexis DeJoria
Career Stats: 269 events, 261 starts, 295 round wins, 19 wins, 41 finals, 14 No. 1 qualifiers; In Funny Car: 117 events, 117 starts, 10 wins, 21 finals, 147 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
Denver: Qual. 6; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to John Force
Sonoma: Qual. 10; Beat Tim Wilkerson; Lost to John Force
Seattle: Qual. 7; RUNNER-UP; Beat Blake Alexander, Bob Tasca III, bye; Lost to Robert Hight
Topeka: Qual. 8; Lost to Alexis DeJoria
Kalitta Motorsports PR
