The Scrappers Racing team is taking another step toward their goal of creating a robust drag racing operation as they prepare for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Not only will Jianna Evaristo be racing Valley Services Scrappers Racing Pro Stock Motorcycle to secure her standing in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, but her sister, Top Fuel newcomer Jasmine Salinas, will be joined by another driver making his Top Fuel debut, Gary Pritchett.
It was announced exclusively on NHRA.com last week that Pritchett will be behind the wheel of the “Bunny and the Boys” Top Fuel dragster, owned by Travis Shumake and powered by Scrappers Racing. At the most recent NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in Las Vegas, Shumake made several high-performing passes in this dragster, giving Pritchett an extra dose of inspiration for his debut. Troy Fasching and Adem Cave will serve as co-crew chiefs on the second Scrappers-tuned dragster, with oversight from Rob Flynn and Arron Cave, who will be tuning teammate Jasmine Salinas next door. Pritchett is the fourth new Top Fuel driver this season to work with the support of Scrappers Racing to make a professional start in the sport. In addition to Jasmine, Shumake and Julie Nataas have also driven with the Scrappers crew this year.
Pritchett will reveal a new livery paying homage to his godmother, legendary drag racer Bunny Burkett. The talented pro rookie has been a “driver for hire” this year racing everything from Nostalgia Funny Car to Super Street, likely gaining more track time than many of his fellow Top Fuel competitors. He’s hopeful that this experience will give him the edge he needs in this fiercely competitive field.
At 6’4”, Pritchett can’t slide into just anyone’s Top Fuel ride. Luckily, he’s the same size as Shumake, adding a nice bit of serendipity to his story. The talented young driver, who previously worked on the multi-time championship team of Steve Torrence, will be pulling double duty this weekend as he will not only drive but will also maintain the clutch of this 12,000 horsepower beast.
“I got my Top Fuel license in 2015,” recalls Pritchett. “I’ve been keeping it up all this time, just waiting for an opportunity like this. The drag racing community is so generous. I can’t tell you how many calls and texts I’ve received this week offering help in all directions. It already feels like a dream come true. And to have Bunny riding along with me on the side of this car – it’s perfect. Bunny not only got me into drag racing, but she also got the Cave brothers started in the sport. Her legacy is huge and I’m thrilled that Travis was on board with honoring her in this way.”
Jasmine’s rookie season has been transformational for the talented young driver who took over the seat of the Valley Services Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster earlier this year when her father, Scrappers Racing team owner Mike Salinas, had to step back to take care of a medical matter. She’s eager to finish out the season strong and wants to make as many laps as possible before the season comes to a close.
“I’ve learned a lot this year,” remarked Jasmine. “I don’t think I’ve fully had time to digest everything I’ve learned so I can put it into practice consistently. At this point, I am focusing on gratitude. It’s not lost on me that this has been the experience of a lifetime and I appreciate everyone who helped to make this happen. It’s not how I envisioned my career starting, but now that I’ve had a taste of Top Fuel, I’m not going anywhere. This dragster is where I belong. This off-season, we are going to actively pursue potential sponsor partners and work tirelessly to put a winning strategy in place for 2025.”
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Jianna has experienced the best-performing season of her burgeoning career. She rode to the finals in Bristol, Tenn. at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in June and had two semifinal appearances aboard her Matt Smith-tuned Buell. She made the change over to a Buell at the beginning of the season and she’s thoroughly enjoyed piloting the torque-heavy motorcycle. She raced to new personal bests multiple times this season, seeing improvements in every meaningful metric.
Jianna won the NHRA Finals in 2019, earning her first Wally at the iconic track, shaking up the points standings in the process, resulting in Andrew Hines taking the world championship from Jerry Savoie and Smith when she defeated Savoie in the final round of competition.
“I always get excited about racing in Pomona,” said Jianna. “Not only is it special because I got my first win there, but there’s just so much history at this track. I can’t wait to race this Buell there! We’ve been making moves in the right direction all season long and I hope this is the moment when it all comes together and we can land in the winners circle again.”
Competition in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 15. On Saturday, November 16, drivers will have two more opportunities to qualify at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals will kick off at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 17.
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